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Blog Categories Review ARDDUC – ‘Othila’ - Reviewed By Rock Queen Reviews!

ARDDUC – ‘Othila’ - Reviewed By Rock Queen Reviews! Thursday December 24 2020, 9:29 AM

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MDPR Clients: ARDDUC – ‘Othila’ - Reviewed By Rock Queen Reviews ! Check it out at this link: https://jennytate.wordpress.com/2020/12/22/ardduc-othila/

A solo DIY project, ARDDUC is a pagan folk metal band and ‘Othila’ is the current album. Part of a series of epic narrative tales, all following albums will build on the former ones, in both musical and production terms. ‘Othila’ was released on 10th October 2020.

Vekja – Enticing atmospherics lure you into the den of the intro, steadily building, into a Celtic flavoured mass of mythological sounds. Strong drum beats play out, like thunder, amongst the storm of woodwind and stringed instrumentals. Powerful, on a big scale.

Ancient Ones – Heavy steel opens, with brisk, powerful beats and shimmering background effects. Amazing sound quality and Celtic melodies rhythmically expressive. Deathy vocals add to the potent mix. Intense power screams from those ritual sounds. Alive with sparky, electrifying energy, telling an impressive story, through the traditional accompaniments. Abrupt, but very strong drum hits ending.

Rakki – A faster, more blended rhythmic melody intro’s. Surprisingly jolly vocals follow. It’s actually quite similar to a nursery rhyme structure. Very pleasant acoustic riffs characterise the main body of the track. It grows more percussive, incorporating both light and heavy percussion, worked well into the melody.

Riddari Drafke – A darker note opens, with a deep-set bass line, with strong metallic undercurrents. Racing pace and thrashier substance comprise this track. Vocally and instrumentally equally thrashy, with a great riff section, just past the mid-point. There’s a real aggressive energy to this, especially at the end, with all percussion accompaniments uniting, to create a crescendo of power.

Antlers – Instant impact intro’s! As heavy as it gets and still with a Celtic melody showing through it. That metallic shimmer makes a potent effect, combined with the wolfish howl. Going at a rattling pace, with clear thrashy vocals. Again, the narrative’s delivered effectively. Intense, screaming riffs make their mark, climbing down the scales, with a yummy bit of whammy. Gorgeous woodwind/mellotron segment closes on an enchanting note.

Pexarouk – Low toned bass intro, with immediate racing pace taking over, with more of that beautiful Celtic sounding woodwind instrument. Fast-paced riffs continue, upping the pace, with the drums and cymbals, at the mid-section. As the speed increases, it grows intensely more visually evocative. Ending on a more peaceful tone, like a symbol of the end of the chase.

Cyclic Daze – Opening on a keyboard solo. Jungle drums follow, the initially gentle riffs appear, as if from a forest clearing. Gravel drenched throaty vocals accompany, as the rhythm becomes a character, in itself. Beautiful wailing feminine vocals join in, briefly, in a very traditional folky way. That hearty mellotron returns. The masculine vocals take over, with a consistent growl, before the female wails re-emerge, to join them, in a soulful duet. Mellotron melodies re-enter the scene, rapidly becoming a ritual hypnosis. Closing on an audible call to nature.

Med Krov Og Maucht – Gentle acoustic riffs intro, with an intriguing Crash Test Dummies-esque vocal. Melting electric riffs then enter, swirling their velvet melody around your soul. Just beautiful. Truly heart-filled sounds. Building it up, from there, into a vast ocean of screaming melody, with gritty vocals following. It has to be said that those riffs just pierce your soul, with their heartfelt way of singing, seemingly, just for you and they play on, till the end. True melodic beauty.

Raise Your Brew – A physical intro, as a galloping horse and carriage, dashing on, through the night, like the hounds of hell are pursuing them. Growing into a massive sound, filled with heavy riffs, rumbling thunderous drums and hearty cheers, from Viking warriors. A very Celtic-based folky melody emerges and the track then builds back into the evocative sounds of Viking celebrations, with the mellotron following, ending on a lightning bolt of whammy infused riffage, to kill all riffage.

Elskov – Toughened cymbal hits intro and straight into an electrifyingly fast-paced riff rhythm. Down tuned underlying bass makes a deeper impression. Beastly vocals growl and gnash their way through the atmosphere, maintaining the furious pace, as another briefer whammy section enters. A frenzy of aggression fuels the track, never losing step, for a minute. Like watching a vivid electrical storm play out, with all the colourful sound effects to match. The closing orgasm’s slightly unpredictable, but that’s where music as powerful as this can take you).

Overall – To say this album goes with a bang is an understatement. ‘Othila’ is a massively potent combo of sounds, creating a culmination of nothing short of magic. It’s electric, from start to finish and the atmospherics alone are powerfully evocative. Intense and aflame with life and energy, throughout, ‘Othila’ is the fire of nature, in action.

10/10 **********

ARDDUC is an Independant, self-funded, one-man DIY project creating tough Pagan music for tough fucking Pagans.

For Fans Ov: Enslaved, Bolt-Thrower, Bathory, Havukruunu, Skyforger, Skyclad, Hecate Enthroned, Pantera, Sepultura, Type O Negative, Tyr, Manegarm, Grand Magus, Thyrfing, Ensiferum, Korpiklaani, Amon Amarth, Cruachan.

<a href="https://ardduc.bandcamp.com/album/othila"> Othila by ARDDUC</a>

1. Vekja 02:50
2. Ancient Ones 05:25
3. Rakki 03:49
4. Riddari Drakfe 03:49
5. Antlers 04:22
6. Pexarouk 02:59
7. Cyclic Daze 05:41
8. Med Krov Og Maucht 04:49
9. Raise Your Brew 03:12
10. Elskov 04:41

Released October 10, 2020
Copyright © Ash Ardduc 2020 - All rights reserved.
All music & lyrics composed & arranged by Ash Ardduc.
Unauthorised reproduction prohibited.

Performing on this Album:
* Ardduc - All Instruments and Programming
* Bianca Barrot - Accompanying Vox on 'Cyclic Daze'
* Justin Min - Gangvox on 'Pexarouk' & 'Raise Your Brew'
* Gram Pola - Gangvox on 'Pexarouk' & 'Raise Your Brew'

Recorded and Mixed by Ash Ardduc @ Pexarouk Studios.
Mastered by Justin Min - jminmusik.com
Outer cover artwork by Helena Black - helenablackart.com
Inner cover artwork and graphic design by Freya Skarsgard - @freyaskatt
Tusen Takk to all those mentoined above for their endlessly talented contributions,
A RUN MO CHROI, MO ANAM HARJA!