ofl-primal-reviews

Review from Lunar Hypnosis Webzine

Fri, 17 May 2013 20:40:30 +0100

From: Lunar Hypnosis Webzine
Published: May 4, 2013
Original Link

Worlds removed from the somewhat simple and more straightforward synth ambient approach of the material on the 'Equinox' split with Ancient Tundra, 'Primal' brings a new direction that's considerably more evocative, focused and organic in style for Old Forgotten Lands - the solo project of Elan O'Neal. With a grocery list of instruments being included, such as the bodhran, Tibetan singing bowl, flute, accordion, timpani, maracas and rainstick (to a name a few of them) these instruments are often paired with acoustic guitars, field recordings, light ambiance and occasional spoken vocals to create something that sounds not only unique, but also ancient and timeless in character. Immediate influences could point towards the acoustic side of Agalloch or even bands like Nest or Tenhi, though the songs of 'Primal' are more than simple artist flattery or direct imitation. Atmosphere is ever present and at a high during this release as Elan and his list of guests take the listener back to a time and place of long, long ago.

The opener 'Hour of the Wolves' sets the stage with a variety of percussive instruments that intermingle with acoustic guitar and voice, while 'Song of the Dens' is more ambient based, using a deep meditative synth line throughout its duration, whereas, 'Renewal Neverending...' uses a more elaborate guitar melody that although repetitive is quite soothing in its conveyance. Similarly, '...With Each Prevailing Wind' has a memorable ceaseless acoustic lick alongside a haunting backing synth melody and slowly spoken vocals that lasts for nine minutes, but is hardly boring during its duration. 'Lakewood' is the most diverse song however, sounding more akin to something cinematic or some countries ethnic music, it has a twisted trumpet riff, tons of percussive instruments and variety of voices and singing to make it one of the albums biggest standouts. 'Old Forgotten Lands' is the most neo folk sounding piece on the album and quite frankly my favorite as well, while 'Death of an Estranged Earth' is similar, although adds more instruments and stretches out to fourteen minutes too. The final two songs are equally good, 'Atop the Mystic Mountain' in particular hankers back to the older OFL's sound of melodic ambient.

All in all, its a bit hard to explain this record in writing, because I can't perfectly portray the sounds herein in that form. It is however enormously recommended to anyone that feels that sort of deep nostalgic yearning inside their souls that brings their minds and hearts to a time and place of long ago, a place they might not even mind escaping to while leaving this modern world far behind. Beautiful ambiance, brilliant acoustic passages and a smorgasbord of other instruments, voices, influences, thoughts and atmospheres take the listener on a 'Primal' journey to Old Forgotten Lands...

Reviewed by: Joe Mlodik

Review from Melting Album Reviews

Mon, 13 May 2013 20:41:30 +0100

From: Melting Album Reviews
Published: May 10, 2013
Original Link

Having existed for six years now, black metal/ambient project Old Forgotten Lands seem to have much less popularity than they deserve. Although much of their music solely relies on atmospheric, natural sounds crafted from wildlife and the most eerie-sounding of folk-related instruments, the project’s second album “Primal” offers quite an authentic approach to creating music that is as raw and natural as it could possibly get. Although originally slated for a mid-2011 release, “Primal” suffered from delays in label finances and a long wait for album artwork, and after a split recording with Ancient Tundra in 2009, it seems that the project is finally making waves in the underground world of ambient music.

“Primal” mostly suffers from the fact that its first half is nowhere near as engaging as its second. The opening three songs unfortunately don’t come across as complete compositions and instead seem like quite an uncomfortable mix of field recordings and odd atmospheric effects which are barely audible when placed in the background. ‘Song Of The Dens’ and ‘A Revelation Of Obscured Stars’ simply rely on repetitive guitar rhythms and thundering drum beats, yet even with the inclusion of such otherworldly folk instruments as the bodhran and porcelain amongst others, it still feels as if something is missing. The ever-long ‘Renewal Neverending…’ suffers from being overdrawn and although there is much more to the atmosphere than on the album’s first three songs, the listener can become weary very quickly and simply skip to the next track.

