Neun Welten – Destrunken (20.11.09)

Tracklist

1. Frosthauch
2. Destrunken I
3. Destrunken II
4. Jarknez
5. Weites End
6. Ewig Ruh
7. Dämmerung
8. Schein
9. Der stille See
10. Tau

Line Up

Aline Deinert – violin, piano
Anja Hövelmann – flutes, clarinet, vocals
David Zaubitzer – cello, acoustic guitar
Marten Winter – drums, percussion
Meinolf Müller – acoustic guitar, vocals

Formats

Digipak CD
Destrunken

Band:NEUN WELTENRelease Date:20.11.2009Cat. #:AB 022Barcode:Album Info

Three years after their first album „Vergessene Pfade,“ Neun Welten again elicit their natural folk sounds out of the dark depths of the forests and into the light of the music world. It now becomes clear that the mythologically named band’s decision to take their time to work on „Destrunken“ — the successor to their highly acclaimed debut — was more than right. With „Destrunken“ — an imaginary word solely designed to inspire multiple associations and emotions —, these nature mystics offer a sophomore of impressive coherence and characteristic compositions, delighting and enchanting their listeners once more with mystical and melancholic folk odes.

With its elegiac chords, ‚Frosthauch‘ introduces the new album, which by virtue of its emotional depth could manage to bridge the gap left by Empyrium. Like this project that unfortunately called it a day, Neun Welten base their compositions on primordial folk roots, but complete their melancholic, crepuscular song material with numerous details, ideas, and unexpected turns, thus weaving an atmospheric density that simply renders it impossible to not take notice. A prime example for that is the two-part title track many will know from their tours with Tenhi and Dornenreich: ‚Destrunken I & II‘ offer a dramatic build-up and oppressive intensity you rarely find in other folk bands.

„Destrunken“ is topped of by a masterful artwork courtesy of Fursy Teyssier (Alcest, Les Discrets, Amesoeurs), designed on the basis of the music to perfectly complement the album’s various moods on the visual level.

Empyrium may have left a legacy that’s hard to match, yet „Destrunken“ proves that their loss is not irretrievable, despite the sheer genius of the creators of Empyrium — this album is a sophomore somewhere between folk, classical music, and wonderful settings of nature, raising a worthy monument to the world beyond the cities. An acoustic hike through the forest you won’t forget. In perpetuity woods.