(Progressive rock) Trettioariga Kriget - Krigssang - 1975, FLAC (image + .cue + scans), lossless

Though not as universally acclaimed, the second album from this classic Swedish ensemble is probably even better than the first, benefiting slightly from a subtle change in style. Whereas Trettioariga Kriget’s debut album has to be considered a definitive work in the hard/heavy prog pantheon, Krigssang (translating as "War Songs") drops many of the more overtly hard-rock elements, this time adopting a cleaner guitar tone and a more melodic, melancholic feel. In all, this brings the band’s sound closer to a more flowing, symphonic approach, certainly aided by the incorporation of mellotron, while at the same time retaining a distinctly Scandinavian air in the morose feel and moody melodic themes. Particularly effective this time around are the vocals, which play a much more important role in the songs, and while the singer’s deep, dramatic delivery may turn some off, it totally works for me in adding to the mysterious aura of the pieces.

That’s not to say the band can’t get heavy when they want to, as the doomy main riff of "Mitt Mirakel" aptly demonstrates. Where the album really wins me over, however, is in its heightened use of dynamics, lending a more intense dramatic edge. The haunting vocal melody of "Metamorfoser", demonstrates a more purely emotive side to the group, and the epic "Krigssang II" deftly moves through a number of stunning themes and melodies, drawing the listener along in a series of stunning climaxes. Virtually the entire album proper is uniformly as impressive. One great aspect about the Mellotronen CD issue that I own is that the three bonus tracks are all excellent live performances of impeccable quality. Here, in particular, the guitarist lets loose on some mind-blowing solos.

In sum, this is one of the defining Scandinavian prog albums. Trettioariga Kriget are certainly a unique and important group, and one need not look further than the works of Landberk and Anglagard to sense their influence. Krigssang might be the better choice for the typical symphonic prog fan looking to lean into this group, though the debut album is ultimately just as essential. - Greg Northrup [December 2002]

EAC extraction logfile from 9. June 2006, 23:26 for CD
Trettioariga Kriget / Krigssang

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