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Reviews:
H.E.R.R. | The Winter Of Constantinople
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From DarkLife:
A fusion of neoclassical and anthemic, complete
with military pounding rhythms and an epic over tone, The Winter of Constantinople
is a little gem rediscovered by Cold Spring. The original edition of this
album -the second full-length for H.E.R.R., was a meagre edition of 141
on Cynfeirdd, now thanks to Cold Spring, this album gets the wider exposure
it deserves. One of the strengths of the work is its highly dynamic structure,
rendering very well the tension of the historical theme that it depicts,
the 14th century siege of the last bastion of the Roman Empire of the
East by the Ottoman Turks, and its fall. There's a lot on the dish for
those who enjoy epical atmospheres with a sense of inevitable defeat embedded
in every track, mainly marked by crying cellos, synth layers and solemn
choirs, while a variety of vocal styles, mostly within the range of spoken
word, further add to the interest to this modern-day soundtrack to an
ancient-day drama. |
From Medienkonverter:
(by Veit)
"The Winter Of Constantinople"
kam ursprünglich als limitierte CD-R-Version heraus, deren 141 Stück
jedoch bereits vor Veröffentlichungstermin ausverkauft waren. Aus
diesem Grund gibt es jetzt eine Neuauflage, damit auch diejenigen in den
Genuss des Albums kommen, die nicht die Chance hatten, die CD-R zu erweben
bzw. nicht die Lust oder Möglichkeit, horrende Summen bei diversen
Tauschbörsen auszugeben. Wie der Titel schon vermuten lässt,
dreht sich das Album um das Byzantinische Reich und vor allem um dessen
Untergang durch die Belagerung und anschließende Eroberung Konstantinopels
durch die Osmanen. Gespielt wird mit heroischen und bedrohlichen Visionen,
jedoch ohne in Klischees abzudriften.
Die Holländer haben sich ein nicht gerade
unumstrittenes neues Mitglied als Verstärkung dazugeholt. Troy Southgate,
selbsternannter Nationalanarchist, übernimmt bei einigen Tracks den
Gesang bzw. den Sprechgesang. Das macht er allerdings sehr gut. Einige
seiner intonierten Stücke erinnern vereinzelt an alte World-Serpent-Veröffentlichungen.
Davon abgesehen hat "The Winter Of Constantinople" vor allem
musikalisch viel zu bieten. Neben Neo-Folk-Elementen wie der Akustik-Gitarre
gibt es insbesondere viele klassisch ausgerichtete Songs zu hören.
Da verwundert es nicht wenig, dass sich H.E.R.R. bei "Requiem"
sogar bei Herrn Beethoven bedient haben. Der Song "Hagia Sophia"
wartet außerdem mit Bläsern auf.
Klavierklänge, dunkle Cellopassagen und orchestrale Streichereinsätze
geben dem Album etwas Weihevolles. "Tanz Konstantinopel" ist
mit marschartigem Rhythmus aber klassischer Instrumentierung einer der
stärksten Songs, da er sehr imposant wirkt. Einige der auf "The
Winter Of Constantinople" verwendeten Samples wirken dessen ungeachtet
ziemlich deplaziert. Was haben Fliegeralarm und militärische Märsche
der Neuzeit im alten Byzanz verloren? Davon abgesehen kann das Album aber
überzeugen.
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From LaGouttière:
Après s'être fait remarqué
par leur prestation sur la compilation "Hopes Die in Winter",
c'est un bel euphémisme de dire que HERR se faisait attendre, surtout
chez des impatients comme moi. Les néerlandais arrivent donc avec
ce "Winter of Constantinople" pour remettre les choses au clair
et ne pas décevoir nos attentes.
Un seul mot pour définir cet album: l'adjectif classique
je dirais. Déjà néo-classique pour la musique et
classicisme romain pour l'ambiance et la pochette, sous le signe du Labarum
et des statues equestres en marbre. HERR aborde la chute de Constantinople.
Ambiance historique donc au programme, entre l'empereur Justinien et le
siège de 1453. HERR utilise une voix narrée sur la quasi
totalité de l'album (sauf a "New Rome"), annonçant
la chute. L'ambiance s'approche assez fréquemment de celles des
bandes originales de péplums.
La musique de HERR oscille entre ambiances
solennelles, martiales et sombres; et ambiances plus classiques et douces.
"The Fall of Constantinople" ouvre l'album en évoquant
le début du siège de Constantinople sur un ton martial et
symphonique, "Tanz Konstantinopel" est aussi un morceau sombre
de HERR, à base de violoncelle et de tambours. Pour le côté
néo-classique et plus apaisant, on retrouve une adaptation de Beethoven
et Scarlatti sur "Requiem". On atteint le sommet avec "Frühlings
Erwachen", titre trés réussi, parfait mélange
de néo-classique et d'indus militariste.
La réussite de l'année 2005 dans le genre néo-classique
& martial selon moi.
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From Judas
Kiss: (by LP)
With the release of 'The Winter of Constantinople'
Cold Spring have added yet another stunning addition to their ever growing
family, this time in the shape of H.E.R.R A relatively new group which
has its sound and aesthetics deeply routed with the militaristic/martial
genre with powerfully alluring and bombastic effect.
Based around a central thread that is seeping
with an imperialistic atmosphere, H.E.R.R creates an impressively powerful
display of neo-classical orchestrations. Coupled with martial drumming,
sparse samples and sung/spoken vocals, they combine a feel and intensity
that is awash with a huge sense of honour and strength. The whole release
has an immensely strong European feel to it and draws very heavily on
the proud traditions that have been forged over the centuries within this
continent, to produces an atmosphere and command in its sound that is
difficult not be moved by. There is also an immense sense of pride and
valour that is projected from their very essence, which add another strikingly
compelling and respectful dimension to the overall tone of the album.
The stunning array of pro-European subject
matter that adorns the majority of the tracks creates a dynamic picture
of thoughts and ideas that the group conveys and this is built upon with
the introduction of the exhilarating 'Hopes Die In Winter' which takes
the listener on a explorative journey into the minds of the modern suburban
warrior, the football hooligan, a subject that you'll agree hasn't been
dealt with in any other CD within the post-industrial genres. The inclusion
of this track and the mater-of-fact way it's presented adds a very real
edge to atmosphere that H.E.R.R have produced throughout this release.
It's also worth noting that amongst its ranks sands tall Troy Southgate,
the esoteric/political activist and free-thinker who no doubt adds a considerable
amount of weight to the strength that H.E.R.R possess.
Even after initial listens it's easy to see
why Cold Spring are putting considerable energies into championing H.E.R.R.
as the album is highly rewarding and compellingly stimulating. After such
a powerful release I'm more an intrigued to see how H.E.R.R develop musically
and politically with their next releases. |
From DSide:
(By Valentina)
Michiel Spapé è il compositore
di quasi tutti e nove i brani; suo il progetto (riduttivo da chiamare
neofolk) H.E.R.R., lavoro vincente, come molti di quelli proposti dalla
nostra amata, impeccabile, Cold Spring Records. Dall’artwork delicato
quanto incentrato, ‘The Winter of Constantinople’ si presenta
graficamente come un'insieme di sculture di ‘trapassati’ artisti,
assemblati dallo stesso Spapè con colori tenui e antichi.
