Recommendation: Orne - The Conjuration By The Fire

[swizzlenuts]

Orne, the side project of Father Peter Vicar from the almighty Reverend Bizarre, plays a style of progressive rock in the vein of Vad der Graaf Generation, Black Widow, King Crimson, and Pink Floyd, but quite a bit darker and at times sorrowful. Orne, while sounding similar to the previous mentioned bands, they come off as unique. They use everything you expect in a progressive rock band with flutes, organs, saxophones, and a piano but doesn't go off into weird tangents like VdGG or King Crimson. Magister Albert Witchfinder, also in Reverend Bizarre, does the vocals for Orne; these vocals aren't the same as Rev Biz vocals yet they are passionate and very well done. The album is mellow through out, but it picks up pace when it needs to, really hitting it home and even sounding metal . The album is obviously centered around Fire, and does keep a nice dark atmosphere throughout. I find this album really hard to describe, but it's just high quality progressive rock without any wanky or anything that is psychedelic for us non pot smokers.

1.In The Vault
2.A Beginning
3.Anton
4.Island of Joy
5.Frontline Dreams
6.Opening by Watchtower
7.Lighthouse

Then end of the album really makes the album with a more sinister approach compared to the earlier tracks, Althought Lighthouse starts off uplifting, towards the end it switches gears.
Interview
http://www.hellridemusic.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13609
myspace
http://www.myspace.com/ornemusic.
official
http://orne.rules.it/

 

[JayKeeley]

I'll say this: without even having heard a single note yet, I'm excited just by that write up.

*downloading*

 

[Krilons Resa]

Ive been spinning this cd consistently for the past few months. Good rec, as you know.

 

[Demilich]

I've been salivating over the lineup, description, cover art, title, etc. for too long without dropping a few jew tokens on this one. Quality reco!

 

[Corpinen]

As much as I don't like RevBiz, and had to get over myself to buy this one, Orne really is quality stuff! Btw, because of "Orne" is also the name of a famous family here in Finland, the family first tried to take the name thing to court (!!!), but it would seem now that, as Peter promised to go with "THE Orne" from now on, the case is settled. So look for The Orne records in the future!

 

[IOfTheStorm]

The songs i heard so far are yum. I'm getting this as soon as the stores here bring it (which is gonna be really soon).

 

[Demonspell]

Very nice recommendation, it goes into progressive rock territory while retaining a bit of that Reverend Bizarre menace, and the vocals are indeed powerful.

 

[Necromunchkin]

I like, but I think I need to listen to this when I've had more sleep. Rather tripping me out at the moment. And in the way I think it should.

 

[JayKeeley]

So let me be devil's advocate for a second: why listen to this retro stuff, whether Orne or Witchcraft etc when you can get your hands on the original masterworks by the likes of Crimson etc

I suppose the same applies to Sabbath clones.

Nevertheless, this is good stuff. Very mellow and a little bizarre too, if you pardon the pun. Thing is, at times it sounds like some of those soundbytes from Spinal Tap, back in the day when they were a hippy band, singing songs like "rainy day sun". I suppose that makes sense because essentially these are metal guys playing psychadelic progrock albeit genuinely and not jokingly.

"Anton" is a great song. And the vocals on "Opening by Watchtower" are great too.

All in all this is good, but I haven't drawn any real conclusion other than it being good. I'll get back to you when my head stops spinning.

 

[JayKeeley]

ok I'm back.

Yeah, this rules. Halfway through "Opening by Watchtower" sold me.

Tell me this comes in a beautiful limited edition digipak...me wants it.

 

[Demilich]

To answer your earlier questions: Great songwriting is great songwriting is great songwriting, no matter how often it has been done before.

Ref: Burning Saviours - Hundus. Never gets old.

I know we differ vastly in opinion on this one, but what the hell?

 

[JayKeeley]

No no, I'm not disagreeing, I'm trying to make sense of why even I like old school metal, for example, that isn't necessarily old school.

I think there probably has to be some subtle differences though. I imagine two scenarios perhaps:

1. You listen to something "retro" and all it does is act like an appetizer and make you want to go listen to the real deal

2. You listen to something "retro" and it does enough to keep your attention, just because it's got that little je ne sais quois

 

[Demilich]

Exactly! Am I wrong to think you've mellowed out towards nu-retro shit since a couple years ago?

What do you think of Witchcraft's s/t these days? I love that shit! For me, it is all about conveying a sense of genuine emotion through the songs.

 

[Demonspell]

Retro is always a tricky thing, for me ironic appreciation has no place in music, I think the difference between options 1 and 2 comes down to whether the inspiration they're drawing from comes across as sincere and can be enjoyed without being acquainted with the source material, which this definitely does.

 

[Demilich]

Well yeah, in my case I often only check out the "source material" through exposure to these newer retro bands. See: Witchcraft & Burning Savious --> Pentagram. Now I love all 3 bands, and find them quite distinct in their appeal.

 

[Reign in Acai]

I love the ending of "Opening by Watchtower".

 

[EricT]

I am picking this up ASAP.

 

[Demilich]

Ok, I am utterly sold on this and I'm only part way through the first track.

 

[swizzlenuts]

stuff

 

[skyrefuge]

So let me be devil's advocate for a second: why listen to this retro stuff, whether Orne or Witchcraft etc when you can get your hands on the original masterworks by the likes of Crimson etc

One reason would be for posers like me. I generally have a lot of trouble getting into old things, even if they're "classics". I don't know if it's the production, or if it's just purely a mental block in my stupid brain. So sometimes a total copycat version, newly recorded, and with just a hint of modern perspective can capture me a lot easier. At the same time, I think it would be extremely lame for a band to specifically target an audience like me, but hey, if it works out for both of us, what the hell, you know?

I absolutely love Gotan Project's dark electronic take on tango music, whereas Astor Piazzolla's genre-defining works leave me mostly cold, even though Gotan Project is doing little more than ripping him off.

So with this, I was excited about the "prog rock but darker" description. I've tried out this 70s prog rock stuff from time to time, and it's never really done anything for me. I figured there was a chance that this could be my gateway.

Turns out it's probably not, but it might be the closest that music like this has ever come to grabbing me.

What I would really like to hear is a band that starts out their songs with this prog-rock tiptoeing-through-the-tulips, but then their songs build and build and build, until they end up with epic, crushing DOOM metal riffs, complete with roaring-demon vocals. Is there anyone out there who does that?

Neil