Customer Reviews

Ex Tenebris

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This CD contains some of the sweetest melodies and songs White Willow has ever written. It is mostly calm, compared to Sacrament, which has a few roaring guitar parts. White Willow somehow has the power to write songs so uplifting, they might hypnotize you or put you in a trance, or just make you think of memories that make you laugh or cry, or smile. What a perfect album to listen to while watching a springtime morning sunrise in Norway (which is where they are from if you didn't know), or running and laughing in fields and meadows with fountains and butterflies and flowers and waterfalls and happy bunneys and rainbows and perfect temperature at midnight but it is still light out, because you are in Norway in early summer, land of the midnight sun. Sorry I got carried away...

The Opener "Leaving the House of Thanatos" contains nostalgic, psychedelic mellotrons that form a unique melody. It shifts through haunting and warm, joyful melodies. Sylvia's vocals are exceptionally outstanding. There are also more vocals other than Sylvia's on this album. "The book of Love" is mostly an astounding duet with male and female vocals, impressively harmonized. This charming ballad contains a flute solo and calm acoustic guitars.

"Soteriology" opens with a medieval acoustic guitar and soft piano melody, and suddenly transforms into faint organs in the background. If anyone walks into the room at this moment they might think you are listening to church music, which this sounds remarkably similar to, but this is way more beautiful than anything you'll hear in church. Sylvia's has almost opera-like vocals, which echo throughout the tranquil organ melody, which keeps blossoming and growing like springtime flowers.

After that, "Helen and Simon Magus" opens with one of the most touching piano melodies and vocal melodies you never thought were possible. Then some keyboard melodies and slightly rudimental drumming appears at the perfect moment and also one of the most melodic and heartfelt electric guitar solos is played. After that one of those loud distorted guitar sections is played with underlying organs, then a little flute which sweetens up any song, and goes right back to what the first part of the song was like, except with harmonized vocals. The song ends with a spoken female voice over a solemn piano melody.

"Thirteen Days" is a short melancholy love song with a bass and acoustic guitar. Asa Eklund's vocals are so sweet and clear.

"A Strange Procession" takes a different twist; it's an instrumental containing a chilling organ and imperial drumming. It reminds me of music you'd hear walking into a castle in medieval times, but a lot more toned down.

"A Dance of Shadows" is a quite long, epic and perfect closing song, the instrumental part being quite experimental with a totally wild solo, organs, and countless other surprises, being long and diverse enough for a whole song itself.

White Willow doesn't disappoint. All of their albums are beautiful in every way. Get them all!

I like White Willow a lot. Hailing from Norway, they are bar none among of the best prog bands to enter the scene in the 90s, even considering some pretty stiff competition. They are a imaginative group calling on different influences than their peers, mentioning in their liner notes the eternal inspiration of King Crimson, Nick Drake, and Blue Oyster Cult. Rather than pepper their songs with pop hooks and cheesy virtuosity, White Willow embraces mood, dark atmospheres, and delicate beauty. Instrumentation consists of guitar (mostly acoustic, with electric guitar solos and some other electric parts), flute, synthesizer/mellotron, bass, and drums (masterfully played by Anglagard's Mattias Olsson -- this guy is pretty incredible). The first two songs' lead vocals are sung by Jan Tariq Rahman, "Thirteen Days" by Asa Eklund, and the others (excepting the instrumental "A Strange Procession...") Sylvia Erichsen.

There has been a definite sense of development in White Willow's music thus far, from their first album _Ignus Fatuus_ to their most recent _Sacrament_. The music has grown more dynamic and far-reaching. All have been excellent, although I like this one the most so far. This album has a mellow "prog sound" but it never succumbs to any "White Willow prog formula" if you know what I mean. This is fresh stuff.