Musicalmente parlando, non conosciamo ansia per questo progetto
militarista, la musica scorre melodiosa quanto cupa, accompagnata da timpani,
archi (di Oskar van Dijk) ed epiche narrazioni.. si spiegano le vele nemiche
verso il territorio dimenticato di Costantinopoli con ‘The Fall
Of Constantinople’ all’interiorizzato, ripetuto grido di ‘’Enemy,
enemy at the gates!’’.. e con ‘Hopes Die In Winter’
viene alla luce una prima lunga narrazione (anche questa con voce di Troy
Southgate) prosciugata da un lungo, penetrante organo rievocante. Solo
con 'Hagia Sophia' c'imbattiamo in un’alleanza industriale a stralci
mediorientali che vengono però, a breve distanza dimenticati, quando
sono svelate le note di ‘Requiem’: curioso omaggio a Beethoven
e Scarlatti. ‘A new Rome’ ‘’marching through the
rain, we are soldiers again’’ ci apre poi i cancelli per una
più medievaleggiante ‘Fruhling Erwachen’, e ancora
un sinuoso cambio di rotta, l'abbiamo con ‘Oneindigheid’ dove
un solitario pianoforte introduce al brano conclusivo narrato da Miklos
Hofer.
Il lavoro mi è piaciuto molto e ne consiglio quindi
l’acquisto a tutte le orecchie, da quelle piu ‘marcianti’
a quelle amanti di sonorità neo-classiche. |
| From Mentenebre:
(by Davo)
Cold Spring ha reeditado "The Winter
Of Constantinople", disco de los Holandeses H.E.R.R. (Heilig Europa
/ Romeins Rijk) publicado anteriormente en Cynfeirdd y que ahora aparece
remasterizado y adornado con un tema extra (cómo no.)
El álbum de Troy Southgate y compañía
se basa en el icono de una Constantinopla asediada por las hordas del
este que combate con honor aun conociendo que está irrevocablemente
abocada a la destrucción. Desde esta premisa histórica,
el grupo utiliza la ciudad bizantina como símbolo de una Nueva
Roma que representa las últimas esperanzas del paneuropeísmo
frente al imparable acoso y derribo del capitalismo más despreciable.
Bueno, vayamos por partes y no nos tomemos las cosas al pie
de la letra, no se me acuse de inmiscuirme en cuitas que no vienen al
caso y que sólo servirían para enmarañar lo que –a
juicio de un humilde servidor– no es más que una idea muy
efectiva y resultona llevada a cabo de manera concisa y escueta: lo que
HERR pretende expresar a través de una música ligeramente
sinfónica es el deseo de volver a las raíces, ejemplificadas
aquí en el último baluarte del Imperio Romano, un paradigma
de poder, gloria y belleza. Equilibrio en las formas que se traduce también
en la sonoridad del disco, un catálogo de arreglos de cuerda y
viento virtuales que procura mantenerse siempre en la línea, no
salirse de la raya y emocionar desde las teclas ya pulsadas de unos referentes
clásicos que nos traen a la memoria a los grandes compositores
europeos.
Lo que en una palabra llevamos describiendo como música
neoclásica de toda la vida, ya saben... Puissance, Blood Axis y
compañía, todos ellos obsesionados por cuestiones similares:
la decadencia de Europa, el holocausto de una globalización identificada
con la barbarie, la idea un tanto maniquea de la hordas extranjeras que
diluyen el sustrato propio, pérdidas y pequeños reencuentros,
solitarias búsquedas de identidades nacionales.
En "The Winter Of Constantinople" queda todo este
repertorio reflejado magistralmente; no en vano han tomado buena nota
de sus antecesores y han elaborado un sucinto inventario de ideas extremas
revestidas con la elegancia de una escultura de Michelangelo, el domo
de Hagia Sophia y la música de Beethoven o Scarlatti; excelentes
elementos para la discreción que aquí son dilapidados bajo
la ira de los engañados, los hombres que se consumen en la más
insalubre indignación y que, no faltos de razón, persiguen,
no obstante, objetivos de difícil aceptación.
Y el caso es que no pretendemos con estas palabras menospreciar
el resultado artístico, que es ejemplar, sino más bien admirarnos
de cómo bajo unas premisas posiblemente impregnadas de fútil
vehemencia, hallamos tales hazañas estéticas, hechos de
reconocible fascinación, temas que circulan desde la belleza y
el atrevimiento lírico de 'The Fall of Constantinople' (tema primero:
fantástico el estribillo Enemy at the gates!) hasta la revisión
de los clásicos ya mencionados (Ludwig van. y compañía
en el extensísimo tema quinto), pasando por texturas más
industriales en 'Hopes Die in Winter' o 'Hagia Sophia', siendo de hecho
reseñable cómo emplean estas texturas distorsionadas para
asignar los distintos papeles de la puesta en escenas.
Esto es, las reverberaciones lejanas y fantasmales del tema
segundo se pueden entender como el símbolo del mal en sí
mismo, es decir, de la destrucción de todo lo hermoso y prestigioso
de una civilización que ha de ser respetada y admirada y que ejemplifica
en sí misma la gloria de la verdadera Europa; y los samples en
lo-fi de músicas islámicas serían, en el tema tercero,
la amenaza que se cierne sobre la Nueva Roma, así como el añadido
de una sirena muy de toda la vida y que representaría la guerra...
Sobre estos símbolos se enciman los arreglos neoclásicos,
el símbolo de nuestra cultura que ha de predominar sobre las culturas
invasoras... Como pueden ver, todo está muy bien pensado y ejecutado.
El disco se escucha con verdadero placer porque no se excede y se contiene
con conocimiento de causa. No suma más de lo debido, y no suena
con rimbombancia, sino que emplea lo justo, deleita y no presiona.
En unas pocas palabras, H.E.R.R. se desenvuelve con maestría
en el territorio del lirismo y de la melancolía, parcela esta última
sobre el que debería de enfocar todas sus energías, olvidándose
de otras cosas y dejándose llevar un poco más. Lo demás,
vendría hecho por sí solo. |
| From Transmisiòn:
(by Keni)
Comienza este disco con la canción
que da titulo al mismo, dónde una gran melodia hace de eje fundamental
y junto a la impresionante voz del cantante, arropada por sonidos marciales
y orquestales, hacen que la primera impresión sea absolutamente
positiva. Las letras en estr trabajo itenen un peso especifico muy importante,
siendo una de las bases del concepto que representa todo el trabajo: la
caida de Constantinopla a manos de los turcos. En general las ambientaciones
orquestales son excelentes y grandilocuentes, e incluso se permiten adaptar
el Requiem de Beethoven en el ecuador del disco. Además encontramos
elementos folk y ritmos marciales en temas como "A New Rome",
uno de los mejores del disco en mi humilde opinión, o "Fruhling
Erwachen", preciosista en toda su intensidad. Por si todavia no ha
quedado claro, el disco es imprescindible. |
| From Hereditas: (by Jorge Flores / Emilio
Hueso)
En unos dias en los que vemos cómo
se pretende considerar a Turquia cómo una nación europea
y a los turcos cómo un pueblo más dentro de Europa, no está
de más que se editen trabajos cómo éste en el que
se rememora le defensa de Constantinopla por pante de caballeros europeos
y la posterior caida y saqueo de la misma a manos de las tropas turcas.
Y si esto se hace a través de un ambient de corte neo-clásico
y con pro-fusión de percusiones militaristas y marciales, much
mejor. Inmejorable producción y gran diseño artisco el que
además nos ofrecen estos austriacos en este gran cd. |
| From Twilight
Zone: (by Michele Viali)
H.E.R.R. è un progetto nato di recente
che ruota attorno alla figura di Michiel Spapé, aiutato da altri
tre membri. Questo è il loro primo lavoro ufficiale, già
edito sia in CD (sembra in sole 141 copie!) che in un’edizione ultra
limitata in vinile picture per la francese Cynfeirdd e ora riproposto
in CD, a furor di popolo, dalla Cold Spring con una traccia aggiuntiva.Penso
che molti si chiedano cosa voglia dire l’acronimo H.E.R.R., ecco
svelato l’arcano: “Heilig Europa! Römisches Reich”
ovvero –se non sbaglio- “Santa Europa Impero Romano”.
