NORTHWINDS
– Circles (Demos Et Merveilles)
Black
Widow Records
Genere:
Progressive Doom
Supporto: cd – 2025
La
musica riesce sempre a stupire, non fidatevi mai di chi vi dice che oggi non
c’è più niente d’interessante e che tutto è stato creato. Oggi abbiamo la
possibilità grazie ad internet di ricercare e ascoltare molto di più di quanto
si faceva prima, solo la pigrizia induce a far trarre frettolose conclusioni.
Poi ci sono certe label che s’impegnano a produrre ottima musica di certo non
scontata, sono le più coraggiose, quelle che vanno contro corrente e che mi
sento di supportare con tutto me stesso. E’ vero che la storia ha detto già
molto, ma d’innesti interessanti se ne possono scorgere di tanto in tanto.
In
pochi ad esempio hanno intrapreso il percorso del Progressive Doom, di certo un
canale dedicato a un pubblico specifico a dir poco di nicchia, sicuramente
aperto di mente. Un gruppo di questi è il francese Northwinds. Iniziano come
RIP nel 1990 con i membri Vincent Niclas (chitarra, voce), Sébastien Thuriez
(chitarra), Remy Rateau (basso) e Sylvain Auvé (batteria, voce). Immaginate di
ascoltare la band Candlemass cimentarsi con le influenze del Progressive anni
’70, e avrete il quadro completo della situazione. Negli anni subiscono cambi
nella line up, e dopo quattro album in studio oggi purtroppo vedono la perdita
prematura del leader, autore, compositore, cantante e batterista Sylvain
Auvé. “Circles” è l’album su cui stava lavorando, ecco perché nei sette brani
che compongono il progetto, compaiono delle versioni demo.
La
musica contenuta è splendidamente d’atmosfera, proprio come la copertina che
accompagna il disco. I quasi nove minuti di “Talk To The Dead” mettono subito
in evidenza tutta l’essenza della band, incedere ritmico cadenzato e ciclopico,
riff morbosamente taglienti e il cantato in uno stile in bilico fra quello di Ozzy
Osbourne (Black Sabbath) e Messiah Marcolin (Candlemass). Aperture di chitarra
lanciano brevi squarci di luce in un contesto assolutamente buio. Essendoci
influenze Prog, non mancano di certo i cambi di ritmo.
“Circles”
è ancor più d’atmosfera, i fiati donano una parvenza Folk che nell’insieme non
guasta. Un ulteriore pregio dei Northwinds risiede in una ricerca accurata per
le buone melodie mai lì a caso, bensì curate e a tratti eleganti. Durante
l’ascolto si respira molta storia, anche quella dei primissimi Judas Priest.
Ascoltando
“Images Of The Goat” godo di quell’Hammond che raschia ruvidamente sotto il
riff monolitico della chitarra elettrica alla Celtic Frost, solo il flauto
riesce a smussare di tanto in tanto quest’ottemperanza granitica. Non muta
l’incedere, come genere comanda, neppure in “Secret Of Time And Space”, altro
esempio di come le giuste melodie e un buon cantato possono raggiungere un
risultato emozionante senza troppi fronzoli. Un pugno in faccia arriva da
“Night Of The Ritual”, più metallico rispetto quanto ascoltato sino ad ora. Nel
tratto centrale ecco cambiare nuovamente le atmosfere per giungere a un
contesto rilassato e sognante, grazie alla chitarra elettrica impegnata in un
assolo quasi Floydiano e al solito flauto. E poi il pezzo che non ti aspetti,
“Lord Of Stones”, un passaggio nella formula canzone. A concludere La cover del
brano “Piece Of Mind” dei Black Sabbath, giusto per confermare la provenienza
di certe influenze.
Non
conoscete il Progressive Doom? I Northwinds vi danno la possibilità di
cimentare il vostro gusto per la musica verso nuove avventure, approfittatene. MS
Versione Inglese:
NORTHWINDS - Circles (Demos Et Merveilles)
Black Widow Records
Genre: Progressive Doom
Support: cd - 2025
Music always manages to amaze, never trust those who
tell you that today there is nothing interesting anymore and that everything
has been created. Today we have the possibility thanks to the internet to
research and listen to much more than we did before, only laziness induces
people to draw hasty conclusions. Then there are certain labels that are
committed to producing excellent music that is certainly not taken for granted,
they are the bravest ones, the ones that go against the current and I feel I support
them with all my heart. It is true that history has already said a lot, but
interesting grafts can be spotted from time to time.
A few for example have taken the Progressive Doom
route, certainly a channel dedicated to a specific niche audience to say the
least, certainly open-minded. One such group is the French Northwinds. They
started as RIP in 1990 with members Vincent Niclas (guitar, vocals), Sébastien
Thuriez (guitar), Remy Rateau (bass) and Sylvain Auvé (drums, vocals). Imagine
listening to the band Candlemass grapple with 1970s Progressive influences, and
you get the full picture. Over the years they underwent changes in the line up,
and after four studio albums today sadly see the untimely loss of leader,
songwriter, singer and drummer Sylvain Auvé.
“Circles” is the album he was working on, which is why
demo versions appear in the seven tracks that make up the project.
