GRAI - About Native Land reviewed

Introduction :

Well, longtime I should have ended that analysis but I have been prevented, for every time I came back on that album full of 10 tracks to analyze.

01 The song about Native Land \ Pesn’ o Zemle Rodnoy (Песнь о Земле Родной)

02. The wheaten song \ Pshenychnaya (Пшеничная

03. Winter tale \ Zimnaya Skazka (Зимняя сказка)

04. Spring \ Vesna (Весна)

05. Through the forests \ Sred’ lesov (Средь лесов)

06. Leshak \ Leshak (Лешак)

07. Go away, sorrow (Leave us, sorrow) \ Uchody dalyoko, gore (Уходи далёко, горе)

08. Lament about the lot \ Plach o dolyushke (Плач о долюшке)

09. Brave warrior \ Voin hrabryi, Yasnyi Sokol (Воин храбрый, ясный сокол)

10. Get up from your knees! \ Vstavay s kolen! (Вставай с колен)

01 The song about the Native Land

Rhythmic comes in some seconds right after the nice transverse flute & drums in this first song and that drums is heavy and full of games & ideas. The whole turns slower at 0.33 for the entrance of their female vocalists (0.58) that sing like in the trad of the country and surely not like Arkona, like I could read here and there on the web… Transverse flute isn’t while singing but comes back after at 1.24. The previous part is back but the distortion joins (1.37). The whole is based on same soft melody.

From 1.49 to 2.16 & from 2.28 to 2.55 is another singing and the drums give you possibility to bang your head while the flute and metal are played together. The first singing style returns at 3.07 and it sounds like some Balalaika added (3.18) to the main melody. 3.45 is another musical part that sounds like something great is rising, same for the meloguitar & keys duo after (4.10). The previous part is back ending the song.

02. The wheaten song

The next song sounds rather festive and starts with heavy beats while many others aren’t, long notes on flute & rhythmic picking… Once again, their drummer playing is great. 0.47 is a new part within shorter notes on flute and the other instruments reply to that flute when that last ends its playing. The scale increases at 1.10 to the end of the main instr. (flute) sentence and palm muted strings are but that exchange started at 0.47 is for about 30 seconds. The singing and dynamic guitars appear at 1.21 without flute but the answers part (0.47) from all the other instruments return at 1.34, the singing ends five seconds later. 1.46: rhythmic goes back and once more; the flutist ends differently her sentences (1.39). Next is the singing that sounds like one message sent while guitar lets ring behind. One rhythmic guitar returns (2.09) with festive drums until one new riff appears (2.20) and the flute comes back with its new part about ten seconds later and then (2.55), we can find music the intro playing way shorter and the song ends with that exchange flute/other instruments, shorter too.

03. Winter tale 

The transverse flute & keyboard are soft like the whole song. The singer enters at 0.43 and then is to the drummer (1.20) and bass to enter. The second verse is sung at two minutes and to its end, 36 seconds later, appears the guitar plugged in the distortion effect while the whole restarts, all instruments together ending this winter tale.

04. Spring

All the instruments start that other festive song. The singing later (0.26) will be based on the main riff (0.12) to end at 0.52 for another musical part, and yet another part (1.04) hunting the musical sweetness for 10 seconds but the flute returns next, making the whole sweeter again. The singing is back at 1.55 and by the way, the “singing” part shows some nice backing & lead vocals, flute and nice idea. The music from 0.52 is back at 2.35 within some arrangements. One new part will end the track.

05. Through the forests

Drums, strings instr and flute are the starters and after 27 seconds, come the singers. Distortion enters 30 seconds later and after the singing. That last comes back for 25 seconds at 1.21 until one melodic guitar can be heard. I don’t appreciate much that part of song because I dislike that sharpened note (2.01) from the flute and in my opinion, that riff doesn’t reflect the album sound and same (2.40).for the next ensemble but festive part. 3.20 is the singing again followed by one new part. Nice flute there. Before the next verse (4.40) is a shorten part from 1.50 about. The tune ends with that festive part arranged.