Il tema su cui si basa il lavoro, come si può evincere dal titolo,
è la caduta di Costantinopoli, ultimo baluardo dell’antico
impero romano, avvenuta nel XV secolo. La musica è maestosa, epica,
marziale. Ripropone con le note la grandezza di un periodo splendente
che non tornerà più, fotografato nella ricchezza del suo
splendore, ma sull’orlo del precipizio. Le tracce scorrono veloci
incentrate su motivi eroici di tastiera, temi di pianoforte, di chitarra
acustica, di timpani roboanti. A tratti sullo sfondo si sviluppano le
urla dell’antica città in fermento nel momento fatale. La
voce è utilizzata a mo’ di spoken word, in recitativi imponenti
e nel canto per il magico brano A New Rome. L’orchestrazione e le
percussioni sono perfette, dosate con la giusta potenza e mai usate a
sproposito. Sonorità orientaleggianti arricchiscono la bella traccia
Hagia Sophia. La bonus track intitolata Requiem rimane l’unica composizione
non originale del disco: un adattamento da Beethovene Scarlatti, eseguito
al piano e orchestrato magistralmente in crescendo.A differenza di altri
grandi progetti che trattano temi analoghi e a cui gli H.E.R.R. potrebbero
essere accostati, come Wappenbund o Von Thronstahl, i nostri fanno un
uso molto limitato di partiture industriali e di suoni e rumori campionati,
basandosi invece soprattutto su sonorità neoclassiche mai troppo
ripetitive, cosicché sono le note stesse a portarci indietro nel
tempo. Questo è garanzia di grande originalità, che riesce
a far emergere in modo imponente gli H.E.R.R. dall’anonimato del
calderone martial industrial dove affoga gente comunque quotata come Arditi
o A Challenge of Honour. Siamo di fronte ad una nuova realtà, ad
un disco che abbonda di idee originali e riesce ad infondere grande emozione.
Il quartetto si staglia imperioso e marmoreo, come l’antica Costantinopoli,
sul panorama musicale.Titanico e impressionante. “Enemy at the gates!”. |
| From La
Defuncion: (by Socorro)
Poco me hizo falta para darme cuenta de que
estamos ante una gran banda. Por desgracia se me pasó desapercibido
su primer trabajo editado en el sello francés Cynfeirdd, pero gracias
al Split “HOPES DIE IN WINTER”, editado por el sello polaco
Beast of Prey, pude descubrir, lo que hoy en día es una de las
bandas más en forma del panorama Darkfolk-Marcial.
Este segundo larga duración no hace sino confirmar la calidad
que atesoran y que sin duda, sino se quedan por el camino, se convertirán
en una de las bandas cabecillas de este estilo, que por otra parte echa
de menos bandas de alto nivel. Pero como en esto de la música está
casi todo inventado, está claro que HERR, ha bebido de alguna fuente.
En este caso esa fuente es sin duda BLOOD AXIS, banda tan maravillosa
como decepcionante. Esperemos que HERR solo siga su estela en lo musical
y deje atrás tanto la polémica en lo político, como
su escuálida trayectoria y nos regale algo más de material
musical que los americanos por que sería una pena quedarnos sin
otra gran banda.
Todo el CD tiene un nivel muy alto pero sin duda me quedaría
con dos temas, el primero es el que abre el disco “The Fall of Constantinople”,
un tema que fácilmente se puede convertir en un himno de la banda,
con aires combativos, de esos temas que transmiten fuerza por si solos,
con un estribillo pegadizo y poderoso, por otro lado el tema que cierra
el CD, más pausado y tranquilo, lleno de diferente instrumentación,
pero siempre marcado por percusiones marciales y un tono sobrio de voz
que te guían hasta la victoria durante más de cinco minutos.
Si tu estilo es el Dark Folk, o el Martial, no lo dudes ni un solo
segundo, por que créeme, estamos ante toda un revelación,
que no te puedes perder. |
| From Flash: (by FG)
La Cold Spring rilascia in formato CD questo
"The Winter Of Constantinople", già edito in una limitatissima
versione LP dalla francese Cynfeirdd. Il concept di questo lavoro degli
H.E.R.R. verte sul declino della "Nova Roma", fondata nel 324
d.c. da Constantino il Grande e crollata - circe mille anni dopo - sotto
l'assedio dei turchi. Questa collaborazione anglo-olandese dà vita
ad un interessante platter di industrial neo-folk che impiega le classiche
soluzioni del genere in maniera personale, contestualizzandole all'interno
dello scenario descritto sopra. Law marzialità di brani come "Tanz
Konstantinopel" e "Fruehling Erwachen" viene temperata
da tracce dall'appeal neo-classico, come la sognante "A Requiem For
The City Of God" - un indovinato adattamento di requiem già
composti da Beethoven e Scarlatti - e da altri pezzi che sembrano mettere
insieme più generi, come l'orientaleggiante "Hagia Sophia",
ulteriore tassello nella ricerca del punto di incontro fra Occidente e
Oriente. C'è spazio, come avrete compreso, per atmosfere diverse
e cosi le reboanti martial track si alternano a momenti più riflessivi,
come in "Oneindigheid", dove un solitario pianoforte guida l'ascoltatore
fino alla conclusione del disco, affidata ad "Arise", in cui
la voce narrante di Troy Southgate rivolge alla "città di
Dio" un invito e una preghiera: quella di riemergere dalle proprie
ceneri. Gli H.E.R.R. hanno mostrato di saper miscelare con disinvoltura
stili diversi e già ampiamente codificati, cercando una soluzione
personale, piutlosto che scimmiottare uno dei grandi nomi della scena.
"Heilig Europa, Romeins Rijk"! |
| From Blow
Up: (by Paolo Bertoni)
Trova diffusione più consona "The
Winter Of Constantinople", secondo atto di HERR, gia edito in versione
limitata da Cynfeirdd. Nell'apertura delegata alla potente The Fall
Of Constantinople, tra solenni volute, risuona il grido 'enemy at
the gates!', ad imergere subito nel tema dell'album, la conquista di Constantinopoli
da parte dei Turchi, in un concept che attraverso quell'evento medita
sull'inarrestabile tramonto dell'occidente, tra il soundscape che presto
si trasfigura, tra percussioni austere e trionfi sinfonici, di Hopes
Die In Winter, i refoli mediorientali che si infrangono su ruvidità
industrial di Hagia Sophia, la profunda impronta nostalgica della
neoclassica Requiem, le scaglie medievali riscontrabili in Fruhling
erwachen, il prepotente anthem conclusivo Arise che invita
ad una orgogliosa rinascita, e la pregevole A New Rome, dal vago
aroma Coil. |
| From Rock
Hard: (by Roberto Alessandro Filippozzi)
Se da un lato la francese Cynfeirdd si è
occupata dell'edizione in vinile (limitata a 323 copie numerate), stampare
in versione CD il secondo lavoro sulla lunga distanza degli olandesi H.E.R.R.
(che segue il debut del 2004 "Es Regnet Das Leben Heraus", limitato
a 500 copie digipack) è invece compito dell'inglese CS, label assai
selettiva e dall'alto standard qualitativo. Questo interessante quartetto
(che si cela dietro all'acronimo il cui significato è Heiliger
Europa Römisches Reich) si sta in breve tempo costruendo un'ottima
reputazione in ambito neofolk/industrial, e questo grazie ad un suono
che sa essere tanto marziale (e quindi appetibile per il pubblico neofolk)
quanto neoclassico, le cui tematiche (legate ai massimi splendori della
Roma Imperiale) fanno facili proseliti tra il pubblico della 'grey area'.
