Album Review: Nokturnal Mortum - Голос Сталі

Artist: Nokturnal Mortum (Ukraine)
Album Title: Голос Сталі ("The Voice of Steel")
Record Label: Oriana Music (Ukraine)
Released: 2009 (December)
Purchased From: Ebay

Back in September 2007, I reviewed the album Mirovozzrenie by Ukraine's Nokturnal Mortum, and right at the beginning of the review I stated that it was quite possibly my favorite pagan metal album. Since then I've stated the same thing about Moonsorrow's V: Hävitetty, but I think I'm ready to give the title back to Nokturnal Mortum after giving myself sufficient time to absorb the absolutely monstrous piece of art that is The Voice of Steel.

Nokturnal Mortum went a bit quiet for a while, taking a long time to work on the album. I think the title was announced way back in 2007 or so, and it took so long to work on that, during the recording of it, they had two changes to their lineup. Their drummer Odalv was replaced, along with guitarist Alzeth. Their replacements, Bairoth on drums and Astargh on guitar, join Varggoth, Saturious and Vrolok. Odalv and Alzeth can still be heard on one or two tracks, but the majority of the album was recorded with the new lineup. While this is usually no big news, since Eastern European pagan metal bands seem to change lineups every other week, and Nokturnal Mortum has been pretty much a revolving door of band members since the beginning (with only Varggoth and Saturious being the "core" of the band since back in the demo days), in this case it seems to have actually made a difference in the sound of the band.

This "new sound" is not apparent at first. Following the typical instrumental introduction (with the now-familiar battle horn and nature sounds leading into an interesting folky tune), the band immediately turns the intensity level up to 10 with the first proper song, "The Voice of Steel." Nice clean vocals, war-like drums, Varggoth's aggressive black metal shout... yep, this is nice, this is familiar. It's like all the good things about Mirovozzrenie, except refined even further. In fact, the clean vocals are really, really good. There were some clean vocals towards the end of the previous album, but these are more like Moonsorrow's wordless background chants, like a chorus of warriors. Already, with barely 10 minutes under our belt, The Voice of Steel sounds fantastic. However, the song isn't really a departure from the sound of Mirovozzrenie, so people who didn't really care for that album may already dismiss it.

The next track, "Valkyrie," starts off sounding like pretty typical Nokturnal Mortum. It's a little faster, and the synths are a little more modern and less "symphonic" (ie: not sounding like strings and choirs), but the only real difference, at first, is that Varggoth's vocals sound a little more distant, not as up-front. But then, in an instrumental break about four minutes in, the funky guitar and bass start. I don't really know how else to describe it. Not being used to the band using anything more than distortion on their guitars, it's initially jarring to hear different effects being used, as well as the bluesy-jazzy style that is played. But then I start to dig it. I start to really dig it. This long instrumental part lasts for four minutes, and it may be enough to single-handedly cause even non-fans of Nokturnal Mortum to prick up their ears and start listening. The song gets back into a more typical mode, but the impression has already been made. Nokturnal Mortum has tinkered with their established style and have come up with something amazing.

I'm getting ahead of myself, but the strange thing about this album is that it basically alternates between tracks that more closely resemble the previous two albums with tracks that utilize the funky guitar effects and more progressive, even psychedelic, elements. I don't know where these elements came from. Perhaps new guitarist Astargh?

At any rate, after "Valkyrie" the band continues with "Ukraine," a powerfully uplifting track with some nice violin and addicting clean vocal bridges and choruses. If ever a better track has ever been written about one's home country, I haven't heard it. Then again, I live in America, where those songs tend to be awful country-pop anthems. "Ukraine" doesn't have any of those new guitar effects, but it does have a nice solo. It seems like such a new experience to be paying so much attention to the instrumentation on a Nokturnal Mortum album. This has never been a band that has banked on their instrumental prowess. The guitars, drums, and bass have always just kind of been there. Sometimes, as in the case of the guitar on the classic Goat Horns album, they were so buried underneath the keyboards that they might as well have not even been there.

