Nytt Land: Ritual

Emerging from the freezing woodlands of Siberia, Nytt Land have returned once again to deliver up what they quite accurately describe as Sharmanic Dark Folk music on their new album Ritual.

The music on Ritual,released through Napalm Records, is inspired by the sounds of the Siberian wilderness, even tracking real field recordings of ravens and other forest sounds for the albums. The duo of Natasha “Baba Yaga� Pakhalenko and Anatoly “Shaman� Pakhalenko also employ the use of ancient instrumental and vocal traditions from the region. Thematically they draw on both historical and Mythological sources, specifically Norse Mythology and historic texts such as the Poetic Edda. For example, on the track “U-Gra� Nytt Land writes that the song is “based on the legend of the Siberian native tribe known as Khanty. It tells the story of the guardian spirits of the tribe’s homeland as somber ritual chants at the start of the song ask (sic) the spirits to be kind to their people and help them retain their lands.�

Musically they have created a very atmospheric, meditative and hypnotic experience here. The album has predominantly chanted vocals, throat singing and traditional instruments with some synth like sounds added as well as vocal effects, which bring some modernity to the whole thing; however the overall mood is firmly planted in the traditional sounds. The percussion is always low key and pulse-like. This of course goes hand in hand with the drone-like approach to the vocal melodies.

The production is excellent in that it serves the music perfectly. Ritual sounds exactly how you would expect it to sound.

You have to commend the band for creating something so rich with tradition and performed with a real sense of genuine affinity towards said traditions. It's a deep commitment to a style that certainly isn’t for everyone. This music is at once interesting and bizarre yet also somewhat soothing and relaxing. It will appeal to people who have a fondness for nordic folk as well as traditional world music from places like the Mongolian Steppe for example. There is a mesmerizing beauty to Ritual that fans of traditional and world music will enjoy. Is it gonna win over a lot of metalheads and rock lovers?...Doubtful, yet for people with a very open mind and looking for something very different I recommend you check out Nytt Land and their unique album Ritual.

NYTT LAND is:
Natasha “Baba Yaga� Pakhalenko -vocal, throat singing, drums, percussion, flutes, programming
Anatoly “Shaman� Pakhalenko - vocal, throat singing, tagelharpa, mouth-harp, percussion, horn, programming

Ritual Tracklist:
1. Ritual
2. The Fires of Ragnarok
3. The Birth of a Shaman
4. Dead Man’s Dance
5. U-Gra
6. Gróttasöngr
7. Svartravn
8. Blood of the North

Added: August 21st 2021
Reviewer: Benjamin Dudai
Score:
Related Link: Band @ Bandcamp
Hits: 635
Language: english

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