Tra parti vocali (curate da Troy Southgate e Miklós Hoffer) per
lo più recitate (la sola "A New Rome" contiene vocals
più assimilabili a veri cantati) e possenti sezioni d'archi, passando
per struggenti frangenti pianistici fino alle oscure (rare) incursioni
in ambiti industrial e dark ambient, il suono del progetto di Michiel
Spapé (indiscusso leader e compositore principale) sa farsi epico
e possente come non mai nella splendida "Tanz Konstantinopel",
per poi tingersi di grigio in "Requiem", superbo brano (non
presente nell'edizione in vinile) che nasce da adattamenti di musiche
di Beethoven e Scarlatti. Un viaggio attraverso secoli di reale gloria,
da Roma a Costantinopoli, illustrato dalle note con cui gli H.E.R.R. lo
avrebbero idealmente musicato. Acquisto caldeggiato per gli estimatori
del genere, e adesso attendiamo con ansia che la CS pubblichi il nuovo
album "Vondel's Lucifer"…
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| From KMY:
(by Jiituomas)
HERR tekee varsin stereotyyppistä neoklassista.
Tietokonepohjaisen keinotekoiselta kuulostavaa, erittäin mahtipontista
ja kappaleiden sisällä itseään toistava. Mutta tekee
sen hyvin, toisin kuin monet alan nykyisistä isoista nimistä.
Yhtyeellä on kaksi selkeää valttia: hyvin toimivat melodiat
ja erinomainen vokaalien käyttö. Kieli vaihtelee raidasta toiseen
(englanti, hollanti, saksa), mutta selkeästi voimakkaimmissa osissa
on käytetty brittienglantia äärimmäisen tehokkaasti.
Kaksi tätä tekniikkaa hyvin eri tavoilla hyödyntävää
kappaletta on sijoitettu heti alkuun, melodinen, eeppinen The Fall of
Constantinople ja minimalistisella taustalla tehty mainio spoken word
-teos Hopes Die in Winter .
Näiden jälkeen ei tosin sitten vastaaviin
tehoihin päästäkään. Pahasti keskeneräisen
oloinen Hagia Sophia jankkaa paikallaan ja jää kauas alun tunnelmista
ja Tanz Konstantinopel on vain aika rutiininomainen instrumentaaliteos.
Hienon Beethoven/Scarlatti -sovituksella luodun tauon ( Requiem ) jälkeen
lähdetään taas uusilla voimilla vauhtiin A New Rome on
paatoksellinen mutta varsin rauhallinen sotalaulu, Frühlings Erwachen
samaa linjaa eri kielellä ja pienemmillä melodioilla. Oneindigheid
on lyhyt piano&puhe -teos erittäin paljon vanhan Penitentin tyyliin.
Levyn päättää Strife , joka palaa tyylikkäästi
alun tunnelmiin, vaikka ei olekaan aivan yhtä voimallinen kuin avausraita.
Tätä albumia vertaa aivan väistämättä Von
Thronstahlin tuotantoon, niin paljon ne toisiaan muistuttavat. Vertailussa
HERR kuitenkin vetää huolellisen viimeistelyn, mielenkiintoisten
melodiarakenteiden ja ennen kaikkea vokaalien voiman ansiosta selvästi
pitemmän korren. Siitä voi olla aivan varma, että jos VT
on miellyttänyt, myös HERRista pitää taatusti. Korniahan
tämä on, mutta tyylillä.
|
| From Phosphor:
(by Paul Bijlsma)
H.E.R.R.: The winter of Constantinople CD
The Dutch/English formation H.E.R.R. has taken the 1453 Byzantine victory
as a starting point for their new album. A CD, devided in nine parts,
featuring a mixture of neo-classical and bombastic atmospheres. The music
varies from melancholic to almost cheerful militaristic anthems. Even
part of a composition of Beethoven and one by Scarlatti fit in nicely.
Delightful music with a constant quality. The vocal parts, performed by
Troy Southgate as well as Miklós Hoffer, range from spoken words
to dark and omnipresent. Cello and piano arrangements take care of the
more romantic side of this project. Laibach might be proud of them. |
| From Sol
De Pedra: (by Luis Miranda)
Se há alturas em que ficamos contentes
pela hipótese de analisar música, esta é concerteza
uma delas. H.E.R.R., lançados pela mão da editora Cold Spring.
"Winter Of Constantinople" é um álbum feito a
pensar em mim (ou não fosse eu um apreciador deste géneero
e um completo history freak). Desde o primeiro acorde à última
nota somos arrebatados para um mundo há muito perdido, para os
últimos dias da mitica jóia do oriente - Constantinopola.
Com sons tipicamente ambient, passando por samples que tembram um qualquer
mercado marroquino, a músicas cuja beleza jamais poderei descrever
aqui, "Winter Of Constantinople" constitui uma verdadeira obra
prima que se tornará de obrigatória aquisição
para qualquer fã do género e não só. |
|
From Fiend
Magazine: (by Richard Stevenson)
Representing a revised reworking of the original
material on HERR’s limited edition version of the debut album, this
has been re-released by Cold Spring to much deserved acclaim. To bring
everyone up to speed, the group’s central driving force consists
of epic and martially tinged neo-classical songs, where its grasp of orchestral
music’s structure and progression easily matches up to the lofty
heights being sought. Although primarily produced with synthesisers, any
shortfalls of an overly synthetic sound are avoided by using combinations
of cello, acoustic guitar, heavy martial percussion, layered vocals (often
in a verse/ chorus/ verse) format and samples that range from chorals
to battlefield atmospheres. Thematically the album focuses the 1453 Byzantine
siege of the city of Constantinople, except for track two that diverts
from this central thesis in that it is a spoken piece centring around
an intellectual analysis of soccer hooliganism in the context of a pan-European
revival. (Personally I’m not sure if many soccer hooligans would
have given this topic much thought themselves, but it is an interesting
conjecture nonetheless.) In essence, The Winter of Constantinople is extremely
well executed and confident album that surely will propel HERR to the
forefront of neo-classical scene. |
| From Beast
Of Prey: (by Tomasz Lewicki)
Holenderski H.E.R.R. juz zdazyl udowodnic,
ze w obecnej chwili jest jednym z najbardziej ciekawych i oryginalnych
projektów tworzacych muzyke z pogranicza neo-folk, neo-classic.
"The Winter Of Constantinople" jest wprawdzie tylko reedycja,
a nie nowym albumem tej grupy, ale powodów do narzekan absolutnie
nie ma. Slucham tej plyty juz dobre dwa tygodnie i w dalszym ciagu krazek
mnie powala na lopatki i wcale nie nuzy, co nie czesto sie zdarza. Material
ten, jak juz wspomnialem jest reedycja, swoja premiere mial dzieki francuskiej
Cynfeirdd, jako CDr limitowany zaledwie do 100 kopii, nastepnie wznowiony
na 12-to calowym vinylu, by w koncu doczekac sie wydania oficjalnie na
CD dzieki angielskiej Cold Spring. Sama muzyka po prostu powala na kolana,
wszystkie 9 utworów posiada charakterystyczny dla H.E.R.R. klimat
i sprawia, ze slucha sie tego krazka wybornie. Wszystkie kompozycje sa
bardzo melodyjne i rytmiczne, w których dominuja instrumenty klawiszowe,
jak równiez kotly i gdzie niegdzie wiolonczela. Czesc osób
zapewne bedzie kojarzyla kilka kawalków z tej plyty, gdyz mozna
je bylo uslyszec chociazby na splicie "Hopes Die In Winter",
czy tez na koncertówce wydanej tego roku przez Carpe Noctem. To
jednak absolutnie nie przeszkadza, gdyz muzyke, jaka³ serwuje nam ten
holenderski projekt mozna sluchac godzinami. Jak sam tytul wskazuje, na
plycie odnajdziemy sporo bardziej orientalnych motywów, które
znakomicie wkomponowuja sie w calosc. Jak juz wspomnialem krazek jest
bardzo melodyjny, tak wiec nie raz ma sie ochote potupac nózka
w rytm muzyki. Brak jest absolutnie na "The Winter Of Constantinople"
slabych punktów, ta plyta jest po prostu perfekcyjna pod kazdym
wzgledem i nie mozna przejsc obok niej obojetnie. Na zakonczenie moge
tylko jeszcze raz goraco zachecic do nabycia tego krazka, gdyz w przeciwnym
razie ominie Was jedna z najlepszych plyt z gatunku neo-classic / neo-folk!!