After the excellent "Ukraine," the band gets back into their mystical psychedelic mode with "My Dream Islands," with a long, beautiful intro. This song perhaps best blends the "old" with the "new," as there are some perfectly placed bagpipes to be heard on this track. It just has such a wonderful atmosphere that it manages to even top "Ukraine" in terms of pure musical splendor. It's at this point that I almost thought I was dreaming, because it seemed impossible to be listening to something this unexpected and awesome. But, indeed, repeated listens have confirmed that it really is that great, and its greatness has not diminished in the year and a half or so since I first heard it. Towards the end of this song, I can really detect how much fun the band is having on this album. The interplay of guitars, bass, keyboards, and drums seem so effortlessly playful and fun that I can hardly believe this is the same band that has stirred up so much controversy in the past.

The momentum of the album slows a bit with "Path of the Sun," which I believe may be the first song that was recorded for the album, since it features both the former guitarist and former drummer. It reminds me quite strongly of the material on Mirovozzrenie, especially the folky parts after the chorus and towards the end of the track. It's not a bad song, but it's a bit of a letdown after the last few songs.

Nokturnal Mortum throw it into folk rock mode with "Sky of Saddened Nights," which is as melancholy as its title would imply. It's a very nice track, though, with some beautiful flute and acoustic guitar. It also allows the listener to catch his or her breath before unleashing the final massive dose of awesome, "White Tower." Now, at this point it seems impossible for the band to top what they accomplished earlier, with tracks like "Valkyrie," "Ukraine," and "My Dream Islands," but they manage to do it with finesse and confidence with the album's final track.

On "White Tower," everyone gets a chance to shine. The drummer channels his inner funk early on, while the synths go sort of "ambient house" on us. It's amazing that this even works with Varggoth's aggressive vocals in the mix. As the song fades out, I tend to sit there with my jaw on the floor, trying to comprehend what I've just heard. This is Nokturnal Mortum? Where did this come from?

Wherever it comes from, I hope it continues. With the band's ever-changing lineup, I'm not sure it will (bassist Vrolok has apparently already left the band since the recording), but I suppose that even if the planets never align in the same way as to allow the band to recapture the creative spark that inspired The Voice of Steel, we will always have this, at least.

A perfect album? Maybe not quite, but it's about as close as I've heard. Absolutely essential. Worth checking out even if you don't generally like symphonic black metal or folk metal.

Live Album Review: Tumulus - Live Balkan Path

Artist: Tumulus (Russia)
Album Title: Live Balkan Path
Record Label: Wroth Emitter (Russia)
Released: 2006
Purchased From: Red Stream (I think)

I'm not that big on live albums, generally. There are a few I've enjoyed (Kroda's Live In Lemberg and Negură Bunget's Focul viu, for example), but for the most part I can take them or leave them. Originally I wasn't very interested in Live Balkan Path by Russian progressive folk metal band Tumulus, but then I actually heard some samples from the album and was impressed with both the sound quality of the recording and how well the talented band's magic works in a live setting.

Live Balkan Path was recorded in a club in Bulgaria. There's some stage banter, none of which I can understand, but the band doesn't waste much time tearing through its impressive 12-song (and 1 intro) setlist. There are classic Tumulus originals like "Kolo Opletaya," "Yavir," and "Sredokresie," a previous-unreleased track called "Vnegda" (which would later appear in studio form on the band's 2010 full-length Vedai, which I also plan to review sometime soon), and a few covers. The band's cover of Bathory's "Gods of Thunder of Wind and of Rain" is okay --I can take it or leave it-- but of particular interest is their cover of Scald's "In the Open Sea." Scald is, of course, the excellent cult doom metal band that released their sole album, The Will of the Gods Is Great Power, in the mid-90's, before the tragic death of their vocalist ended the band. Tumulus is what Scald became, and two members of Scald remain in Tumulus to this day. Anyway, it is great to hear "In the Open Sea," and even though vocalist Kuchma has a different sound than Agyl did, he still does a great job with the song. The third cover is "Within the Soul of Autumn," originally by Bulgarian band Korozy, and I thought it was nice that the band paid tribute to their hosts with this cover. They ended up later recording a studio version for their next EP.