Sylvain Auve' (drums, vocals), Thomas Bastide
(guitars), Thomas Boivin (bass), Pierre Champy (flutes), and Emmanuel Peyraud
(keyboards) play on this album.
The music contained is beautifully atmospheric, just
like the cover art accompanying the record. The nearly nine minutes of “Talk To
The Dead” immediately bring out the full essence of the band's cadenced,
cyclopean rhythmic procession, morbidly edgy riffs, and singing in a style
somewhere between that of Ozzy Osbourne (Black Sabbath) and Messiah Marcolin
(Candlemass). Guitar openings launch brief glimpses of light in an absolutely
dark context. As there are Prog influences, there is certainly no shortage of
rhythm changes.
“Circles” is even more atmospheric, the horns lending
a Folk semblance that on the whole doesn't hurt. An additional merit of
Northwinds lies in a careful search for good melodies that are never there by
accident, but rather curated and at times elegant. During listening one
breathes a lot of history, even that of the very early Judas Priest.
Listening to “Images Of The Goat”, I enjoy that
Hammond rough scraping beneath the monolithic Celtic Frost-esque electric
guitar riff, only the flute managing to smooth out this granite compliance from
time to time. It does not change the pacing, as genre commands, even in “Secret
Of Time And Space”, another example of how the right melodies and good singing
can achieve an exciting result without too many frills. A punch in the face
comes from “Night Of The Ritual”, more metallic than what we have heard so far.
In the middle section here the atmosphere changes again to a relaxed and dreamy
setting, thanks to the electric guitar engaged in an almost Floydian solo and
the usual flute. And then the piece you don't expect, “Lord Of Stones”, a
passage in the song formula. To conclude The cover of the song “Piece Of Mind”
by Black Sabbath, just to confirm the provenance of certain influences.
Not familiar with Progressive Doom? Northwinds give
you a chance to try your taste for music towards new adventures, take advantage
of it. MS
NORTHWINDS - Circles (Demos Et Merveilles)
Black Widow Records
Genre: Progressive Doom
Support: cd - 2025
Music always manages to amaze, never trust those who
tell you that today there is nothing interesting anymore and that everything
has been created. Today we have the possibility thanks to the internet to
research and listen to much more than we did before, only laziness induces
people to draw hasty conclusions. Then there are certain labels that are
committed to producing excellent music that is certainly not taken for granted,
they are the bravest ones, the ones that go against the current and I feel I support
them with all my heart. It is true that history has already said a lot, but
interesting grafts can be spotted from time to time.
A few for example have taken the Progressive Doom
route, certainly a channel dedicated to a specific niche audience to say the
least, certainly open-minded. One such group is the French Northwinds. They
started as RIP in 1990 with members Vincent Niclas (guitar, vocals), Sébastien
Thuriez (guitar), Remy Rateau (bass) and Sylvain Auvé (drums, vocals). Imagine
listening to the band Candlemass grapple with 1970s Progressive influences, and
you get the full picture. Over the years they underwent changes in the line up,
and after four studio albums today sadly see the untimely loss of leader,
songwriter, singer and drummer Sylvain Auvé.
“Circles” is the album he was working on, which is why
demo versions appear in the seven tracks that make up the project.
Sylvain Auve' (drums, vocals), Thomas Bastide
(guitars), Thomas Boivin (bass), Pierre Champy (flutes), and Emmanuel Peyraud
(keyboards) play on this album.
The music contained is beautifully atmospheric, just
like the cover art accompanying the record. The nearly nine minutes of “Talk To
The Dead” immediately bring out the full essence of the band's cadenced,
cyclopean rhythmic procession, morbidly edgy riffs, and singing in a style
somewhere between that of Ozzy Osbourne (Black Sabbath) and Messiah Marcolin
(Candlemass). Guitar openings launch brief glimpses of light in an absolutely
dark context. As there are Prog influences, there is certainly no shortage of
rhythm changes.
“Circles” is even more atmospheric, the horns lending
a Folk semblance that on the whole doesn't hurt. An additional merit of
Northwinds lies in a careful search for good melodies that are never there by
accident, but rather curated and at times elegant. During listening one
breathes a lot of history, even that of the very early Judas Priest.
Listening to “Images Of The Goat”, I enjoy that
Hammond rough scraping beneath the monolithic Celtic Frost-esque electric
guitar riff, only the flute managing to smooth out this granite compliance from
time to time. It does not change the pacing, as genre commands, even in “Secret
Of Time And Space”, another example of how the right melodies and good singing
can achieve an exciting result without too many frills. A punch in the face
comes from “Night Of The Ritual”, more metallic than what we have heard so far.
In the middle section here the atmosphere changes again to a relaxed and dreamy
setting, thanks to the electric guitar engaged in an almost Floydian solo and
the usual flute. And then the piece you don't expect, “Lord Of Stones”, a
passage in the song formula. To conclude The cover of the song “Piece Of Mind”
by Black Sabbath, just to confirm the provenance of certain influences.
Not familiar with Progressive Doom? Northwinds give
you a chance to try your taste for music towards new adventures, take advantage
of it. MS
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