Swietna rzecz!! (9/10) |
| From Filthforge:
(by Simon V)
Rising from the Netherlands, H.E.R.R. is
another newcomer in the orchestral/martial industrial field. Composer
Michiel Spapé and cellist Oskar Van Dijk are assisted on vocals
by Miklós Hoffer and British cultural agitator Troy Southgate.
Combining different talents and great musical skills, they will surely
take this restricted genre to new standards of quality and class. "The
Winter Of Constantinople" is a bombastic tale of power, might and
decadence, celebrating the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire, conquered
and enslaved by Muslims in 1453.
Leading "The Fall Of Constantinople", with its repeated
slogan "Enemy at the gates!", and following "Hopes Die
In Winter" are epic and bombastic anthems, born from a combination
of rolling drums, gloomy organ melodies and Troy Southgate's declaiming
vocals, that obviously remind of Les Joyaux De La Princesse. "Hagia
Sophia" presents more or less the same style, with a more articulated
orchestral apparatus of bells, trumpets and strings. Until this moment,
H.E.R.R.'s music sounds like a very refined even if not too original martial
band. But, from the fourth track things begin to change radically and
win the listener's enthusiasm.
"Tanz Konstaninopel" is a real masterpiece of doomy epic orchestrations,
with pressing string themes, thundering drumming, sudden electronic waves
hissing among the classical instruments and a general, exalting feeling
of imminent clash between opposite forces. It is not the "usual"
martial song, built around repetitive drum patterns and keyboard-simulated
tunes, but a mighty film soundtrack-like beauty. Even more convincing
is "Requiem", another amazing classical symphony introduced
by a moving piano tune and guest star Maria Southgate's vocals.
Other excellent songs follow ahead, such as "New Rome",
that seduces our ears with a touching chorus and doomy, stalking strings,
and melodic "Frühlings Erwachen", featuring German vocals.
Closing "Arise" is the tragic final chapter of this epos, a
desperate call, shouted on the ruins of the city that has been bent and
raped by the enemy. Its real meaning, however, sounds as a call for the
West, for us all to regain the dignity and splendour we seems to have
lost, probably forever. |
| From Necroweb:
(by Deathbringer)
Thematisch an die Belagerung von Konstantinopel
angelehnt, eröffnet bereits das Artwork die Ausrichtung der Martial-Industrial/Neoklassik-Band
H.E.R.R. - eine Verherrlichung des alten Europas. Von einem neuen römischen
Reich träumend schildern sie in einer totalitären und antimodernen
Sichtweise den Glanz der alten europäischen Metropolen, und die aus
dem Osten nahenden Feinde. Um die politische Botschaft, in Form des Gesangs,
unters Volk zu bringen gehen die vier Holländer anscheinend sogar
so weit und schrauben ihre musikalischen Interessen und Talente etwas
zurück, um nicht zu sehr vom Text abzulenken. So kommt es nicht von
ungefähr, daß gerade die Instrumentals "Tanz Konstantinopel"
und "Requiem" zu den stärksten Stücken des Albums
gehören, das in der vorliegenden Version einen Re-Release des extrem
limitierten Albums darstellt. Die sonst typischen Trommelrhythmen der
martialischen Musik treten hier etwas mehr in den Hintergrund, dafür
kommen vermehrt neoklassische Elemente zum Einsatz. So überzeugt
die erste Hälfte von "Oneindigheid" als erstklassiges und
eingängiges Pinaostück, bis dann der Sprechgesang einsetzt,
und das Piano auf einen Schlag von der fesselnden Melodie abläßt
und den Songs so leider zu einem mehr schlechten als rechten Stück
werden zu lassen. Insgesamt ist "The Winter Of Constantinople"
ein Album der Zwiespälte. Während der Gesang in "A New
Rome" wirklich gut gelungen, melodiös und charismatisch über
der mystischen Atmosphäre des an Arcana erinnernden Titels thront,
erweist sich der direkte Nachfolger "Frühlings Erwachen"
als totaler Fehlgriff. Zwar kann die musikalische Seite Anfangs noch überzeugen,
doch der Sprechgesang macht alles wieder zu Nichte. In einem dermaßen
unpassenden und gelangweilten Tonfall wird der in schlechtem Deutsch gehaltene
Text vorgetragen, daß es einem einfach den Geschmacksnerv rausdreht.
H.E.R.R. hätten genug Potenzial um ein wirklich erstklassiges
Neoklassik-Album mit martialischen Einflüssen zu erschaffen, doch
leider lassen sie dieses Talent nur zu selten aufblitzen. Lieber stellen
sie ihre Ideologie über die Musik, was den meisten Songs leider nicht
sonderlich gut zu Gesicht steht. Zwar heben die Geniemomente das Album
etwas über das Mittelmaß hinaus, zufriedenstellend kann dies
allerdings angesichts des Talents nicht sein. Für Martial-Industrial
Fans ist das Album ohnehin nicht zu empfehlen, dafür haben die Songs
einen zu hohen Neoklassikanteil, in dem liegen jedoch die wirklichen Stärken
des Albums. |
| From Monas:
(by Roy)
"Heilig Europa / Romeins Rijk"
("Sacred Europe / Roman Empire") is the new Dutch star in the
scene, however there is one Brit in the four-piece-band. HERR did a few
smaller releases of which some are reviewed within these pages and now
Cold Spring picked up the talented band with this rerelease of a vinyl
release and the anouncement of another full-lenght. The band has an original
and nice sound, orchestral, sometimes tranquilly bombastic, here and there
a militant touch, but mostly striking are the wonderfull vocals, usually
spoken in beautiful Britisch. MP3s can be found on a few places on the
internet (try Equilibriummusic [and Cold Spring!] for example)
so you can have a taste. A minor point about "The Winter Of Constantinople"
is that when you also have the four-band split CD "Hopes Die In Winter",
you get the same tracks again. Oh well, they surely are very nice and
I am glad that there is another good new band from my country. |
|
From Orkus:
(by Thomas Sonder)
Kriege machen Menschen, Menschen machen Kriege.
Kriege töten Menschen, aber Menschen töten leider keine Kriege.
Rein ideologisch gesehen, ist man ebenfalls schnell verurteilt, denn Fanatiker
gibt es sowohl unter Kriegsverherrlichern als auch unter Pazifisten. Und
nun? Lasst uns hervorragende Musik hören. Angelehnt an den byzantinischen
Untergang 1453 haben H.E.R.R. ein breitbandiges Werk geschaffen, das in
melodischer wie auch musikalisch weitfassender Hinsicht sehr zu überzeugen
weiß. Der Zeit angemessen, ist der Großteil im Neo-Klassik-/Acoustic-/Military-Sektor
wiedergegeben und die Texte der (je nach Gusto interpretierbar) tragischen
Thematik angepasst. Zum anspruchsvollen Gesamtbild trägt auch die
graphische Gestaltung des Booklets bei, so dass an The Winter Of Constantinople
wohl kaum jemand vorbeikommt, dem nachdrückliche Martial Folk Klassik-Klänge
ein Stein im Herzen sind. (9.5/10) |
| From Sonidobscuro:
(by Z)
A pesar de que la hoja promocional les califica
de neoclassical, basta una mirada al libreto (muy bonito, por cierto,
pero de eso hablaremos más tarde) para descubrir que la cosa no
es tan sencilla: los cuatro miembros de HERR aparecen posando junto a
una reproducción de una esfinge con indumentaria militar.
