Mastermind British musician Tony Wakeford & co. have released their first album in six years. Formed way back in 1987, Sol Invictus has accumulated over twelve albums in their career.
One of the first aspects that struck me, when listening to The Cruellest Month, was its originality. I mean this music is very different from what I normally listen to, in a good way though. I will not readily call this avant-garde, but it is certainly adventurous. According to the label, "Sol Invictus are the godfathers of classic Apocalyptic Folk", which is suiting them pretty well. The use of acoustic instruments is omnipresent on this album. The listener will not only be pleased by the organic tones of acoustic guitars, but will also have the pleasure to hear dulcimer, flute, violin, accordion and percussions. This is creating a very nice folksy ambience throughout the opus. The clean vocals are also adding their epic touch in a great medieval way. No harsh voices; just good vocals and choirs are what you get. There are some heavier moments with a bit of distortion and buzzing basses, although few and far in between. What makes this music different is the twisted use of those folk elements and the somewhat humoristic /strange lyrics. There are some songs that feel like old folk compositions, and I know a couple tracks are actually that, namely "Cruel Crimson" (mass- murder ballad) and "The Blackleg Miner". In a few occasions, you feel this mixture is a bit dissonant, but all the songs are melodic in their own way.
In the end, The Cruellest Month has opened up (hopefully for you too) a new musical direction that is full of cool tonic surprises and twisted stories.
Track listing:
1. Raining In April
2. To Kill All Kings
3. The Sailor's Aria
4. Fools' Ship
5. Toys
6. Edward
7. The Bad Luck Bird
8. April Rain
9. Cruel Lincoln
10. Something's Coming
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