06. Leshak

Some birds can be heard before the keyboards playing one nice main riff together with drums. Nice atmosphere here until the strings join that riff with heavier beats from the drummer. The male vocalist enters at thirty seconds of the song and 10 seconds later, the first verse can be heard. That singing part ends at 0.55 but come back with a different part at 1.02. That other riff is also amazing here. Before that riff are two notes repeating from the guitar player and is same one coming later at 1.41., the notes announce one change in the song. 1.15 the female singing enters & the tempo turns slower until 1.41.aka that announcement within first tempo that is faster than here. The part from 1.47 to 2.09 is instrumental & the male singer returns with the flutist. 2.26: the main riff is back & the singing is at 2.38.

Without announcement this time, one calm & charmed part from flute interferes in the song (3.04), suddenly breaking all the previous power but that power from the other instruments is back 13 seconds after. The male vocals invite itself on that part at 3.30 and follow that new but worrying part (3.45). The music tells you the end of the nightmare at deep end of the song. x)

07. Go away, sorrow (Leave us, sorrow)

That soft introducing celtic synth part with clean guitar will feat with the female singing (1.23) that is taking place next one short distorted part (0.55). And then, one new soft game is at 2.18, the transverse flute joins at 2.31 with heavier beats (2.44),

Higher tone & distortion are at 2.58 until the softer returns but distorted, 15 seconds later. And the previous part is back but powerful more. I let you imagine. :) The singing is back with the second soft game at 4 minutes of the song. Then, this is like beginning arranged, with distortion. The tune ends rather soft.

08. Lament about the lot

Here is another soft introduction with clean guitars, transverse flute and medium/hard beats. I just hate that kind of “slide” I can hear but the part is nice. The flute disappears for the 10 seconds of the female vocals at 0.22. The flute comes back and next (0.43), we can hear rhythmic guitar with the same singing style, flute behind and then, the male vocals come in the song the following 10 seconds.

1.05 until 1.16 is one short instrumental part and the previous part returns arranged. The singing is at 2.48, just after the solo part that started at 2.10. And the track ends with these tracks of flute & rhythmic guitar.

09. Brave warrior

Synth, flute and drums start the song, guitars are the next to enter the track and 0.40 is new part. Nice effect here. Female vocals enter the song after 52 seconds, until the flute part (1.05). In my opinion, the guitars part while singing could have been a bit better made or let’s say that’s ok...

About 1.20 is one change that means the male singer enters to his turn, joined by the female ones (1.45 &1.58). Then are some sharp breaks and all the instr playing together again. The flute playing style from 2.18 reminds me the 7th song of the album. :( And the guitars could be better again since it doesn’t go so well together with the rest, my opinion sure: The sound isn’t so great and another playing style would have been welcome here. The beginning of the track is back at 2.42 with the disto and the singing also returns (2.55) until the flute takes over. From 3.23 to the end, is one rather festive change in the music but that warrior, I didn’t feel…/

10. Get up from your knees!

They are singing already but why those beats? The drummer has proved he can be great one. 

It would have been better he doesn’t play that same tempo beat here while other games are fine with it. The singing stops and the other instruments enter the track after 29 seconds. The whole is nice here. So is the female singing, coming back at 0.56, that is strengthened by the male vocalist to give one new dimension to that part. At 1.26, the female singin’ introduces one instrumental part with its last sentence sung and a speech is later (2.05) for 25 seconds with yet another instr part. The singing from real beginning is with musicians at 2.57, and then is one cool riff followed by the part from 0.56. After that are some changes between singers drawing one nice effect, plus the synth behind. At around 5 minutes is one nice transverse flute ending the tune with the other instruments.

To conclude :

I appreciated a lot the drummer, the transverse flute, the female vocalists and composition. Then, the album is nice but some songs appear less good when our full attention is focused on tracks of songs like for example “Brave warrior”. That one and “Through the forests” are my less favorites songs while the first & forth songs are my most favorites of that album.