Lo cual explica parte del contenido de ‘The Winter Of Constantinople’,
concretamente ‘The Fall Of Constantinople’ (qué grandes
eran/son Blood Axis!!!), ‘Hopes Die In Winter’ (toda una declaración
de principios declamada sobre samples ambientales de batalla) o ‘Hagía
Sophia’ (esencia martial con tintes folkies), incluso ‘Tanz
Constantinopel’, aunque esta última ya se vea impregnada
por los aires neoclásicos de los que se habla en la promo, que
saltan al primer plano, por fin, en ‘Requiem’ adaptación-conjunción
de obras de Beethoven y Scarlatti, y en ‘A New Rome’ (que
recuerda a los momentos más solemnes de Tony Wakeford en Sol Invictus),
y en las partes de viento y cuerdas de la bella ‘Frühlings
Erwachen’, y en ‘Oneindigheid’, una pieza de piano clásico
de gran intensidad y dramatismo con el sonido del mar de fondo.
El final ‘Arise’, un llamamiento a la lucha, vuelve
a la verdadera naturaleza del disco, martial orquestal del bueno, con
un gran trabajo de composición detrás y un toque melancólico
que enriquece considerablemente el resultado final. Porque eso es lo que
ofrecen HERR en ‘The Winter Of Constantinople’, un disco dedicado
a la caída del Imperio Romano de Oriente ante los sarracenos, cargado
por tanto de esas connotaciones histórico-políticas características
del estilo y que suelen crear tanta polémica. Pero realmente compacto
en cuanto a calidad musical, muy intenso, muy bien producido considerando
la cantidad de elementos orquestales que aparecen en el disco, y muy bien
rematado en todos los aspectos, lo cual es más meritorio si consideramos
que es una especie de recopilación, o mejor una integración,
como ellos mismos citan en el libreto, de temas grabados para dos splits
diferentes, más cuatro temas nuevos compuestos para el lanzamiento
original en el sello Cynnfeird.
El libreto, decía, muy bonito, con la cúpula
de Santa Sofía y un símbolo cristiano en la portada (una
novedad en este tipo de bandas, normalmente más orientadas al paganismo)
y una selección de esculturas en el interior, con una composición
de colores realmente lograda, todo un acierto en mi opinión, que
creo merecía una mejor presentación, un digipack hubiese
estado muy bien. Un buen trabajo, que viene a unirse al debut de Kriegsfall-U,
también editado por Cold Spring, como dos de las novedades destacadas
en lo que a los sonidos martial se refiere y dos bandas a seguir en futuros
lanzamientos. |
| From Fiend
Magazine: (by Richard Stevenson)
Representing a revised reworking of the original
material on HERR’s limited edition version of their debut album,
this has been re-released by Cold Spring to much deserved acclaim.
To bring everyone up to speed, the group’s central driving
force consist of epic and martially tinged neo-classical songs, where
their grasp of orchestral music’s structure & progression easily
matches up to the lofty heights being sought. Although primarily produced
with synthesisers, any shortfalls of an overly synthetic sound are avoided
by using combinations of cello, acoustic guitar, heavy martial percussion,
layered vocals (often in a verse/ chorus/ verse) format & samples
that range from chorals to battlefield atmospheres.
Thematically the album focuses the 1453 Byzantine siege of
the city of Constantinople, except for track 2 that diverts from this
central thesis in that it is a spoken piece centring around an intellectual
analysis of soccer hooliganism in the context of a pan-European revival
(Personally I’m not sure if many soccer hooligans would have given
this topic much thought themselves, but it is an interesting conjecture
nonetheless).
In essence ‘The Winter of Constantinople’ is extremely
well executed and confident album that surely will propel them to the
forefront of neo-classical scene. |
|
From The
Scrying Mirror: (by DJ De'Ath)
The CD opens with The Fall Of Constantinople-
featuring monastic chants and a fanfare fit for the kings of old. The
vocal delivery is very much a spoken poetic naration which works to great
effect with the bombastic neo-classical arrangement. Hopes Die In Winter
played out against distant drumming and the howl of winter has a certain
desolate feel like 'Orwells 1984'.The song then changes direction and
introduces a church organ played against the beat of a snare drum. Hagia
Sophia is a mix of middle eastern militarism and industrial. Tanz Konstantinopel
mixes drums, strings and keyboards to epic proportions. Requiem is adapted
from Van Beethoven & Scarlatti featuring classical piano and string
arrangements and by far the longest track on the album. A New Rome continues
the Roman theme.Fruehling Erwachen reminds me a bit of 'In The Nursery'
some truly inspiried instrumentation. Oneindigheid is sung in dutch against
a sparse but gentle keyboard arrangement. Arise has that big screen epic
feel to it in an almost 'Gladiator' like style. The CD sleeve features
classic marble statues and reliefs from the time of the roman empire.
Neo-Classical perfection. |
| From Guts
Of Darkness: (by Marco)
H.E.R.R. ou l'un des projets les plus intéressants
en matière d'ambient neoclassique et martiale. A l'heure où
les clones sont légions et où l'on porte au faîte
de la perfection une nullité comme Arditi, ce projet batave a de
la personnalité à revendre. Un premier album déjà
impressionnant de maîtrise chez Were Di ! début 2004, et
ce 'Winter of Constantinople' édité sous diverses formes
(voir les notes), ce qui est on ne peut plus révélateur
de l'enthousiasme suscité. La sollicitation du groupe est telle
que de nombreuses participations à divers projets (dont le superbe
'Hopes die in winter') accompagnent chaque nouvelle actualité du
groupe. Orchestrations neoclassiques délicates, hymnes épiques
et martiaux captivants, bande-son alternative d'une super-production historique,
'The winter of Constantinople' est tout cela à la fois : les textes
déclamés sont empreints d'une nostalgie du passé
et de cette chute d'une civilisation très avancée à
l'époque dans laquelle l'Europe d'aujourd'hui puise encore un héritage
pourtant malmené. L'album est très varié, ne se contentant
pas de reproduire des schémas indus martiaux préfabriqués,
prenant le temps de laisser les cordes s'exprimer, légères
et sentencieuses selon les passages, exultant de rythmes et de percussions
diverses. Rarement une telle maîtrise aura été observée
sur un album de ce genre, chaque morceau est un enchantement pour les
tympans et les yeux submergés d'images d'évènements
tragiques et glorieux se repaîssent de cette manne inespérée.