I gained more respect for Tumulus after hearing this album because their music tends to be pretty progressive and, I would imagine, not easy to duplicate live. Yet every member of the band does an impressive job here. Kuchma doesn't attempt all the high notes from the studio versions of these songs, or else doesn't hold them like he does on the albums, but he exhibits great voice control. His voice is interesting... it's not a power metal voice. It's not quite a folk-style voice. I'm not sure who I can compare his voice to, but he sounds great. Then there's the lead guitarist, Kurbat, who started out as the drummer of the band before filling the guitarist spot after their debut, Winter Wood. He's a heck of a guitarist, and he works well with bassist Velingor, drummer Ottar (both previously of Scald), and now-departed keyboard player Vigdis. The band sounds like they're having a lot of fun sharing the stage together, and the recording quality is great because nobody drowns anyone else out. In some ways, the instruments have a better tone than they did on the previous full-length, Sredokresie, particularly the drums.

Normally, I would never recommend a person start with a live album when exploring the work of a band they don't have any previous exposure to, but I wouldn't hold that same caveat for Live Balkan Path. Though I prefer the studio versions for most of these songs, Tumulus does an impressive job replicating them in a live setting. Their upbeat style of progressive folk metal may not have as wide an appeal as, say, Arkona, but fans of the genre who are looking for something unique should give this highly talented and underrated group from Yaroslavl a try.

Album Review: Aiumeen Basoa - Iraganeko Bide Malkartsutik

Artist: Aiumeen Basoa (Basque Country, Spain)
Album Title: Iraganeko Bide Malkartsutik
Record Label: Erzsebet Records (Spain)
Released: 2010 (May)
Purchased From: The Omega Order

I had never heard of Aiumeen Basoa before the release of their debut full-length Iraganeko Bide Malkartsutik in 2010, but they've actually been around since 1994. Their only previous release was a 2001 split with related bands Adhur and Ilbeltz. I'm not sure why it took so long for them to release a full-length, but Iraganeko Bide Malkartsutik is evidence that they were not wasting their time.

Aiumeen Basoa is a seven-piece band that features multiple vocalists as well as an accordion player and violinist. There are additional instruments, such as flute and oboe, played by session musicians. It's a pretty big cast of players, reminiscent of such lineups as appeared on Lumsk's Åsmund Frægdegjevar and Ásmegin's Hin Vordende Sod & Sø. And, actually, those two albums aren't a bad jumping off point when attempting to describe the style of Aiumeen Basoa. Nor would be comparisons with ...In The Woods' Omnio or Odroerir's Götterlieder I & II. Think epic, sweeping folk metal with accomplished musicians and great, sometimes layered and harmonized vocals, and you've got an idea of what Aiumeen Basoa sounds like. Additionally, there are some black metal vocals, which sound quite a bit like those of fellow Basque band Numen.

Iraganeko Bide Malkartsutik consists of six tracks that range from six to eleven minutes long. Each track is multifaceted and interesting, with many changes in mood and tempo. I also seem to detect some neoclassical and progressive elements. Despite the presence of black metal vocals, there are few sections of this album that appear to be influenced by black metal, which is something that, by itself, is pretty refreshing in the folk metal genre. The overall atmosphere is pretty calm and reverent, more like a folk album than a metal album. Yet the band excels in each facet of their sound. They don't sound angry or warlike, though there are certainly some aggressive moments scattered throughout.

It is certainly a beautiful album, and one that avoids the accusation of "shallow" that is often hurled at folk metal bands. I have listened to this many times over the last several months and I notice new details each time. The way the band fits so many great ideas into each song is staggering. Take, for example, "Akelarrearen Sua," the fourth track on the album. It begins as a very calm folk song with accordion, flute, and beautiful, layered female vocals. It then erupts into a brief black metal-influenced section, which then turns into mid-paced, folkish sections that feature more great, sung vocals. Then things get a bit proggy while maintaining that folkish atmosphere. Towards the end of the track, there's a jazzy section that was unexpected the first time I listened to it, but even in that jazzy section they're able to throw in these folky guitar and violin parts. My head spins trying to make sense of it all, but it somehow works.

My only real complaint about Iraganeko Bide Malkartsutik is the quality of the production. When there are a lot of elements present at one time, the production seems a little "squashed," like everything melts together a bit too much to easily make out all the individual elements. It's not poor production by any means, but it falls short a bit considering how ambitious the band is. Then again, I listen to music almost exclusively on cheap equipment, so others may not have the same experience. A second, more minor complaint I have is that the black metal vocals are kind of weak. I guess they're not meant to be as imposing or "evil" as typical black metal vocals, but I think they would work better if they were delivered with a bit more force and perhaps a lower register. Deeper growls appear on "Ekaitzaren Begitik,"
but most of the harsh vocals are high-pitched and shrieky.

