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ofthewandandthemoon yourlovecantholdthis
Artist: Of The Wand And The Moon
Title: Your Love Can’t Hold This
Genre: Experimental / Noise / Dark Ambient / Industrial / Neo Folk
Release Date: 8th October 2021
Label: Heidrunar Myrkrunar


Album Review

Kim Larsen formed OF THE WAND AND THE MOON when he was still a member of Doom Metal band SATURNUS. Their debut album, ‘NightTime Nightrhymes’ came out in 1999 followed by four more: ‘Emptiness Emptiness Emptiness’ (2001), ‘Lucifer’ (2003), ‘Sonnenheim’ (2005) and ‘The Lone Descent’ (2011). Album #2 received attention for its Neo Folk / Goth / Metal allusions and album #3 gained its classic badge years later within the genre. ‘The Lone Descent’ was a new direction for the band that was well received by fans and critics alike and was the most successful of their albums to date. This album? Well, read on...

Lazy and laid back on the first track, its glassy eyed musings remind me of Michael Gira or LOVE AND ROCKETS with the edges filed down. Funny that, cos the next track sounds just like Michael Gira with the edges glued back on. It has a faint female vocal shimmering in the background and mournful brass to end! ‘Let’s Take A Ride’ carries on the laid back theme, simple bass but emphatic. Atmospheres swirl around like haze intermingled with cigarette smoke, those brassy musings flitting in and out like metallic fireflies. I am reminded of Leonard Cohen also, yes, Leonard Cohen and instrumental ‘Non Stop Erotic Cabaret’.

‘Fall From View’ is more mystical and folkish. Cloaked figures, all gnarled and bony hang menacingly in the mists presenting themselves as formidable guardians to the realms beyond. Eerie bells taper off into silence at the end. Whilst ‘Love Is Made Of Dreams’ goes all ROB ZOMBIE for 30 seconds before taking off on a gravelly voiced canter. It feels so miserably upbeat in execution. I feel like hopping and skipping around the kitchen whilst mumbling “I feel like shit and I wanna die, shoop doop de doo do”. ‘Twilight Halo’ is a bad dream wrapped up in a disorientated hallucination, the voice is amplified through a magnifying glass, horns with sinister sadness punch holes in the translucent papery veneers.

I very much like what I am hearing so far, my mind is made up. It's not like the last album I listened to where I had moments of absorption punctuated by longer moments of tuning out. This has my attention, my full attention. I’ve even put off going to the loo until after the last track ends.

‘Les Journees San Fin Et Les Nuits Solitaires’ splashes like warm rain on a cold day. The strings lazily hum their hum in a slightly Oriental way. ‘Williamsburg Bridge’, another track with oozes brass but this time with a ‘Blade Runner’ cum ‘Madame Butterfly’ cum ‘The Fifth Element’ vibe to it, it doesn’t last long before we swiftly move into ‘Nothing For Here’. Yep, a feeling I have a lot, time to move on. The Leonard Cohen like vocals, gruff but smooth and burnt like tobacco seeped in honey. The trumpet works well within the context of this track and also within others. It gives the whole proceedings an introspective huff!

Finally, track 10 and the final hurdle. Drums start this track off, and for the first time they are put to the fore.! This track races along with pursed lips and steely stare whilst still retaining an air of inwardness. The very faint guitar filigrees in the background subtly sucking you into the tracks depth without leaving any noticeable bruising, the end ends with a quick spurt of reverse vocal, horror style. I’ll work out what it says later.

Anyway, in conclusion, this was an intriguing listen. I can now go to the loo. I thank you!


Tracklist

01. Whispers of the Past
02. Your Love can’t hold this Wreath of Sorrow
03. Let’s Take a Ride (My Love)
04. Fall from View
05. Love is Made of Dreams
06. Twilight Halo
07. Les journées sans fin Et les nuits solitaires
08. Williamsburg Bridge
09. Nothing for me here
10. Barbs of Time


Line-up

Kim Larsen - All Instruments


Website

https://www.facebook.com/wandmoon


Cover Picture

ofthewandandthemoon yourlovecantholdthis


Rating

Music: 8
Sound: 8
Total: 8 / 10




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