Isildurs Bane - Mind Volume 4: Pass
	Released: 2003 Label: Ataraxia Productions Cat. No.: ATX2 Total Time: 56:34
	Reviewed by: John "Bo Bo" Bollenberg, September 2004 With this new album the Swedish collective Isildurs Bane introduces the vocals of, amongst others, Christoff Jeppsson and Mariette Hansson. Both voices are used as extra instruments within the well-known detailed arrangements of the band. It most certainly sheds a completely different light onto the music whilst it most definitely gets rid of inaccessibility in a quality way. As we have been used to for nearly two decades, this album once again is the highest quality possible, resulting in a very detailed recording. In fact, this entire album is built around four large blocks of music that individually are also built out of four segments. The melancholic sound of the violin quickly mingles with percussive elements in order to set the tone for "Heal." Once real horns enter the picture, it’s as if you’re listening to the Salvation Army whilst Christof Jepson’s voice tries the Tom Waits approach, although his timbre leans heavily towards that of Peter Gabriel. The latter is even more accentuated during "Cage," which is like an outtake from the Real World studios. As often there are, once again tons of playful moments to be found within Isildurs Bane's music. Amongst others, there’s the use of marimba in "Cage," an instrument that becomes contagious as the song evolves. As if this wasn’t enough, Anna Lönnberg enters the spectrum as a trueborn Kate Bush standing side by side with her fake Peter Gabriel brethren during "Good." Because of the high vocal standard, you sometimes forget the beauty of the instrumental sections. Those of you who know the previous works of Isildurs Bane surely know how extremely talented this band is. I note yet another highlight at the end of "Eyes," when suddenly some wonderful flute steps in, as if it was part of a classical symphony. Those flutesolos are being delivered by none other than the well-known Björn J:son Lindh. In the lower regions of his voice, Jeppsson sounds a little bit like Elvis Costello, such as during "Idea." Then again, when those voices melt together during "Talk," I have to think of Prefab Sprout. Prog, classical, avant-garde, rhythms, theatre, jazz, they once again knead it into yet another unique Isildurs Bane bread. Inimitably wonderful and of an unknown world class, our Swedish friends deliver with Mind Volume 4 – Pass the kind of album that reveals new details time after time after time. To me these are the requirements for a perfect album in the world of progressive rock. Fantastic! More about Mind Volume 4: Pass: Track Listing: HERE : Halo (1:24) / Heal (5:03) / Fury (0:46) / Cage (5:31) / HOPE : Arch (1:00) / Good (3:15) / Open (2:17) / Eyes (6:38) / FEAR : Self (2:44) / Idea (8:32) / Talk (1:40) / Rage (5:33) / PASS : Part (2:11) / Dark (1:39) / Loss (4:00) / Ends (4:14) Musicians: Jonas Christophs - guitar Christof Jeppsson - vocals Fredrik Johansson - fretless bass Matts Johansson - keyboards Anna Lönnberg - vocals Kjell Severinsson - djembe, drums Klas Assarsson - percussion Matts Persson - loops Björn J:son Lindh – flute Contact: Website: www.isildursbane.se Note: will open new browser window Discography Sagan Om Ringen (1981) Vinyl Sagan Om Den Irlandska (1982) Vinyl Sea Reflections (1985) Vinyl Eight Moment Of Eternity (1987) Vinyl Cheval – Volonté De Rocher (1989) Sagan Om Den Irlandska / Sagan Om Ringen (1992) Sea Reflections / Eight Moment Of Eternity (1992) The Voyage (1992) 2CD In Small Cardboard Carrying Case + Booklet The Zorn Trio Plays Matts Johansson (1996) Mind Vol. 1 (1997) The Voyage – Remastered (1998) Lost Eggs (1999) Mind Vol. 2 (2001) 2CD Live Set With Extensive Booklet In Slipcase Mind Vol. 3 (2002?) (with Metamorfosi Trio) Mind Volume 4: Pass (2003)
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