Genre: Neofolk
Sol Invictus is one of the most well known and established neofolk bands in existence. Having literally founded the dark folk music genre along with comrades Current 93 and Death In June Sol Invictus has been offering music listeners mesmerizing albums for nearly twenty years now. “The Devils Steed” is the latest Sol Invictus offering produced by Dark Vinyl records of Germany . The Devil's Steed continues Tony Wakeford's legacy as a master musician and lyricist.
The Devil's Steed is a departure from Sol Invictus's more recent releases as Tony harkens back to the days of pure guitar driven folk and abandons the lush neoclassical orchestration and jazz samplings that have defined the bands more recent releases. Rather than continue in the journey of blaring trumpets and orchestral strings Tony has rolled back Sol Invictus to a simpler time when the music was firmly based in folk compositions and stripped of its orchestral grandeur. Adding to this retro compositional style is the prominent present of guitarist and musician Karl Blake who many Sol Invictus fans will remember from early Sol Invictus albums on which Karl contributed what would become the signature and sinister bass and electric guitar lines of Sol Invictus. Long time friends and cohorts of Sol Invictus Eric Roger and Gary Parsons are also present along with contributors Maria Vellanz and Renee Rosen. And to top off the album the cryptic yet moving artwork was contributed by the seminal artist Tor Lundvall.
Not only has the folk inspired music of Sol Invictus remerged from dormancy but so has the lyricism. The Devil's Steed is quite possibly the most traditionally rooted lyricism Tony has ever produced. You will be hard pressed to distinguish which lyrics are original and which are based upon traditional songs and poems.
The Devil's Steed opens with the track “We are the Dead Men.” “We are the Dead Men” begins the album with a stern folk inspired song that is deeply rooted in traditional music. Acoustic guitar and drums open the track along with some simple string plucking on the violin. Tony's ever reliable voice chimes in singing “We are the dead men…” Woodwinds and strings join in gently supporting the driving acoustic guitar in a seamless requiem befitting Sol Invictus and the memory of the dead. The music is like honey, thick yet sweet. Though the song is short (ending after just two minutes) yet within its context the listener is easily enveloped in a sense of remembrance driven by voices calling from the past. Tony gives voice to the lost and forgotten reminding us who built the majestic churches we marvel at and the ships that sail our seas. For our lives are but built upon the achievements of those who came before.
Track four titled “A Steed for the Devil” sees Sol Invictus treading down a hither to unknown path. “A Steed for the Devil” begins with remote acoustic guitar strumming before being overwhelmed by sonic layers of electronically manipulated sound. Though the acoustic guitar remains within the song the dissonant electronic atmospheres nearly smother the guitar. The sonic dissonance is joined by savage, shrilling electric guitar that twists through distorted manipulations with ear piercing intensity. The effect is one of being lulled by acoustic guitar while a maddening wind of distorted electric guitar and electronic sounds swirls about you. The high pitch tones are reminiscent of a horses whinnying and the guitar adds a sense of advancement as if the devil's steed were storming through the night unbridled and free. If I had to guess I would assume that Karl Blake was deeply involved in this composition as it appears to be his expert guitar playing and manipulations that supply the piercing electric guitar work.
The sixth song titled “Twa Corbies” is a traditional song that is given Sol Invictus's expert treatment. Electric guitar takes main stage via Karl Blake and the guitar work invokes earlier Sol Invictus such as the “ex Talions” album. Electric guitar and acoustic guitar drive the song while Tony sings of a fallen knight who lies dead whilst his lady rests with another man. Sol Invictus fans will love this return to traditional song use and will tremble while listening to Tony's narrative. Eric Roger's trumpet playing can be heard in a few refrains as well which will be a treat for those who covet the brass playing that has so defined Sol Invictus's grandeur.
All the above scattered elements merge in the title track “The Devil's Steed.” “The Devil's Steed” begins with acoustic and electric guitar in the style of retro Sol Invictus. Deep thundering drums join in adding emphasis and rhythm to the serenade. Tony's voice enters the music rather somber and serious. Chills will run down your spine as Tony lays out a narrative about lack of self control and eventual suicide. Horns and electronic drones come in for a brief refrain between Tony's singing then fade as he takes control of the song once more. Tony tells a tale of abandoning reason for pleasure and succumbing to the fate of being the Devil's Steed. The Devil's Steed is a reference to Russian folklore that tells of suicides leading to the soul of the victim becoming the devil's steed. The music fluctuates between singing, guitar, and drums and refrains where Tony steps back and allows the brass horns to herald the inevitable fate of the doomed souls. The song structure feels traditional yet the instrumentation is innovative and modern.
The thirteenth track titled “A Window to the Sun” is another song deeply rooted in the traditional Sol Invictus compositions style. Perhaps the most reminiscent song on the album “A Window to the Sun” takes few detours as acoustic guitar and electric guitar propel Tony's voice forward with grace. Tony's voice is above reproach and the music is so clear and crisp you would have to be deaf and heartless not to be seduced into the magic and majesty of the song.
“The Silver Swan” ends the album as track number fourteen. Tony has chosen to end the album with a track illustrative of the bands new direction. A storm of dense sound is unified with guitar, violin, and flutes in an unholy union of sound. Dissonance and neoclassical orchestration are forced upon one another and impregnated with folk influences. Hidden within this mixture of odd bedfellows is a traditional song. Though the ingredients sound opposing Tony achieves a synthesis that creates cohesion amidst these elements and produces a parting song that leaves the listener in awe of his compositional skills and the talents of all the contributing members.
In a move that was unforeseeable Sol Invictus has redefined their music by reaching back towards earlier works based deeply in folk music while at the same time integrating a new compositional style that embraces a heavy dose of experimentalism and even dark rock influences. Sol Invictus has proved that after nearly twenty years of music they are still a viable voice within the neofolk music scene. If you are an established Sol Invictus fan this album is sure to impress you. If you are unfamiliar with the work of Sol Invictus I invite you to discover their potency and become hooked along with the rest of us. Not only are Sol Invictus seminal founders of the neofolk genre, they continue to redefine what is capable within the genre.
