White Willow - 1995 - Ignis Fatuus [mini-review]

(66:00; Karisma Records)



















Norwegian band White Willow released the album "Ignis Fatuus" way back in 1995, with a remastered reissue made available now this fall, and progressive rock is the style explored on this production. It is a fairly gentle and careful excursion into the progressive rock universe we get with this album, where Scandinavian folk music traditions have a substantial role to play and the inclusion of medieval folk music elements expands upon this folk music base and adds a strong and distinct character to them. Floating and flowing textures and effects with similarities to bands such as Camel are applied to this core foundation, with occasional lapses into the quirkier folk-tinged endeavours a band like Gentle Giant might explore on occasion, with a few nods in the directions of the majestic and atmospheric laden landscapes a band like Genesis are renowned for along the way too. With a further occasional expansion into darker toned and more menacing landscapes of the kind I'd personally associate with bands such as Van der Graaf Generator. But those contrasting side steps aside the main content of this production are elegant and atmospheric laden progressive rock creations that blend the elegant beauty of bands such as Camel with folk music elements and medieval folk music traditions, and for those who prefer their progressive rock to be of a stature such as that this is an album that should be quite the rewarding experience.

Olav "Progmessor" Björnsen, November 2023

Links:
https://www.facebook.com/whitewillowband
https://www.karismarecords.no/

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