However, as the first half does come across as somewhat incomplete, the second half is filled with delights. From the quirkiness of ‘Lakewood’ to the last few seconds of the largely ambitious ‘Atop The Mystic Mountain’, there is much to indulge in. It is the monumental collaboration of folk instruments in songs such as ‘Lakewood’ and ‘Death Of An Estranged Earth’ that helps Old Forgotten Lands’ natural intentions to become fully realized. Timpani, tambourine and violin alongside effects from the field recordings involving sticks, stones and vines all play their part in what is essentially a very impressive set of songs to give the second half of “Primal” a very varied and adaptable mixture of authentic music. The longest song, ‘Death Of An Estranged Earth’, may prove exhaustive for some, but with growing patience and thought the song eventually becomes just as successful and ambitious as, say, Burzum’s ‘Tomhet’. There are also several guest musicians that perform in their own significant way on “Primal”, in particular the vocal effects, which although not always clearly audible against the seemingly endless barrage of atmospheric sounds, do add to the general consistency of the album. The main highlight as well as the album’s focal point is indeed ‘Old Forgotten Lands’, which serves as both a perfect representation of what the project seeks to achieve as well as a summary of what “Primal” sets out to do.

“Primal” may only be majorly successful in its second half, given that the first half sounds somewhat incomplete and unnecessary, but with the help of such awe-inspiring musical transitions in ‘Lakewood’ and ‘Death Of An Estranged Earth’, Old Forgotten Lands has certainly achieved whatever ambitions it originally had. If the project continues to focus on performing ambient and atmospheric sounds of this quality, then it will surely go on to exceed its achievements and expectations in a very “natural” way.

Rating: 3.4/5

Review from Pure Nothing Worship Magazine

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 18:56:37 +0100

From: Pure Nothing Worship Magazine
Published: September 15, 2012
Issue #1

Primal's abundance with the rich, vast nature inspired sounds never ceases. Throughout the album a vast array of instruments is used - wooden flutes, guitars, bodhran, violins, accordions, synths, tambourine, field recordings and much more, even things such as sticks and stones.

The songs offered are melancholic, mid tempo, with acoustic guitars and ambiental sounds closely entwined throughout. The first half of the album is slower, focusing more on the ambiental sounds, and slow, simple acoustics, as shown in the first track, Hour of the Wolves. The next few songs follow in the same way, some oriented more towards ambient, some towards acoustics. From the fifth song, the sound gets much more energetic with more folk elements and vocals, and an even richer, stronger sound. The album's sixth track - Lakewood, shows perfectly that difference from the first half - a strong and folky song, with some moments resembling sounds of native american culture - primarily the timpani and the wooden flutes, maracas and some chanted vocals. This song, as well as the larger part of the album, evoke wondrous atmosphere, a feeling of the forest in the night, and the ritualistic singing beside the fire. The following song, eponymously titled Old Forgotten Lands, is somewhat simpler, with dynamic acoustic guitar and synths being the dominant part, alongside the vocals, but nonetheless a great and inspiring track.

Death of an Estranged Earth, the eight song, adds accordions to the whole mix and offers a slower folk song, with a slower tempo and a nostalgic, depressive feel. A longer song, running at fifteen minutes, it's second half focuses less on the accordions and more on the flutes. The last couple of minutes are ambiental and dark, and offer a great conclusion to the song, and a good introduction to the next track, Risen Tide. Risen Tide breaks the pattern with an astonishingly desolate and crushing atmosphere, conveyed through a simple chord, paired with samples of crushing waves and thunder, which work perfectly at delivering that hopeless, negative sound. The final, tenth track - Atop the Mystic Mountain differs from the rest of the album and is largely a melodious synth work, with some flutes and is somehow largely reminiscent of the synth dreamscapes from the nineties, which in my opinion can only be a good thing, and adds something a bit diferrent to the whole album.

Primal is exactly that - a primal recording, returning to times long gone, when nature ruled over man. A rich and evocative, complex sound, achieved with simple instruments, it perfectly conveys the feeling of primeval times when man was ruled by nature. If you like this sound and genre, don't miss this.

Reviewed by: V

Review from Necro-web Magazine

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 18:55:22 +0100

From: Necro-web Magazine
Published: June 8, 2012
Original Link
*Google translation of German review

Old Forgotten Lands undoubtedly shine a bit mystical. But even if it initially appears here has a connection to the dark metal, the truth is different. give an indication of the ever-mentioned musical influences, which make themselves names like Wardruna, Of The Wand And The Moon or locate Wongraven . can This is known as certainly right, but not its class actually achieved.

