Qntal VI: Translucida [LIMITED EDITION]

Qntal

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 11, 2008)
• Original Release Date: February 26, 2008
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Limited Edition
• Label: Noir
• ASIN: B0012X6F62
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #17,145 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #18 in	Music > Dance & Electronic > Industrial Dance
  #45 in	Music > World Music > Europe > Continental Europe > Germany
  #77 in	Music > Alternative Rock > Goth & Industrial > Industrial

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Sleeping

2. Departir

3. Slahte Wille

4. Translucida

5. Froidor

6. Glacies

7. Worlds of Light

8. Obscure

9. Sumer

10. Amorous Desir

See all 11 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Ludus [*]

2. Unmaere [*]

3. Froidor [Version Noire]

4. Slahte Wille [Version Bleue]

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brillant Blend of Female Vox, Traditional Instruments, & Keys, April 19, 2008

By	M. Mierzwa (Davis, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

About the Band:
Qntal is an extremely popular German mittelalter (middle ages) rock / darkwave band that represents a unique blend of multiple music genres including more traditional medieval music (coming from bands like Irfan and Faun) and modern heavenly voices music (from bands like Helium Vola and Sophya). The music and lyrics are a well balanced blend of female fronted vocals, a large array of traditional (read ancient) instruments, and modern guitars and keyboards. The source material comes from 12th through 17th century songs and poems.

About the Album:
The limited edition of Qntal VI: Translucida includes an extra four track bonus disk that is not included with the regular Qntal VI: Translucida. Two of the tracks on the bonus CD are remixes from the regular album. The other two tracks are exclusive to this bonus disk, and well worth it! All four bonus tracks have a more assertive and darker quality.

Beware! There are two editions of the limited edition available on Amazon. The first (older) version is the European import. The second is the cheaper North American release. With the exception of the actual location of manufacture and liner note label information they are the same product. Buy the cheaper disk.

The total run time of the bonus disk is a bit over 20 minutes. As with previous Qntal singles and bonus material, the remixed material is more electronic (in other words Fil was given free reign to make something more club friendly - and again succeeded). Of the four tracks, it is hard for me to decide if Lundus or La Froidor is my favorite. However, as a huge fan of both classical / orchestral, folk, and heavenly voices music and much harsher tribal industrial, power noise, and electronic music, I really like the harder edge of the bonus material.

Bonus Track Listing:
- Lundus  <-- new track **recommended**
- Unmaere  <-- new track
- La Froidor (version noire) **recommended**
- Slahte Wille (version bleue)

Similar Artists:
- Helium Vola
- Estampie
- Faun
- Vas
- Irfan
- Corvus Corax

I will review the 11 tracks of the regular disk, Qntal VI: Translucida, separately.

4.0 out of 5 stars IMHO, minimal risk-taking keeps this from being truly great., May 7, 2009

By	Scott Baboyian (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is a good album. As other reviewers have noted, Qntal reinterprets Euroean vocal music from the 13th through 19th centuries using a mixture of acoustic and electronic instrumentation. If you have never heard them before, imagine Medieval music played by Depeche Mode, but with (female vocals!) a very sonorous tone and a mystical, floating, ethereal sensibility. The music is extremely beautiful and infused with a spiritual and otherworldly quality.

I personally prefer early Qntal, I two II. It seemed like they were taking more risks with the interpretations-pushing the envelope and pushing the shape of the songs with more discordance, more modern sounds. The sound on Qntal I and II was edgier, darker, riskier--more surprising and truly unique.

This album seems almost too polished, too traditional for my taste. That being said, many listeners may prefer this later Qntal because of that very traditionalism.

For those with a taste for more adventurous and electronic interpretations, the offshoot project Helium Vola will be of interest. For those looking for the same artists recording with purely traditional instruments, Estampie is their long-running Medieval music project.

5.0 out of 5 stars One of their best, January 5, 2009

By	fulrug - See all my reviews

I've got all of their albums, and love them all, but this is probably to become my favorite. In their typical mix between acustic instruments and electronic sounds, those last ones have become even more carefully arranged, and create some heartstopping atmosphere. The effect is like you are listening from the bottom of oceans, deeply moving. Excellent to listen to both when you are alone and in good company...