Excellent!
|
| From Obliveon:
(by MK)
Welch ein Album, welch ein musikalisches
Manifest! Wer die Neofolk/-klassik-Szene in den letzten Monaten aufmerksam
verfolgt hat, wird die Veröffentlichung dieses Albums sehnsüchtig
erwartet haben. Und egal, wie hoch die Erwartungen auch waren, er wird
nicht enttäuscht werden, denn „The Winter Of Constantinople“
ist ein Meilenstein dieses Genres, ein Referenzalbum, ein Meisterwerk,
das seinesgleichen sucht. Kraftvolle und donnernde, neomilitaristische
Rhythmen, getragene und sanft anmutende Spinettklänge, gewaltige
Chöre, gefühlvolle und donnernde Orchesterpassagen gleichermassen
und beeindruckende Sprachsamples bzw. vertonte Lyrik machen dabei den
Reiz dieses Eops aus, vor allem aber ist es eine unvergleichliche, majestätische
und bombastische Erhabenheit, die dem Werk der Holländer hier einen
monumentalen und unverrückbaren Status verschafft. Im Gegensatz zu
manch anderen Projekten merkt man Herr zudem deutlich an, klassische Musik
nicht nur als reinen Selbstzweck und zur puren Selbstdarstellung zu benutzen,
sondern wirklich eigene und nachhaltige musikalische Werte zu erschaffen,
die vor allem aufgrund ihrer vielfältigen Instrumentierung nachhaltig
zu beeindrucken weiss, ganz zu schweigen vom musikalischen Können
der Band, wie unzählige Klavierpassagen beweisen. Neben dem aktuellen
Album von Kreuzweg Ost ist dies eins der Alben des Jahres 2005 für
mich. (10/10) |
| From Compulsion:
(by Tony Dickie)
HERR feature a collective of Dutch and English
personnel. The Winter of Constantinople appears to be their second full
CD release and conceptually at least is concerned with the 1453 Byzantine
siege beside the waters of the Bosphorus. The Winter... falls clearly
into the bracket of neo-classical but its set apart from others in the
field with its use of verse-chorus structure and particularly the vocal
work of Troy Southgate who intones many of the lyrics in a London accent.
The album features a nice variation in structure ranging from strident
orchestral to sorrowful arrangements, appropriated classical music to
typical martial / military fare. It's surprisingly accomplished and an
assured piece of work from a new group. From what I can gather this has
been fashioned out of reworked, re-recorded and remixed previous releases.
The orchestration is synthetically produced but any reservations are adequately
rebuked through the use of cello, snare and timpani drums.
'The Fall of Constantinople' tells about the capture of Constantinople
by the hordes of Eastern Barbarians. The music moves from forlorn strings
gradually building in intensity and power into something dramatic and
anthemic. It gels evocatively with the lyrics making this somewhat impressive.
The stirring sound of 'Tanz Konstantinopel' is proud and majestic, as
cello's stab and drums roll in a musical call to arms. 'Requiem', adapted
from Beethoven and Scarlatti, is even more impressive. A reflective piano
score, with sections of lilting strings. A young girls voice enters to
recite a single line - similar to Current 93 - before the piece becomes
more melancholic and with a flurry of percussion it undertakes a rebirth
to seek past glories with renewed vigour. A definite standout amply demonstrating
the musical versatility and maturity of HERR. In contrast to the elegance
of 'Requiem' the second track 'Hopes Die In Winter' appears to be a spoken
word piece about football tribalry, about the gangs of football hooligans
brutally rampaging towns and cities on a Saturday afternoon. Persuasively
argued as a localised fight for local identity over industrial atmospherics
and muffled sound of chants. The closing track, 'Strife' closes the album
in fine fashion with sorrowful strings and male vocals underpinned by
martial drumming.
Although conceptually based on Ancient Rome, HERR are seeking
to reinvigorate the listener through reviving Europe's ancient heritage
in terms of myths, legend and history. Earlier editions of The Winter
of Constantinople are highly coveted items and its not really surprising.
This is musically and lyrically accomplished, powerful and emotive work.
In a genre overflowing with Germanic voices, Norse mythology and samples
from both World Wars its refreshing to find a group who can wrestle with
themes of conflict, loss and pride yet derive inspiration from an alternate
source. Let's hope HERR can continue to plough this singular path on future
releases as they appear capable of great(er) things. |
| From GothicInfo:
(by Paul Wiggers)
This album is the worthy successor of HERR’s
first albumEs Regnet das Leben Heraus. For those who are into neo-classical
folk music, this album most certainly is a must-have.
The Winter of Constantinople contains lofty songs about war, defeat
and the loss of the great city Constantinople. The abbreviation HERR stands
for ‘Heilig Europa! Römisches Reich’, which means as
much as ‘Holy Europe of Rome Reborn’. The four gentleman of
this band sure know how to create a wistful atmosphere. Their music takes
you to a place where diligence and pride rule as in a time long forgotten.
Michiel Spapé, Oskar van Dijk, Troy Southgate and Miklós
Hoffer have created a divers album, containing songs with military drums,
spoken words reinforced by industrial soundscapes and classical pieces.
If one would ask me to describe this album in one word, I would say: “STOLZ!”
The day this piece of art was released, was also the day it sold
out. It was released by Cynfeirdd and limited to 141 prints, but fortunately
Cold Spring has decided to re-release the album, due to the many requests
for The Winter of Constantinople. Cynfeirdd will probably release the
album on vinyl. Patience is required, for both will be released this spring.
I’m looking forward to hear their next album Vondel’s Lucifer
(the first part) which will be released this spring or summer. |
| From Ikonen:
(by Martin Kreischer)
Der Militarismus vieler Post-Industrial Formationen
dient nicht nur zum Beschwören apokalyptischer Kriegsszenarien, sondern
bietet einigen auch eine willkommen Plattform zum Hervorrufen heroischer
völkischer Ideologien. H.E.R.R. haben mit ihrem Debüt "Es
regnet das Leben heraus" noch eine relativ neutrale Position bezogen,
zeigen auf ihrem Zweitwerk "The Winter of Constantinople" nicht
nur musikalisch eine Wandlung, sondern auch in Bezug auf ihre politische
Position. Mit dem neuen Mitglied Troy Southgate, einem ehemaligen NF-Schläger
und selbsternannten National-Anarchisten und Anspielungen auf das 1000jährige
römische Reich ist nun recht offen gelegt, welche Marschrichtung
sich die Rhythmen der Holländer verschrieben haben. In verbissener
Xenophobie sieht man überall die Feinde vor den Toren lauen ("Enemy
at the Gates") zumeist stürmen diese aus dem Osten auf das zu
beschützende Gut ("Hagia Sophia"), welches von einer kleinen
wehrhaften völkischen Einheit verteidigt wird. Ein naives und antimodernes
Weltbild mit totalitären Tendenzen. Auch musikalische haben H.E.R.R.
kaum noch etwas der momentanen Militaria-NeoKlassik hinzuzufügen.
Besonders die verhallten Sprechpassagen von Troy Southgate fügen
sich nicht in den Klang aus bombastischen klassischen Samples, Celli,
Klavier und natürlich viel Snare und Pauken-Percussions, wirken wie
aufgepfropft auf das musikalische Werk, die Ideologie wird über die
Musik gestellt. H.E.R.R. gehören damit zu den Vertretern ihres Genres,
die nicht mehr nur ein symbolisches Versteckspiel oder gar das Nivellieren
der Zeichen anstreben, sondern stumpf eine Haltung demonstrieren, die
sich als fatal für das sie selbst und den Post-Industrial erweisen
könnte, verweist doch nun alles auf einen direkten politischen und
ideologischen Bezug, die Zeichen wurden ihrem ursprünglichen Zweck
wieder zugeführt. |
From Aural
Pressure: (by ANM)
Epic was the first word that came into my
head whilst listening to ‘The Winter of Constantinople’ for
the first time. Epic indeed. A glorious grandiose mixture of military
/ neo folk and classical music all rolled tightly into one complete whole.
Uplifting yet morose. Stirring anthems and solemn passages recounting
the turbulent events surrounding the 1453 siege of Constantinople which
marked the end of the Byzantine Empire and brought the dawn of the Ottoman
reign. 150,000 Turks besieged the city from 5th April to 29TH May when
the city finally fell. Death, defiance and despair the poetic inspirations
behind this sumptuous recording by H.E.R.R, which was first released on
the Cynfeirdd label, here expanded, enhanced, changed and re-recorded
in parts. The final full visionary piece at last complete.