"Leaving the House of Thanatos" is an amazing, melancholy epic. It opens with a pastoral acoustic guitar and eerie synths blossoming in the background like will-o'-the-wisps passing through the nighttime forest. Then a synth's ivory beam of light sketches the beautiful main theme. A heavy bass vamp and sharp snare crack sunders this peace with and a baroque vocal line. The melody is unusual and haunting. The chorus echoes the synth theme from before, with Erichsen and Rahman creating a beautiful harmony. The swampy, slow rhythm jam that comes after shows the subtle complexity White Willow is capable of. The climax is the majestic, ultra-gorgeous guitar solo of Jacob C. Holm-Lupo. Then repeat verse and chorus and fadeout -- usually fadeouts are cheesy, but here it perfectly fits the lyrics of the chorus.

This is not an album that disappoints with tracks unable to match the great opener. "The Book of Love" is a bare ballad, with acoustic guitars and a flute solo, and male-female vocal harmonies that are sweeter than honey. Lyrically it is almost saccharine, but White Willow so surreally captures the sentiment with utmost earnestness. "Soteriology" is symphonic and haunting, a mood carried on by the following epic "Helen and Simon Magus". This piece bridges beauty with complexity, a mellifluous current hiding many surprises. The ending is very weird and creepy, with a female voice (spoken) over a baneful piano melody. "Thirteen Days" is an obsessive love song, instrumentation sounding like it comes from an amoral dreamworld. "A Strange Procession..." is a chilling organ based piece with slow, heavy marching percussion that rumbles the earth. "...A Dance of Shadows" is an effective, challenging closer. The instrumental middle is a twisted menagerie of intoxicated circus music and shadowy rites enclosed by beautiful elegy with Sylvia Erichsen's lugubrious vocal.

Lastly, this album is BEAUTIFULLY recorded. The engineer deserves a medal, in my opinion. BUY IT.

Unlike most modern progressive rock bands bands, While Willow IS progressive. Where other bands just end up being regressive White Willow is innovative, but there is never any doubt where they get their inspiration from. The music of Willow is deeply rooted in the tradition of 70's progrock bands like King Crimson, Genesis.... but White Willow never end up like sound-a-likes or clones. The music can best be described as dark and introvert symhonic rock. The lyrics reminds me in a way of William Blakes lyrics, probably because of it gnostic tendencies. All the musicians on the record is great, especially lead singer Sylvia Erichsen. If you you like dark symphonic rock this is THE band for you. Jørgen

I heard this album after owning White Willow's third effort, Sacrament, and whilst I would rank this album below Sacrament it is still a very nice album.

Sacrament's songs had a tendency to start off all nice, and then build up to powerfull crescendos, a feature that I love in songs. Ex Tenebris on the other hand, sort of stays at the "all nice" level for the most part, something I can still appreciate, but it doesn't quite grab me the same way.That said, it does add to the whole "ethereal" side of White Willow.

Everyone in the band does a great job, and the CD makes a great listen. White Willow are also one of the few new "prog" acts that I find myself being able to listen too.

If you already own Sacrament, pick this one up as well, it's different but still very nice. If not, maybe you should start with Sacrament, and see if you find yourself wanting more.

I've got to agree with the other reviewers that this one is a low-key masterpiece of a new type of progressive rock. While moments of the cd are reminiscent of folk, goth or new age, where it is most sucessful is in creating an eerie and melancholic ambiance and staying there throughout the entire performance. In this way it reminds me of the Cowboy Junkies-The Trinity Sessions and The Cure's-Faith and 17 Seconds. Although, musically it sounds nothing like either of those bands. The vocals of Sylvia Erichsen are warm and clear and the drums (provided by Anglagard's Mattias Olsson) are prominant in the mix. If you are looking for prog-metal or a ton of time changes this isn't the place, but if you appreciate music that is dramatic and powerful in its subtlety; try this. Congratulations to bandleader, songwriter, guitarist Jacob C. Holm-Lupo for creating such a wonderfully organic and original piece. The booklet cover is also quite beautiful and artistic.