"Primal" is highly ritualistic nature and should therefore belong to the hunting ground of listeners of ambient and folk. One should however not expect exhilaration or the like, because the present Silberling brings more melancholy and even ritual moments. There are beautiful melodies it well enough, this packed sometimes mysterious, and so it should not be surprised further, here too very quickly able to gain a foothold.

Behavior spoken passages are one of the strengths of Old Forgotten Lands, those immensely contribute to the atmosphere and yet ennoble a piece like "... With Each Prevailing Wind" very impressive.

Of course, one might also provide some music and then it shows a good instrumental diversity that could be actually chosen any better. In this way, also do not come everyday instruments like timpani and tambourine are used, but also flute and field recording recordings are one of the party. Atmospheric you can conjure up some successful piece, so for example the title track, great movie houses - beautiful and absolutely engaging.

Old Forgotten Lands have no doubt a lot of potential, but on the other hand, there is spare capacity. Can you score some implementation really correct, however, performances such as "Lakewood" or "Death of an Estranged Earth" rather little nervous or getting used to. The predominantly instrumental material is otherwise well-matched, and when the artist here in the future the whole thing develops them further, then you should keep the name Old Forgotten Lands still in memory.

Rating: 7/10

Reviewed by: blizzard

Review from Aristocrazia Webzine

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 18:54:13 +0100

From: Aristocrazia Webzine
Published: May 14, 2012
Original Link
*Google translation of Italian review

Élan O'Neal and his Old Forgotten Lands project are not well known, in all probability only the meager crowd of listeners hungry for dark ambient sounds, neo-folk music or otherwise it is primal and essentially atmospheric entry may already know of the project, thanks to works such as the previous full-length "From Ethereal Forests To Mystic Mountains" and the split "Equinox", platter, which sees them share the space with the Canadian project, Ancient Tundra.

Old Forgotten Lands belonging to the roster of the Hypnotic Dirge Records and the label Skog to encourage the promotion of their second album "Primal", a record that confirms the minimalist attitude and strongly anchored in primordial sound choices. To enter contact with nature and pristine stretches endlessly recreated in the mind from the traces must leave behind the noise "human", the representations of concrete that defy the skies of our cities, and any sign of civilization or pseudo. We must fully immerse in a nature that he signs his living space with the vibrations of the earth and the song of the rain, with the rapid movements of the wildlife and the orchestrations, or not perceptible to humans, issued by the wildlife that engage and disengage the 'air.

The music reflects this approach by using empathy and instrumentation of the private component "electricity", which buries in a bag of existentialism dark and melancholic, but not flaunting that side using some kind of folklore "happy" tune. There are cycles and Recycle that continually exacerbate or alleviate a sense of infinity that can make the dream of toil for his perspective of a nothingness that is never complete, in that sense the beautiful simplicity of the first "Renewable Neverending ..." and later "... With Each Prevailing Wind" capture your thoughts, locking it into a dimension stripped of the unceasing flow of time. And the voice? The voice is a presence that is there but no bursts, is bowled over by compositions that alternate with constancy and consistency of a number of sounds and instruments, are many of the classical guitar to violin, dall'accordion to stick to the synth horn, the flute and again, and again, are added and disappear giving way to others who will, and the voice is there, ready to intervene to see her be so, but avoid "contamination" with positions lasting more than due to a scene that is painted and framed from the essential course of events.

Praise the provision of "Primal" but does not want to say that is free from flaws, a listener accustomed to certain styles might emphasize that production is not the "maximum", which they present a kind of banality or we can define a continuous repetition of themes that we just want to exchange for a latency of ideas and who knows maybe a raw form of power engaged to act as support could provide a dynamic and add value to a similar proposal, speculation of the case more or less valid depending on what you're looking for in music. As often happens with such discs, the work of Old Forgotten Lands is a take it or leave it, there is no middle term, if you decide to undertake the journey into the world of "Primal" the qualms aside and listen to metal to which you are connected daily, is a tribal ritual in which only two things matter: you and nature. For lovers of dark-ambient purchase is definitely worth pondering for the rest, well, at least one attempt, do it, the charm of some forms of art needs to be discovered and lived, after a couple of "on air" if you will realize will be for you or it will be time move on.

