MADE IN NORWAY

This is the first official video of the band in filmed in Sandvika, Norway February 21, 2015. The venue is very small probably not more that one hundred people there. So the cameras were very close capturing some really close shots of the musicians. The visuals are restricted to the basic lighting of any small clubs. But the best is the music and the discrete surround sound makes this video a very pleasant experience. I must say that the discovery of their "Hybris" album in 1993 was something special for me and I continued to follow the band even thought they made only 3 albums. In this 2 hours of music, we have a good representation of those albums, all epic songs of vintage 70's prog rock with their own style of symphonic based around the flute, guitars, and keyboards developing the melody with a solid rhythm section. The dark and melancholic atmosphere of their music must have been inspired by their long winter nights in Sweden and explain why bands coming out that country have a similar sound. So, the music here is great as we could expect and seeing this band played in front of a small crowd was like seeing a great band at their debut, but here, the band contrary to some bands that have become more popular and playing in front of larger crowd, are still living out their music of passion only.

I was really excited when I read about the release of this Blu Ray/ DVD set. It was released by Änglagård's Fan club in the US so it may not be too easy to get hold of outside the US but it's no doubt worth any extra hassle. As stated before, the venue is small and the atmosphere is very intimate. No fancy lighting, no fast cuts or special effects, it's all about the music. With a lovely set that spans across all three albums (basically the same set as on the Live in Japan album with slight changes in arrangements and song length plus Vandringar I Vilsenhet, the drum solo El Ímpetu Del Bosque and Sista Somrar) there is a great representation of what makes their music so unique. I don't think I need to comment on the music too much, I've already watched and listened through it multiple times and there are still new things to discover and pay attention to. The performance is absolutely flawless, the two new members Linus Kåse on keys, soprano saxophone and vocals and Erik Hammarström on drums (unlike stated in the desciption above, Thomas Johnson and Mattias Olsson are not actually featured here) do a superb job and blend seamlessly into the overall sound. Despite the small size of the venue they actually employ all the analog instruments (two Mellotrons, Hammond B3, Fender Rhodes, a moog synth and even a piano), which adds to the great overall sound. Featured on two discs (one Blu Ray and one DVD with identical content) is the full two-hour concert as well as a Picture Gallery. Four cameras or so, mostly slow cuts, many close shots and a crisp sound make for pleasant listening and watching without distractions. There is a short teaser on youtube with a clip of Jordrök, in which you can see the basic setup and get an idea of what to expect. If you're a fan of Änglagård's music and haven't picked this gem up yet, I'd strongly recommend you do so. To me, this is one of the best music DVDs in recent years and a great addition to Änglagård's flawless discography.