SIG:AR:TYR - Godsaga review

Like the band promised & said on their official website, Godsaga is about Odin's hanging on Yggdrasil but the artwork refers to Egil Skallagrimsson.

More about Egill Skallagrimsson on wiki.

You can find lyrics in the booklet but also on their official website.

Now, lets talk about the content of the cd.

1/ Nights All Nine

The CD starts good. This acoustic music is like majestic and that ambient side from others is well dosed. The singing starts 30 seconds after the instruments. Each tonic part is respected.

After 1.28 and 2 verses is one fantastic solo, going slow like respecting the other main riff still behind that is that way and then, all of a sudden, the lead goes FAST! The 3rd verse starts after that last ending at 1.58. The singing is sung the same way while the song, ever. One important thing here that demonstrates (already!) his talent & effort : NOT a mistake! The tune is nice and is a nice introduction as well!

2/ Midwinter Sacrifice

This one could appear brutal if you play the cd loud for the first time BUT, this metal track goes fine next Nights All Nine. Instruments are kinda worrying and actually can make one with the lyrics.

Nothing wrong ‘til the change at 0.30, don’t like much that drums when I concentrate on it… sounds is maybe bad chosen… but I like those guitars reminding me Megadeth and stuff. AH! Interesting at 0.44, exactly what I meant for Dur Dabla (Dancing With Korrigans) the last time : that heavy way with the guitars. Good!

A second change appears at 0.59, very worrying then the good singing starts at 1.20 over the heavy riffs coming back. A bit shame the singing doesn’t make me travel here. He looks like stressed or too concentrated on the lyrics maybe? I don’t know but a little shame…/ “a little” ‘cuz its not a 100% failure too. Well, so we come back on the following change. Next is the following verse with the same musical structure. Acoustics coming next at 3.09.

3.39: its being more aggressive and actually, some instr want to take part in this brutality & show it well at 4.08. But to 4.40 its Degeneracy!! I meant : what a loooooooovely guitar solo! This is played instead of a verse since the main riff is still around and the singing restarts with “Midwinter sacrifice” until the end.

3/ Blood of the North

The song starts with beautiful arpeggio again giving its place (0.14) to some raged & distorted strings… this “very dark” riff continues its march but changing at 0.42 then 1.12 appear some individual notes by chords… there are many tracks in that song but nothing’s wrong, so far…

We come back on this obscure riff that will introduce the nice singing over its change. The Hávamál (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hávamál) part (cf. lyrics) feat. with the strings by strings one, those started even before.

The nervous instruments are back until they abandon for acoustics at 3.59. Then another majestic acoustic lead enters at 4.24. to end to 5.19 about. So beautiful. x) Then nothing, just the ambiance sounds’ front while 4 seconds about, until the introducing part of the song returns. Next are the same raged riffs, in same order. Well, I’m afraid I’ve nothing wrong to say! Congrats!

4/ Black Sun’s Bane

Instrumental atmospheric track. Was this text here for us to understand better the musical game? 0_o

If so, well done! The tune is made of some acoustics, and some leads… its rather a slow tempo.

One leads with distortion at 3.21 and like with perfection, again. Coming to the end, the track kicks off that distortion. Compositions are very good.

5/ Eternal Return

The aria reminds me something else, don’t know what… also don’t know if metal tune….

I don’t mean the whole structure, just the aria… uh, anyway!

One soft intro. Drums enters at 0.29 and adds some more power & beats at 1.11. Distortion can be found (1.30 – 4.00), things are nice. Then (4.00) drums insisting on something… And suddenly (4.30), some palm muted distorted strings appear, until to really speak.6.02 arises one other lovely solo, ending ‘til next singing. 

Btw, I like that end.

6/ Sleep of the Sword

Nice acoustics as intro then is good distortion at 0.26, entering ourselves deeper in the song. We can start to listen the lyrics after 1.28 from the track. One kind of break happens (3.13) after the chorus. One guitar is around playing the main & good riff over some noisy sounds. 

Hm 4.02: good drums effect, nothing wrong for that one but what the hel is that note ?? :(

Other than that, its good next. 4.26/4.27 > nice idea, before the singing (4.29).

The singing on this part isn’t well understanding… but is it Daemonskald mistake ?

4.55 is the real end of that kind of break.

5.19 is one madness solo for sometimes (5.50).

Then are the main parts front and the singing will follow later…

Its end is like its intro.

7/ Sonatorrek

No distortion until 2.53, nice stuff. Distinction with the lead instrument can be heard to 1.35.

2.53 the distortion effect is used. low & fast solo… I don’t know what to say, its just awesome! Lol

8/ Godsaga

Good ambiance, military drums and those are perfect keeping our attention. Strings instr. enter at 1.04 with catchy riffs. One great effect (1.35) well placed in between disto & clean.

2.25, The story is being more serious. Tension is slowly taking place. The music is really awesome but I don’t believe in daemonskald words…/

You have to drive me into the song with yr voice, dude!

9/ Distant Northern Shore

Softer, you won’t find a distortion here. Its good end for the album.

Nothing special to say here, I’m afraid…

To conclude :

It may represent such a big work, composing all these tracks for a one man band…

Tracks are very well done, charming. But I’ll regret the structure is still the same one…

“Midwinter Sacrifice” is the exception, but when we add the 1st track of the cd, it appears like same in the end then…/ 

Songs always start softer then distortion then singing, cleans and/or eventual solo, disto + singing, clean… well… The album appears very good from its compositions but I hope to hear different structures for the next album.

Daemonskald knows music, and he proved it yet with Godsaga. However, the singing is good, but the feeling shared is suddenly lost on some songs. Solving this little problem, he needs to find the thing he’s able to do with instr. that accomplish with perfection the translation of these lyrics to a musical language.

Congrats for that! :)