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Subject: Arkona
Replies: 12 Views: 664
kute_lez 13.03.09 - 03:08am
SOUND - Pagan folk metal
LYRICAL THEMES - Slavic Paganism and mythology
ORIGIN - Moscow, Russia
FORMED - 2002
CURRENT LINEUP
Masha - Vocals
Sergej - Guitar
Ruslan - Bas*
Vlad - Drums, synth
Vladamir - Zhaleika, balalaika, septika, sopilka
FORMER MEMBERS
Aleksei - Vocals
Evgenij - Guitar
Ilja - Guitar
Evgenij - Bas*
Olga - Keyboard
Aleksandr - Drums
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Not to be confused with the other Arkona from Moscow
Arkona was the last Slavic Pagan city
DISCOGRAPHY
Rus demo - 2003
Vozrozhdenie - 2004
Lepta - 2004
Vo Slavu Velikim - 2005
Zhizn Vo Slavu DVD - 2006
Zhizn Vo Slavu live - 2006
Ot Serdtsa K Nebu - 2007
Night Of Veles DVD - 2009
Poem Vmeste compilation - 2009
Goi, Rode, Goi! - 2009 *
kute_lez 13.03.09 - 03:15am
*taken from Metal Maniacs magazine*
Russian Pagan folk metallers Arkona possess many diversifications. Multiple languages is not among them. The band won't write a syllable of English, but fans and Slavs wouldn't have it any other way. Don't confuse Arkona's patriotic objective with Nationalistic hatred or naivity either. Like shamans of wisdom and truth, the band is merely well-read in their worshipped culture. Props to them for ignoring baseball and apple pie predictability. That, and several obscure indie releases, once made the Slav's best kept secret
Napalm Records have bridged the gap. With their deferred US release of 2007's Ot Serdtsa K Nebu, which still features the band in their inherent native tongue, the equivocal cat is out of the bag
''Our style of music is purely based on Russian folk,'' lead vocalist Masha begins through a translator. ''Singing our songs in any other language would be appropriate. I don't consider any language to be superior over another. There is such a thing as poetry. A poet only obtains power when he or she thinks in the language of which they write. Our band places all emphasis on national culture, so it may not be a plus that most people can't freely understand our topics, but if I don't feel my passion flowing effortlessly, my singing would not bare that atmosphere''
To the untrained ear, Arkona's legacy obsessed conquest may sound multicultural. Led by the composition genius of the lively female vocalist, whos variances kiss you s*xually with feminity, then knock you down with brutality, and well rounded guitarist Sergej, songs like Oy Pechal-Taska and Gutsulkamay sound like a mad Celt crashing a Native American Peyote Ceremony. Bagpipes, accordians and wooden wind instruments weave their spells traditionally through the pleasantly mind altering album. Sergej's guitar flavourings heat the tripped out melting pot sound
Talking about the similarities among folk, Masha comments, ''There is some anthology, but if you study it deeply, the differences become obvious. Irish folk has more sharp, dancy passages. Slavic folk is more melancholic and has more romanticism, and chanting vocal patterns that don't form words are used for any folk in the world. In Arkona, we often use chance to convey they atmosphere of the ancient singing''
If tribal sounding instrumental Strela doesn't inspire dancing, or folk inspired moshing, rather, the listener surely suffers from rigor mortis
''This song is not composed by Arkona,'' Masha informs. ''We just made a heavy arrangement for Strela, which is an old Slavonic ritual song. It had been performed by different tribes in many forms until recent times. The song is of an arrow, which is asked not to kill a young warrior, but according to the plot, the arrow disobeys the human prayer and kills the man''
When asked about the possible 'consecrations' their non-Biblical theology might entail, Masha says, ''the title track translates to From Heart To Sky, which applies to a man's ancestors. A man asks his forefathers for help in resurrecting old beliefs. Typical of our creative work, this is the concept for the entire album''
It still seems slightly unclear. 'Beliefs?'. Surely the singer was concealing some heathenish horrors. Many of the ancient ones were no doubt uncivilized, even sacrificial. When pried further, she replies, ''the song Pokrovy Nebesnogo Startsa is about a dying battlefield warrior. He prays to Veles, God of poetry, conductor of life and death. The warrior's prayer implores that he pass quickly to the land of the dead. The song Nad Propastyu Let conveys my views on the modern world. I describe the sorrow and desperation, asking people to come to their senses. Escape darkness, enter peace and light. Pagans don't copulate with goats inside a pentagram while drinking the blood of unborn babies''
Few American bands focus on real estate loyalty like Arkona
''I know nothing of America, conservatives or stereotypes'' Masha admits. ''I know I love my country very much, with all it's complicated history. I love the nature of our land. I love the Russian people. I consider my country to be the best in the world. I sing about this in Slavsya Rus''
The song titles translates to Glory To Russia. A black metal-ish fury of shrill flutes and suprisingly spooky ambience, this national anthem's passion is easily mistaken for abhorrance.
The grass must be greener in Moscow, but don't take Arkona's lack of American or international fervor personally, even the Slavs who fail to share the band's ancient disposition are frowned upon, if considered at all. Masha, who founded Arkona from the ashes of sheltered Pagan community Vyatichi, expressed a distaste for history writers, government and politics in general
''Dimitri Volkogonov, the Russian historian who populrized himself on the wave of anti-Soviet mood may not have had access to the Secret Soviet Archives as he claims. Historians tend to lie. I trust archaeologists a lot more. We also stay out of politics. All politicians lie, and I don't care if Ukraine joins some intergalactic space bugs extermination league'' *
borae 9.06.09 - 06:10pm
fair play to 'em. Had me won over at: a vocalist that could easily kiss with s*xual feminity as nock you down with brutality.
Think im in love *
mielikki 30.10.09 - 12:05am
A new Arkona alb*m is out titled Goi, Rode, Goi! *
whitewae 30.10.09 - 10:50am
interesting read.yea,borae,that was quite something *
mielikki 11.02.10 - 06:24am
New Arkona alb*m added *
aenglisc 16.06.10 - 02:49am
ha-ah. knew i recognised the name.. logo was familer...though it wasnt here i saw that obuiovsly..playing an alb*m of theirs on mp3 now *
aenglisc 16.06.10 - 02:53am
OH. And how the vocalist can still sounds sweet and not like one of marge simpsons sisters after the harsher vocaling is beyond me *
mielikki 16.06.10 - 03:30am
Yeah I agree. She's quite a good vocalist *
mielikki 16.06.10 - 03:41am
Logo added *
mielikki 28.06.10 - 04:03pm
Marge Simpson's sisters *
mielikki 30.06.10 - 07:39am
*
aenglisc 30.06.10 - 11:41pm
Thats why i got that alb*m download. Great isnt it. Were there actual totems in Russia do you think, or is it artistic licence? My own history aint fantastic, havnt a clue on Russia *
