Genre: Medieval Folk

01. Luras De Breu
02. A Canção Da Pedra
03. Cantilena De Pedreiros
04. Monólogo Pétreo
05. Pedra-Pátria
06. Primabera Dos Bombos De Pedra
07. Callaecia Ao Peito
08. Igrejas Derrubadas
09. Pátria Fecunda
10. Nabia Corona

Can a medieval folk album be more hypnotic and relaxed than Sangre Cavallum’s second masterpiece Pátria Granítica? The warm Portuguese language combined with a lot of different instruments creates a stunning atmosphere in which you’re just sucked up by the music. Sangre Cavallum knows how to make melodies that grab your attention and stay in your head for a while. Like the second song, ‘A Canção Da Pedra’, has a melody I could listen to for hours in a row. Luckily, it’s also the longest track on the CD, lasting well over seven minutes. It starts off rather simple, with a guitar-kind of instrument playing the melody. But throughout the song, various other instruments join in, as well as vocals. This is for sure my favorite track on the CD.

The songs are tributes to various themes. The thousand of deities they know, but also to some ideals; one language, on Granite Fatherland, one Callæcia. Callæcia, or Gallaecia, was an ancient Roman province, which is kind of the same as present day Galicia. See wikipedia for more information. Furthermore, the songs are about nature, old heritage, and rebellion against the Christian oppression.

Even though these elements all go back in time, Sangre Cavallum doesn’t sound old. They have a really up to date sound, making music of high quality. You can hear they put time in putting the pieces together. The songs are well constructed, properly balanced and highly enjoyable. Sangre Cavallum proves once again that one doesn’t have to understand a certain language to enjoy music made with that language. I already knew that, having listened to at least 10 different languages I don’t understand. Yet, this is the very first band I ever heard that sing in Portuguese.

With all the instruments (various string instruments, various flutes, bagpipe, rattle, drums) Sangre Cavallum uses, the music is never boring, always entertaining. Because they can use a lot of different instrument, there’s a very very slim chance of being repetitive. B. Ardo for instance, plays an astonishing amount of instruments on this album, 30 in total. This includes three types of traditional Portuguese guitairs, three types of bagpipes (including a Swedish “Säckpipa”) and various key-instruments.

If you ever find yourself in a peaceful piece of nature, and you have the possibility to play this album, do so. This fits great with the magic that is in the nature, but we always seem to forget. Sangre Cavallum brings you back in touch with it. Does this sound too hippie to you? Then listen to the music, close your eyes and dream away.