This 1998 release by Norwegian group White Willow is a pastoral delight. Soft, folky, and very progressive, this is one of the finer albums I have heard from the Nordic countries. I especially like the delicacy of the recording and the keyboard work.

Musically, Ex Tenebris blends the softer, folkier aspects of the 1970s progressive acts such as Trespass-era Genesis (1970), Renaissance, Harmonium, and Anthony Phillips and updates it with current styles including melancholy "indie" and post rock. Instrumentation is principally analog and keyboards including synthesizers, Hammond organ, piano, and mellotron are skillfully incorporated into each piece. I especially like the acoustic/classical guitar and the female vocals (in English), which are particularly impressive on Soteriology. Mattias Olsson, who was previously with the now defunct Swedish outfit Anglagard provides some nicely restrained drumming.

The tracks are fairly gloomy and move along at a plodding pace - there is little variation in tempo. Overall the playing is very nice, although there is a slight tinge of amateurishness to some of the arrangements, and at least one instance in which somebody was out of tune by at least a half step. These are minor complaints, however, and did not lessen the listening experience for me in the least. Indeed, this is great music and a fine addition to contemporary progressive rock. My favorite tracks include Soteriology and Leaving the House of Thanatos.

This version of the CD is pretty good and features the (gothic) lyrics and recording credits. The sound quality is a bit muffled and the album sounds as if it was recorded live in a basement or small room. The drums seem to suffer the worst. This wears off after repeated listening however.

All in all this is a great album that I would place alongside albums by groups such as Sigur Ros, with the added twist of some great keyboard playing. Recommended to fans of the softer, folkier 1970s progressive acts and perhaps some indie/alternative rock fans interested in something new.

If you are old enough to remember the AOR music of the late 60's, you will find this interesting. Back then there was plenty of experimental stuff out there. This CD would have fit right in with early King Crimson, Pink Floyd, The Beatles White Album, etc. As a technical exercise it is quite interesting, however as something to enjoy it just doesn't measure up to the band's later releases. The sparseness and openness of the sound scape is striking and the choice of notes is interesting, which is why the professional critics seem to rate this highly. Personally, I like Sacrament and Signal To Noise much better, even though they are not as challenging. By the way, if you like this band, you might also want to consider Pure Reason Revolution.

I first bought this album soon after its release in 1999 after it had been recommended on various prog newsgroups and websites; it sounded like something I might like and was pleased with it at the time, although I put it away after a few listens and did not return to it until just recently. This time, I found it even more engaging; it has aged quite well and I would recommend it to any prog fan looking for a mixture of acoustic melodicism, goth atmosphere and the kind of more complex compositional prowess typical of prog (there is, of course, lots of nice keyboard work on the longer cuts). White Willow are to be commended for having built an idiosyncratic sound for themselves rather than copying established prog genres, and their singers are good, which is rare in just about any genre of music these days. This is still the only album I have of theirs but I will soon pick up the others.

This CD has a deep, soulful, almost melancholy and complex personality. Beautifully played, sung and presented. Not unlike Tulls accoustic minstral sound with mellotron and cello but darker, deeper, more gothic. I loved it first listen but it isn't until further listenings that the true brilliance of this work comes through. Highly recommended along with their latest, 'Sacrement' which is different again, but just as compelling.

It is hard to say anything about Ex tenebris. Maybe it's because the album has so many different sides, and it is also the contrasts that make the album so exiting. This is not music you hear in the background at the mall, this is music you have to sit down and listen to. Let the music of White Willow take you from dark forests to middle age castles, and let the music of White Willow take you to the deep abyss that is the human soul. I would like to reccomend this album to all fans of dark and mellow symphonic rock. But you don't have to be fan of that music at all. I have many friends that listen to black metal, and they like this album as well. So does my vampire wannabe gothic friends do as well. And if you like acoustic sad music like Nick Drake, you will probably also love this album. Jonas