But, man, the sung vocals are so good. I'm a sucker for good vocal harmonies, and Aiumeen Basoa doesn't have any lack of those. There are both male and female vocals on this album, and they are all delivered with confidence and conviction.

I think Aiumeen Basoa has the kind of sound that would appeal to a wide spectrum of metal fans. There's such a variety of influences in their sound, and they accomplish everything in such a satisfying manner, that it makes Iraganeko Bide Malkartsutik one of those albums I would really like to get the word out about. If I were a better music writer, I think I'd be better able to communicate just how awesome this album is. The band's logo may be incomprehensible, and their language impenetrable to an American such as I, but their music is deeply appealing to me and I have no doubt that this is an album that will always be a treasure among my CD collection.

Album Review: Янтарные Слезы - Ключ к Декабрю

Artist: Янтарные Слезы (Amber Tears) [Russia]
Album Title: Ключ к Декабрю ("The Key To December")
Record Label: BadMoodMan Music (Russia)
Released: 2010 (December)
Purchased From: The Omega Order

If you're a fan of Slavic pagan metal, you should probably familiarize yourself with the Belarusian doom metal band Gods Tower if you haven't already. Some consider them to be the first metal band to use themes of Slavic mythology, which would make them one of the early pagan metal bands. Gods Tower, although not as well-known as they should be, are highly respected among Belarusian, Ukrainian, and Russian pagan metal fans and artists, and one of the bands that paid respect to them on a 2005 tribute CD is Amber Tears, a pagan doom metal band from Russia.

In 2006, the debut album of Amber Tears, entitled Revelations of Renounced, was released by the Stygian Crypt label, apparently before that label began cranking out endless CD's of Folkearth and their spin-offs. Revelations of Renounced is a great debut, and I discovered it at the perfect time, just as I was immersing myself in the music of Gods Tower. I could hear the influence of the late Alexander Urakoff's distinct style of lead guitar in this young Russian band; however, upon repeated listens, Amber Tears began to establish their own identity in my mind, and I became hooked on their gorgeously melodic doom metal. It was a bit of a wait before their sophomore album, The Key To December, arrived at the end of 2010, but happily they delivered a great follow-up, this time on BadMoodMan and Solitude Records.

First of all, let me thank The End Records/The Omega Order for stocking The Key To December. Sometime in January, I was surprised to find that the album had been released just a month or so earlier, but I had no idea how I was going to purchase it, since it can sometimes be difficult to track down specific Russian releases here in the U.S. Therefore, I'm grateful to them, because otherwise I'd probably still be trying to find it.

Anyway, on to the music. Amber Tears (they go by both Янтарные Слезы and Amber Tears, which is a bit unconventional, I think) plays a richly melodic brand of doom metal. The guitar leads are slow and drawn-out, like those of Gods Tower, and are, quite honestly, the biggest draw of this band for me. For the most part, the other instruments provide a lovely musical bed for the lead guitar to weave its way around. And it's not as if this is complicated, fast guitar work here. It's emotional and absolutely gorgeous. It's difficult for me, with my limited ability to describe music, to be able to express how much I enjoy Dmitry Tschukin's work on this album, but it's really the central appeal of the band for me. That is not to take all the attention from the rest of the band, as they are certainly a group of musicians whose talents complement each other quite nicely. The rhythm guitar maintains the melody while the lead guitar soars into the stratosphere, while the rhythm section of bass and drums provide the backbone. The lovely synths, which are almost always present, provide a ton of atmosphere and also complement the lead guitar very well.

The vocals, which consist of death metal-like growls and spoken words, don't really stand out much, but that seems to fit with the laid-back vibe of the band. I suppose they're appropriate for what I'm guessing are melancholic lyrics, though the lyrics are all in Russian so I'm not sure. English translations of the song titles indicate that the prevailing themes here are winter, cold, and sadness. Despite the sound of shuffling snow and wind in the intro, there's a warmth to the lush arrangements that makes me feel happy rather than sad when I listen to the album. I guess it could just be the effect of listening to such beautiful music that few others have heard.

