Artist: WHITE WILLOW
Album: IGNIS FATUUS (CD)

Release date: 1995
Media type: CD

Enter a world of fairies, sprites, and demons. Of pagan rituals at midnight and magic spells at dawn. Of Ignis Fatuus - Willow Of The Wisp. This is the world of White Willow, a collective of young Norwegian musicians who have a love for folk music and progressive rock. The group was originally formed as a folk ensemble incorporating progressive rock instruments like synthesizer and Mellotron into their sound. With increased exposure to the new Swedish bands nglagrd, Landberk, and Anekdoten the bands sound became more symphonic, gradually developing into an unusual hybrid which seamlessly blends progressive, classical, and folk elements. White Willows music is very dark - almost gothic. The blending of acoustic instruments with Mellotron creates an atmosphere akin to King Crimsons "In The Court Of The Crimson King". The songs on "Ignis Fatuus" vary in length from the brief 2 minute choral arrangement on "Song" to the Crimsonish 12 minute instrumental "Cryptomenysis", which is based on a story by H.P. Lovecraft. The band mixes short moody songs with long heavy progresive epics like the 11 minute "John Dees Lament". At times the lyrics are rather melancholy focusing on age old topics like unrequited love and death. Other songs like "Now In These Fairy Lands" have fantasy themes. This 68 minute CD features a wonderfully open and transparent audiophile sound. Rounding out the package is an incredible cover painting from a rising star - graphic illustrator Thom Ang.

TRACKLIST:

1. Snowfall
2. Lord Of Night
3. Song
4. Ingenting
5. The Withering Of The Boughs
6. Lines On An Autumnal Evening
7. Noo In These Fairy Lands
8. Piletreet
9. Till He Arrives
10. Cryptomenysis
11. Signs
12. John Aee's Lament

LINE-UP:

Jan Tariq Rahman, keyboards, recorders, crumhorn, kantele, sitar, bass pedals, bass, vocals, devices;
Tirill Mohn, violins, classical guitar;
Audun Kjus, flutes, whistles, pipes, bodhran, vocals;
Sara Trondeal, vocals;
Eldrid Johansen, vocals;
Jacob C. Holm-Lupo, guitars;
Alexander Engebretsen, bass; The Drummer, drums and percussion