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Rating:
It must have been quite a satisfaction for Don Anderson, guitarist of Agalloch (among the most illustrious exponents of the new wave of American black-metal bands), to be part of the line-up behind the latest album by the legendary Sol Invictus. I remember when Agalloch covered “Kneel to the Cross” (back in the days of "Of Stone, Wind and Pillow), a song often played live. A dream finally come true, considering that Tony Wakeford's creation has always been listed among the fundamental influences for the genesis of the Agalloch-sound.
It must not have been exactly satisfying, however, to have contributed to the creation of the most tasteless album that Sol Invictus have released in the past decade. Not through any fault of the good Anderson, of course, since his contribution is substantial (his presence is felt in every song) and the integration between his electric guitars and the typical acoustic patterns of the now usual apocalyptic folk of Sol Invictus works well and remains one of the most successful choices in “Once upon a Time”.
Moreover, electricity is not an absolute novelty with Sol Invictus (just think of Karl Blake's distorted bass, present in the lineup since the beginning), and therefore talking about a real stylistic upheaval is absolutely out of place. But not only that: although Wakeford loves to define his own music today as “folk-prog”, the arrangement remains the same as in recent albums, with the industrial approach definitively silenced, and the use of sounds more tied to tradition, whether it be an ancestral folk dominated by acoustic instruments or folk-rock captured in its most classic form, exquisitely retrieved from the sixties/seventies. So guitars tarnish the acoustic setting, always the responsibility of minstrel Wakeford and the ensemble behind him, and they imprint acidity and vigor on the new compositions. But it goes no further than that, and there's very little prog, in truth (apart from some traces of the bucolic Canterbury-sound, or the echo of Ian Anderson's Jethro Tull ballets): the absence of notable rhythmic variations and the brevity of the tracks, after all, rule out the possibility of truly complex developments from the start: a path, in any case, impractical for musicians with modest technical preparation.
If “Once upon a Time” sounds so “ordinary,” it's also the fault of a cast of actors not exactly outstanding, unable to go beyond the assigned task: more or less that group of characters that Wakeford has been carrying around for some years now (Caroline Jago on bass, Lesley Malone on percussion, Renee Rosen on violin, etc.). With the significant absence of that visionary genius Andrew King, who managed to inject vital energy into Wakeford's art, which, we know, always makes and will always make the good and bad weather in each Sol Invictus album. And it is here, of course, that major responsibilities must be identified.
“Once upon a Time” suffers from an uneven inspiration, presenting itself as a setback in a virtuous path where Wakeford had managed to channel his career in the last two decades. Making a quick comparison with the immediately preceding works, we can say that the Sol Invictus of 2014 lacks both the class and elegance showcased in the refined “The Devil's Steed” (2004), and the boldness and audacity expressed in “The Cruellest Month (2011).
Yet the introduction “MDCLXVI” - “The Devil's Year”, shaken by the black roar of a rough electric guitar of vague post-black-metal derivation, promised great things: enthusiasm that will fade as the tracks succeed one another (nine ballads in typical Sol Invictus style, interspersed with no fewer than six instrumental tracks, little more than short interludes that add no spice to an already bland dish). “Once upon a Time” is therefore not a bad album: it is simply devoid of intensity and lacking episodes that truly leave a mark (this time, we won't encounter a “We are the Dead Men”, or a “To Kill All Kings”, or a “The Blackleg Miner”).
In my opinion, only two tracks stand out. “The Path Less Travelled”, which nonetheless introduces nothing new, is a foggy ballad wrapped in the gloomy harmonies woven by electric guitars: it delivers the most authoritative Wakeford, as well as snippets of the indestructible Wakeford-thought (“Between the banker and the beggar, between the spires and the fire, between the winner and the sinner, take the path less travelled”, the gloomy chorus recites). “War”, co-written with American musician Peter Blegvad, is the most peculiar track, the hardest in some respects, opened by a solemn call-and-response with two voices (reminiscent of the mythical duets between Wakeford and Ian Read at the start of their career) and concluded with a rhythmic acceleration that borders on post-punk lands: too bad it all ends just as it gets good, and the brief duration of the track (which doesn't reach four minutes) compromises the success of the experiment. Another reason for regret: the idea of what the result would have been with the precious contribution of Andrew King's theatrical voice.
A demerit note, however, is the terrible single “Mr Cruel”, in my opinion one of the most annoying tracks ever written by Wakeford; its bizarre rhythm takes us back to the unhappy times of “Thrones”, making us even miss it: it is nothing but yet another unsuccessful attempt to recreate atmospheres worthy of a gothic-novel.
For the rest, we are within the norm: tracks like “The Devil on Tuesday” and the title-track show the livelier and more dynamic side of the current course (among interlacing of flute and violin, and the usual raging of Anderson on the six strings, here we get closer, in my opinion, to what Wakeford means by folk-prog). They counterbalance the pleasantness of episodes like the sly “The Devil's Year” (the sweetest with its caressing strings, despite a title that could suggest other moods) and the impetuous “Our Father”, another ballad with a majestic gait. With the instrumental “Austin” and its reprise “Spare”, which close the album, long-time admirers might shed the famous tear, as the arpeggio that holds the two tracks clearly cites a classic like “Media”, but without, of course, replicating its significance.
If Wakeford, always hanging between excellence and mediocrity, once again manages to place himself abundantly above mere adequacy and thus satisfy his fans (a feat not to be taken for granted, considering that in four years, Sol Invictus will mark their thirtieth anniversary), he does not reach with "Once upon a Time" the good levels on which his most recent works had settled. For the future, we therefore advise him to take a step back, work behind the scenes, and assume the role most suited to him, that of a director. But above all, to surround himself with capable collaborators with a strong charisma who can compensate for physiological lapses in inspiration due to age.