The album consists of 8 tracks, of which three are mainly instrumental. The synth intro is okay but nothing really special, though it does set the tranquil, wintry mood. Things get moving with "Gray Days Eternity," though they don't get moving very quickly. The pace of this song, like the other songs to follow, is pretty slow. The band never exceeds mid-pace on any part of The Key To December, but that's just fine with me. "Gray Days Eternity" features a few softer sections where the lead guitar is accompanied by the gusli, a Russian stringed instrument that provides much of the "folkiness" found on the CD. Dmitry Tschukin plays this as well. The next few tracks continue much in the same way as "Gray Days Eternity." There's a consistency among the songs that some listeners may call "sameness." The debut album seemed to have more of a variety in pacing and mood, but I like the atmosphere that The Key To December creates. It's an album I can listen to from beginning to end without ever feeling tempted to skip ahead a track. It's nice to sit back and just take it all in.

Towards the end of the CD (track six to be exact) lies the album's only true surprise. This gentle song, mostly instrumental except for some softly spoken words towards the beginning, features acoustic guitar, synths, and then the gusli and some hand percussion. It sounds almost like an instrumental you'd hear on an Orphaned Land CD, and it's quite lovely. That song is followed by "Gray Hill's Sadness," which is a favorite of mine. Several months before the album's release, I found a great Youtube clip of Amber Tears performing this song in a live setting, and I watched the clip over and over again because I found the song so entrancing. I'm glad to finally have it on disc, even though there are some differences between the two versions. Finally, the album closes with another gentle instrumental, this time featuring acoustic guitar and gusli with some soft textures in the background.

If you can't tell, I really, really like The Key To December. Amber Tears has not messed with the formula that was so successful on Revelations of Renounced, which will come as a relief to some but possibly will disappoint those hoping for a progression. Because this is doom metal, the album moves at a pretty relaxed pace, so if you don't normally enjoy doom metal, it's very possible that the pace of this album will irritate you. I only listen to a limited amount of doom metal, but, in my opinion, this is an album to be savored. My only complaints would be that I wish there were more songs on the album, and perhaps some more variety in the vocals. There was a moment of clean vocals on the first album, but on here it's just growls and spoken words. They're not bad, and certainly not distracting, but I think it's an area where the band could improve for what I hope is an eventual third album.

Fans of Gods Tower, melodic doom metal, and Slavic folk metal are encouraged to open their minds and ears to a wonderful ensemble known as Amber Tears (or Янтарные Слезы/Yantarnie Slezy, if you prefer). If music this beautiful doesn't make your heart swell, I feel bad for you.

Video Clip: Dalriada - Hajdútánc

Hmm, since I'm stuck in the old style of Blogger, I can't seem to post a decent embedded version of the Youtube clip.

But, anyway, here is the new video clip for Hajdútánc, from the brand new (I don't even have it yet, but hopefully will within the next few days!) CD, Ígéret, from Hungarian folk metal band, Dalriada.

Sounds awesome! And sometime between Arany-album and Ígéret, Laura learned how to do some wicked black metal shrieks! Nice job!

Album Review: Dråpsnatt - Hymner till undergången

Artist: Dråpsnatt (Sweden)
Album Title: Hymner till undergången
Record Label: Frostscald Records (Russia)
Released: 2010 (July)
Purchased From: Red Stream

One might raise an eyebrow upon discovering that a band has released their sophomore album a mere nine months after the release of their debut, but in Dråpsnatt's case it has turned out surprisingly well. Many of us wanted to hear more from this band after the 2009 release of I Denna Skog, and our impatience was quickly placated with the very solid Hymner till undergången.

The style --the formula, if you will-- of Dråpsnatt has not changed since I Denna Skog. Take elements of old-school black metal, add some touches of atmospheric black metal and folk metal, and throw in some excellent harsh and clean vocals, and you start to have an idea of what's in store. That's not to say that nothing has changed here; Hymner till undergången sounds a little less melancholic than the debut, while the folk touches are more prevalent this time around. There are no folk instruments, but it can be heard in the piano and occasionally in the synths (like on the song "Dråpsnatt"), as well as in moments of clean guitar throughout the CD. The opening track, "En Ensam Sol Går Ner," is perhaps the folkiest-sounding track on the album (though we're not talking Korpiklaani or Finntroll here), so it starts things off in a different manner than the aggressive opening track of I Denna Skog did.