I was first acquainted with the music of
H.E.R.R through their contributions to the ‘Carpe Noctem Festival
1’ and ‘Hopes die in Winter’ releases where they easily
outshone all the other participants. Michael Spape and his band of merry
cohorts blowing everyone away both lyrically and musically. ‘The
Winter of Constantinople’ reinforces their growing stature. Taking
in elegant string arrangements , pounding martial drums, disconsolate
piano pieces, stimulating vibrant orchestrations and Eastern tinged samples
the music, powerfully yet slowly, building allowing the vocalists to fully
employ their distinctive emotive ranges to fullest effect. Gravitas and
Emotion. That is the key to ‘The Winter of Constantinople’.
Highly charged passion brought out and given life by the music and English
lyrics. Only the hardest of hearts would fail to dissolve in awe at the
delivery of the inspirational all-embracing beautiful music. Epic in every
sense of the word.
This care and attention to detail, the search
for near impossible perfection, is further evident with the lavish accompanying
6 panel booklet with its pictures of various stoic sculptures and full
lyrics complimenting the music. ‘The Winter of Constantinople’
is a breathtaking endeavour. A history lesson put to glorious uplifting
music which I doubt will ever be bettered. Michael and friends have earned
their plaudits. I for one can only reinforce my belief that ‘The
Winter of Constantinople’ is a release that no self respecting music
lover should be without. |
From Gothtronic:
(by TekNoir)
A thing many people don't know is that the
Roman empire, although in a smaller form and with a changed internal structure,
existed until far into the high Middle Ages. The year 1453 is often seen
as the moment which meant the end of the classical European civilization.
In that year the city of Constantinople, now named Istanbul, fell to the
Ottoman Turks. The Romans had started to decentralise their imperium and
focuss on the east, because of internal troubles and weakening due to
the many quarrels in the imperial family and the lack of further expansion
of the empire, and the shortage of accompanying revenues. Everywhere the
cavalary forces of the border states marched onwards and slowly the empire
started to dissolve. The entire range of client states that gave the immense
imperium protection for son many years disappeared in this process. This
process of deterioration was moving fastest in the western part of the
empire. Emperor Diocletian stopped a further disintegration of the empire
by means of a thorough reformation of the government, in which the Roman
empire was divided into a western and an eastern part. In the same period
of time the growing christian faith increased in power and influence and
the Roman emperor Constantine became a christian by converting himself.
He however wouldnt be baptised until his last moments, just before he
breathed his last breath and died. In 330 he erected a new, christian
capital next to the laymen city of Rome by changing the name of the city
of Byzantium to Constantinople.
Constantine ordered magnificent and monumental
structures to be build, meant to underline and stress the divine state
and the imperial infallibility of the emperor and with this preserve the
unity of the empire. Before the end of the fourth century christianity
would have become the official state religion, with which an important
ingredient is created for the European cultural identity. The Roman empire
could no longer maintain the unity and after the death of the last emperor
Theodosian in 394 was divided into a western part and an eastern part
forever. In 476 the western part fell under the pressure of the Barbarians
and the Huns and only the Byzantine part of the empire remained. This
would last for almost thousand years with Constantinopel as capital, the
gates of Europe. The foundations of the Byzantine empire were formed by
Roman rule and justice, Greek language and culture, christian faith and
christian moral. The most important power being the church. This was not
much to the liking of the neighbouring non christian cultures. The capital
of the longest standing culture, the conservator of the cultural heritage
of the late antiquity, is now on the defense towards the Persians, Arabs
and Turks. The classical heritage is transferred to Italy and the orthodox
christian church finds it’s way to Russia. In 1453 Constantinople
falls definitively and Europe loses it’s landroute to India. Due
to this the urge is created to find a searoute, and ‘The New World’
is discovered.
The band HERR would like to see the cultural
heritage of modern man be rejuvenated. To be able to do justice to the
essential mythology and history of the European in a future united Europe,
to create new myths and to prevent man from mentally slip away into an
ongoing need to consume and cherish material issues. HERR takes us to
the times of the evening land of classical Europe on ‘The Winter
of Constantinople’. ‘The Winter of Constantinople’ was
already released by Cynfeirdd in a slightly different version, but is
now again fully available on cd with Cold Spring Records. This is nice
since the limited edition of Cynfeirdd was quite small and the Cold Spring
Records version of the cd is also better mastered which is of course a
delight with the neo-classical music HERR performs.
The music is composed by Michiel Spapé,
except the ‘Requiem’, since in that track much is borrowed
from Beethoven and Scarlatti. The lyrics are by the hand of Miklos Hoffer
and Troy Southgate. Oskar van Dijk plays the chello in some tracks. It
needs to be stressed that this element is a crucial part in the music
of HERR, next to the grand orchestral parts, the percussion and samples.
In the first part ‘The Fall of Constantinople’
we hear the heroic shouts ‘Enemy at the Gates’, that point
to the threatening and approaching danger. From ‘Hopes Die In Winter’
speaks mainly dismay and resignation in the unevitable fate, fatigue of
fighting and without any hope left. ‘Hagia Sophia’ is an ode
to the grandeur of the immense christian church which today is a mosque.
The sounds of ‘Tanz Konstantinopel’ are a bit more hopeful
than the previous tracks. ‘Requiem’ contains a vocal contribution
of Maria Southgate, in addition to the beautiful sounds. The hopeful sounding
‘A New Rome’ has a nice chello sound, and percussion, violins
and keyboardstrokes added to that. Here a vocal part is added of which
i am not sure whether it originates with one of the band members. Overall
we can conclude that the music on this album is very intense and majestic,
and the listener will be dragged along with the sounds. Sounds that very
much stimulate the imagination. I think the band has achieved to let revive
the times of the glory and demise of the city of Constantinople. From
the music you will hear heroïsm, sadness, melancholy and resignation,
but also hope and pride. I would not directly speak of a historic sensation
in the terminology of the historian Huizinga, but listening to this recording
comes very close to that. ‘Fruhling Erwachen’ is the only
composition with German lyrics. ‘Oneindigheid’ is a text of
the Dutch writer Frederik van Eeden (1860-1932). Both compositions feature
recited words by Miklos Hoffer. ‘Arise’ is the last composition
and this one is bombastic and full of pride. This album reassures the
talent of HERR to translate grand themes to music in a splendid way.
|
From Martial
Industrial: (by Clint Listing)
Lush Rich Neo-Classic Neo-Folk in the style
of Blood Axis or Puissance with this end of world total
Destruction feel to all of this. The vocals about the end time and battles
that seem hopeless work so well with the strings and huge percussion and
horns in the forefront. I really love the eastern influence HERR
throw in to add the element of foreign aggressor coming in for the attack.
The vocalist has a dead on vocal style with Douglas of Death in June as
well maybe mixed with the outright worshiped Puissance String arrangements.
Are the major reasons I like this so much. The Wartime samples of WW1
and WW2 mixed in the marches and old 78 rpm recordings make this
more and more a gem by the minute. HERR Orchestration getting better on
each track as well the percussion must be real and not of a synth if so
I want this synth. This release had to take a while to create as
you can hear they are perfectionist at what they do. The More I look into
this release it looks to be a compilation of split releases by various
label. So its all the more impressive that it fits so seamlessly
together as it does. If there is one release in the last 5 yrs that Cold
Spring has done you need this would be it and don't take these words lightly.
If your a Neo-Folk fan at all this will change you but its complex
and thought provoking ideals.
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