We are hopeful.
It must not have been exactly satisfying, however, to have contributed to the creation of the most tasteless album that Sol Invictus have released in the past decade. Not through any fault of the good Anderson, of course, since his contribution is substantial (his presence is felt in every song) and the integration between his electric guitars and the typical acoustic patterns of the now usual apocalyptic folk of Sol Invictus works well and remains one of the most successful choices in “Once upon a Time”.
Moreover, electricity is not an absolute novelty with Sol Invictus (just think of Karl Blake's distorted bass, present in the lineup since the beginning), and therefore talking about a real stylistic upheaval is absolutely out of place. But not only that: although Wakeford loves to define his own music today as “folk-prog”, the arrangement remains the same as in recent albums, with the industrial approach definitively silenced, and the use of sounds more tied to tradition, whether it be an ancestral folk dominated by acoustic instruments or folk-rock captured in its most classic form, exquisitely retrieved from the sixties/seventies. So guitars tarnish the acoustic setting, always the responsibility of minstrel Wakeford and the ensemble behind him, and they imprint acidity and vigor on the new compositions. But it goes no further than that, and there's very little prog, in truth (apart from some traces of the bucolic Canterbury-sound, or the echo of Ian Anderson's Jethro Tull ballets): the absence of notable rhythmic variations and the brevity of the tracks, after all, rule out the possibility of truly complex developments from the start: a path, in any case, impractical for musicians with modest technical preparation.
If “Once upon a Time” sounds so “ordinary,” it's also the fault of a cast of actors not exactly outstanding, unable to go beyond the assigned task: more or less that group of characters that Wakeford has been carrying around for some years now (Caroline Jago on bass, Lesley Malone on percussion, Renee Rosen on violin, etc.). With the significant absence of that visionary genius Andrew King, who managed to inject vital energy into Wakeford's art, which, we know, always makes and will always make the good and bad weather in each Sol Invictus album. And it is here, of course, that major responsibilities must be identified.
“Once upon a Time” suffers from an uneven inspiration, presenting itself as a setback in a virtuous path where Wakeford had managed to channel his career in the last two decades. Making a quick comparison with the immediately preceding works, we can say that the Sol Invictus of 2014 lacks both the class and elegance showcased in the refined “The Devil's Steed” (2004), and the boldness and audacity expressed in “The Cruellest Month (2011).
Yet the introduction “MDCLXVI” - “The Devil's Year”, shaken by the black roar of a rough electric guitar of vague post-black-metal derivation, promised great things: enthusiasm that will fade as the tracks succeed one another (nine ballads in typical Sol Invictus style, interspersed with no fewer than six instrumental tracks, little more than short interludes that add no spice to an already bland dish). “Once upon a Time” is therefore not a bad album: it is simply devoid of intensity and lacking episodes that truly leave a mark (this time, we won't encounter a “We are the Dead Men”, or a “To Kill All Kings”, or a “The Blackleg Miner”).
In my opinion, only two tracks stand out. “The Path Less Travelled”, which nonetheless introduces nothing new, is a foggy ballad wrapped in the gloomy harmonies woven by electric guitars: it delivers the most authoritative Wakeford, as well as snippets of the indestructible Wakeford-thought (“Between the banker and the beggar, between the spires and the fire, between the winner and the sinner, take the path less travelled”, the gloomy chorus recites). “War”, co-written with American musician Peter Blegvad, is the most peculiar track, the hardest in some respects, opened by a solemn call-and-response with two voices (reminiscent of the mythical duets between Wakeford and Ian Read at the start of their career) and concluded with a rhythmic acceleration that borders on post-punk lands: too bad it all ends just as it gets good, and the brief duration of the track (which doesn't reach four minutes) compromises the success of the experiment. Another reason for regret: the idea of what the result would have been with the precious contribution of Andrew King's theatrical voice.
A demerit note, however, is the terrible single “Mr Cruel”, in my opinion one of the most annoying tracks ever written by Wakeford; its bizarre rhythm takes us back to the unhappy times of “Thrones”, making us even miss it: it is nothing but yet another unsuccessful attempt to recreate atmospheres worthy of a gothic-novel.
For the rest, we are within the norm: tracks like “The Devil on Tuesday” and the title-track show the livelier and more dynamic side of the current course (among interlacing of flute and violin, and the usual raging of Anderson on the six strings, here we get closer, in my opinion, to what Wakeford means by folk-prog). They counterbalance the pleasantness of episodes like the sly “The Devil's Year” (the sweetest with its caressing strings, despite a title that could suggest other moods) and the impetuous “Our Father”, another ballad with a majestic gait. With the instrumental “Austin” and its reprise “Spare”, which close the album, long-time admirers might shed the famous tear, as the arpeggio that holds the two tracks clearly cites a classic like “Media”, but without, of course, replicating its significance.
If Wakeford, always hanging between excellence and mediocrity, once again manages to place himself abundantly above mere adequacy and thus satisfy his fans (a feat not to be taken for granted, considering that in four years, Sol Invictus will mark their thirtieth anniversary), he does not reach with "Once upon a Time" the good levels on which his most recent works had settled. For the future, we therefore advise him to take a step back, work behind the scenes, and assume the role most suited to him, that of a director. But above all, to surround himself with capable collaborators with a strong charisma who can compensate for physiological lapses in inspiration due to age.
We are hopeful.
Tracklist
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