However, things get more aggressive with the opening minute or so of the second track, "Arvssynd," which starts off with some blastbeats and Vinterfader's unhinged screaming before settling into a more melodic vibe. The second half of this song contains one of the most epic and glorious moments of the CD, both fierce and life-affirming at the same time. In my review of I Denna Skog, I talked about the juxtaposition of beauty and aggression, and that holds true here as well. It's not always a matter of following a dark, aggressive section with a beautiful, melodic one. They're often happening at the same time, and you might get a different "feeling" depending on which you focus upon during a particular listen.

So basically Hymner till undergången is, not surprisingly, very similar to the band's debut, but it's not as if the band has cynically churned out a second album made up of leftovers and sound-alikes. Hymner till undergången is strong enough to stand on its own feet, and the songs are well-crafted, varied, and interesting, just as they were on I Denna Skog. If I were to compare the two albums side by side, I would say that I Denna Skog is the superior one, but I feel that both are well worth buying, and, if you enjoy one, you will certainly enjoy the other as well. I think that the songs on Hymner till undergången take a little more to grow on you, partly because, on this album, the songs tend to unfold differently. The best stuff (the most epic) tends to be on the second half of each song, rather than towards the beginning, as was often the case on I Denna Skog.

Highlights: the second halves of "Arvssynd," "Mannen I Min Spegel," and "Tonerna De Klinga," as well as all of closing track "Gasten." But it's all pretty great.

Album Review: Dråpsnatt - I Denna Skog

Artist: Dråpsnatt (Sweden)
Album Title: I Denna Skog
Record Label: Frostscald Records (Russia)
Released: 2009 (September)
Purchased From: Morbid Winter / The Old Outpost

Frostscald Records has become imprinted in my mind as a pretty dependable label for quality metal. Towards the end of 2009 they released two very solid albums by somewhat similar Swedish bands, Skogen and Dråpsnatt. Although I didn't discover Skogen's debut album Vittra until late 2010, I was fortunate enough to find Dråpsnatt's debut, I Denna Skog, on sale towards the end of 2009, and it became one of my favorite metal surprises of the year.

Dråpsnatt has a style that owes a debt to various members of the early Norwegian black metal scene, but they manage to not sound too close to anything else I've heard. I can hear the fuzzy, thick guitars of atmospheric black metal, the beautiful, layered synths of ambient black metal, and the clean guitars and nature samples of folkish black metal. The vocals, performed by each of the two members of Dråpsnatt, range from throat-searing screams and creepy croaked/whispered harsh vocals (courtesy of Vinterfader, who also plays keyboards) to passionate, almost Ulver-like clean vocals (courtesy of Narstrand, who also plays guitars, bass, and drums). The vocals were the first element that caught my attention. I've heard the harsh vocals compared to those of Varg Vikernes, though I don't agree with that comparison. These sound less like the howls of an insane man than the shrieks of a very angry man. With every line screamed, Vinterfader sounds like he's not holding anything back. Narstrand's well-performed clean vocals provide a nice balance to the harsh shrieks, and overall the vocal performance is one of the great strengths of this band.

Another of Dråpsnatt's strengths is the fact that each song has enjoyable melodies. There are moments of stunning beauty to be found on I Denna Skog, despite the aggression of the vocals. Despite any pretenses otherwise, what my ears crave when I listen to music is a catchy melody or a moment of beauty, and I Denna Skog has these in every track. Highlights on the album for me include the melodic section just after the first ambient part of lead-off track "I Denna Skog," the layers of clean vocals (followed by a nice section of clean guitar) on "Orostider," and the entirety of album closer "Ett Sista Andetag." These moments, among others, are the type that give me goosebumps when I listen to the album, especially if it's been a while since I'd last heard it.

I enjoy the juxtaposition of beauty and aggression on this album, and I'm impressed with the fact that Dråpsnatt is able to turn these disparate influences and moods into a cohesive and immensely enjoyable whole. Wrap it all up in great production and you have a timeless nature- and folklore-themed black metal album that hopefully will not go unnoticed by fans. Actually, I'm rather surprised that Dråpsnatt has not made a bigger impact on the scene yet, as this is essentially everything I want in a black metal album. Hopefully word of mouth will spread and this band will find the dedicated following they deserve. Already since the album's late 2009 release, they have released another album (which I will also review), and there is a third on the way as I write this. Give this band a listen; you may find yourself hooked.