Review from Midwinter Fires Webzine

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 18:52:22 +0100

From: Midwinter Fires Webzine
Published: April 19, 2012
Original Link

Old Forgotten Land is an entity hard to define: neo folk? black ambient? Well, to be honest I guess it’s something more within its essence, mysterious, inscrutable, related to the Nature and its magnificence. It’s something so primitive, ancient, a creature which shapes odd melodies within field recordings, which creates peculiar, minimalist tunes using a lot of unconventional instruments (singing bowl, tambourine, stones, glassware, bodhran) with the addition of some acoustic/classical guitars and some evocative vocals…surely a piece of work with an intense, atmospheric, experimental flavour. Quite difficult to indicate a single episode, “Primal” is a deep immersion, to be enjoyed as a long, meditative walk into the radiance of Nature. During the listening you’ll constantly have the impression to come close to something pure, organic: I mean, the sound seems to be unprocessed, unrefined, as raw as it was recorded, also with some inaccuracy, but that’s absolutely not a negative point, not at all, I think it just adds fascination to the whole, hypnotizing experience. Everything’s so mystique, captivating, enchanting, even in its minimalism…as in “Renewal Neverending”, a moment I really like with its mesmerizing progression. Well, just open your mind and feel “Primal” flowing through your spirit…you won’t regret.

Reviewed by: Emiliano

Review from Alternativ-Musik Webzine

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 18:51:08 +0100

From: Alternativ-Musik Webzine
Published: April 6, 2012
Original Link
*Google translation of German review

Very strange, what an Old Forgotten Lands as set before. You move between folk and ambient music, just not what one would expect. Because the album is somewhere in a time when people have not roamed the earth and there was no organized societies. For this unspoiled nature, and perhaps a few archaic ways of life. No less is the archaic sound of Primal . With a guitar, field recordings and a few rare times ritualistic drum beats you have to get along here. Rather, it is not, but it's enough to make the divine in nature in the mind's eye. Even though some passages seem long and monotonous.

Monotony is not meant in a negative sense. There is a mood builds up and the album manages to maintain this upright throughout. Only rarely is heard singing. He also does not usually, because the music speaks for itself. Thus we see mountains, forests and plains in front of you, where else there is only loneliness. But when singing occurs, then it only underscores the mood again impressive.

A bit esoteric, but over the whole thing is corny, but if you start with what this music can be, can also live with, if not even want. A trip to worlds far away from civilization.

Reviewed by: Tristan Osterfeld

Review from Wounds of the Earth

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 18:46:40 +0100

From: Wounds of the Earth
Published: April 5, 2012
Original Link

I find humorous the chasm between what dark ambient (CMI, etc) guys perceive as "dark ambient" and what black metal guys think is "dark ambient". This album came to be from black metal imprint Hypnotic Dirge under the label of "dark ambient". This isn't remotely like what you'd find on Malignant, Loki, CMI, etc, but I guess compared to black metal I see where they're coming from. The name Primal could not be more apt for this. This sounds like very primitive ritual music, being performed by ancient cultists in the woods under cover of the moon. Very organic and earthen. It sounds like the sounds are all from traditional instruments: acoustic guitar, drums, flutes, bells, etc. That's not really my thing, but I can't refute that the simplistic, repetitive compositions are indeed dankly atmospheric and hypnotic. There is a really good variety of stuff here, from more upbeat guitar strumming with drums, to slower more brooding pieces driven by flute or drones, to stuff that sounds like folk metal (minus the distortion), to stuff that is reminiscent of Diablo or similar dark RPG Music. A few of the tracks have vocals. The biggest flaw in my opinion is the rawness of the whole thing (think Burzum, Woods of Ypres, etc). The overall volume is extremely low (+ it fluctuates track to track), and the sound quality is lo-fi and gritty (though this does lend a bit of darkness to the atmosphere). Going along with the rawness, in some tracks it sounds like they make mistakes while playing but failed to edit it out or re-record the part. My favorite track is "Old Forgotten Lands" which sounds the most fleshed out, full, and cohesive. It has solid guitar work and some synthesizer pads which flow nicely, coupled with really good vocals - it reminds me of more folk-y Agalloch material. Overall, this isn't really a style I'd go after, but it's done pretty well for what it is. I would've liked if they had better, more full production to make it sound like an album and not a demo. Fans of black metal who like ritual and folk stuff, check it out.