KORNMO

the LP on 2023! KORNMO "luminous phenomena" is the instrumental trio formed in 2015 distilling symphonic, atmospheric and melodic rock-prog on the ashes of MORILD; a vintage sound stamped 70's, 3 partner musicians for 50 years and classical music, jazzy at times; demanding folk escapades on landscapes loaded with dark atmosphere. The relaunch of Vandring's completely remixed and remastered version, the latest according to Anton, allows you to feel a fresher, melodic, less vintage sound in a progressive instrumental rock lineage with symphonic roots. Within 4 seconds, the same titles can be heard in this LP version.

"Demring" between 'once upon a time and 'shine', cinematic and floydian fusion, intro allowing to bring "Oppbrudd" for a sound of cold Scandinavian spaces, folk acoustics reminiscent of NOEKK, EMPYRIUM or GRAILS; it then rises with dry drums and dithyrambic guitar solo. "Vemod" continues with a piano ballad and a CAMEL-like solo, full of feeling and sensitivity. "Nord" follows with a pastoral flute before letting the guitar wander on an air that Mike OLDFIELD would not have denied. "Nunatak" arrives with a folk-medieval-Scandinavian sound and hints of the 70's for the guitar approach, the camelian breaks above all and the enchanting melodic detours on GENESIS; then this final stratospheric guitar to the TANGERINE DREAM which flows from source.

"Taiga" oldfield guitar arpeggio again to bathe in a heavenly fresh and jovial, rural sound; like a little DICE. "Kveld" connects stereo piano arpeggio on synth layer; the vintage melody-ballad to 'donf' also allowing to realize the level of musical excellence, between APHRODITE'S CHILD and BARCLAY JAMES HARVEST of yesteryear and we pass on "Ild" to the sustained rhythm and the organ taking for a festive air, ideal for strolling in the cool mornings on snowy land; melodic flute then military break, spartan, it bursts from all sides from Odd's fingers. "Aske" follows guitar arpeggio on Mogg letting tunes scroll with various breaks to get lost even more easily in the wilderness; long tune that unrolls and makes you wander. Finally "Føniks" ends again with a guitar arpeggio at the start leaving the instrumental drift to spread out over the musical waves; very good for washing away the vicissitudes of life.

KORNMO distills after remixing this 2nd album to let yourself be immersed in an agreed genre, the 70s vintage prog, doped with fondant folk melodies where the dinos CAMEL and GENESIS carve out the best part of reminiscences, the festive side approaching a FOCUS. Atmospheric symphony where keyboards are highlighted, an LP remix for the pleasure of taking back the time of listening, for vinyl addicts.

3.5 stars. This is the debut from KORNMO out of Norway, a mature trio of bass, drums, guitar/keyboards. A Kornmo is apparently a popular cracker sold in Norway which made me smile making me think of FRUITCAKE also from Norway. Nils the bass player composed the music and the band arranged it all. They originally released this in 2017 recording it in Odd-Roar's(guitarist/keys) home studio. It was self-released on a cdr but then in 2018 they re-released it on another cdr, again self-released but completely re-mixed, obviously not happy with the original sound. I have the 2022 version released on Apollon Records and mastered by WHITE WILLOW's Jacob Holm-Lupo. So at least I have the best version possible.

This is an all instrumental album worth almost 66 minutes over 11 songs. I do prefer this to their latest "Fimbulvinter" an all instrumental concept album that just didn't do a lot for me. Very little in the way of breakouts or contrasts etc. which we do thankfully get here. I really feel that this comes across as a "paint by numbers" Prog record where on each song we get constant changes and repeated themes which is what we all like because we're on this site but again like their latest this is a long album for this type of music. Give me 42 minutes! Anyway I'm thankful to hear some outbreaks of guitar and organ on here along with mellotron and this is a good album just not my cup of tea these days.

KORNMO are an instrumental trio out of Norway including Odd-Roar Bakken who was in the Lord Of The Rings wasn't he? Anyway he is in the band ADVENTURE and I reviewed one of their albums recently. He pays a variety of keyboards and guitar on here while we get Nils Larsen on bass who also wrote the music. Nils son Anton J.R. Larsen is the drummer and he also mixed and produced the album while all three arranged the music. Oh and Jacob Holm-Lupo from WHITE WILLOW and many more bands mastered it.

The music is Symphonic and slow to mid-paced without much in the way of breakouts and at over 71 minutes I did find this a tedious listen at times. Kind of samey and uniform as well and I did think of FRUITCAKE who I like but this is different without the vocals in play. Just about all the information in the liner notes is in Norwegian except where they say to go to Facebook to get the English version.

Some really nice music on here but I lack the patience. Plenty of organ and synths on this one and it's very retro and warm but just not my thing. There are so many positive reviews on this album around the internet so my review just offer a different opinion. Yeah lets go with that. The album's title come from Norse mythology and the cover art seconds that name meaning Great Winter which according to this mythology will come before the end of the world. This really was a change of pace for me but please check them out.

This is the first time I have come across Norwegian prog act Kornmo, a trio who comprise Odd-Roar Bakken (keyboards, guitar), Nils Larsen (bass) and Anton J. R. Larsen (drums & percussion), but this is their third album. Mind you, if you had told me this had been released 50 years ago as opposed to 2021, I would have believed you as there is nothing here which ties it to the present day apart from the quality of the recording. Odd-Roar and Nils first met many years earlier, and later founded Adventure in 1990, then later forming Morild, before moving onto their latest venture where they have utilised the talents of Nils' son Anton.

The sounds being utilised by Odd-Roar are classic Mellotrons, Moogs and Hammond, often providing lengthy held chords while the bass and drums take the lead. It is quite Wagnerian at times, powerful and dramatic with no rush whatsoever. One can imagine songs such as "Dovre Faller" being performed on a pipe organ in a cathedral with the sounds reaching up to the vaulted ceilings as there is a real majesty which is almost like a religious experience. While some may imagine they might be like ELP, they are actually far removed, as they are looking more towards traditional folk and classical music, and this is part of the joy as they are not attempting to be like any of the other bands around. They say they are influenced by Camel, but in reality, they have little musically in common apart from them playing only instrumentals. The songs vary between 3 and 13 minutes in length, and when played on headphones this is a style of music which transports the listener as when this is playing nothing else exists. Symphonic yet delicate, powering yet gentle, this is a great album which fans of classic prog would do well to discover.

FIRST REVIEW OF THIS ALBUM

Norwegian trio Kornmo arose early 2015 from the ashes of the band Morild which disbanded around 2014. Chief composer and bass player Nils Larsen wished to continue making music, but sought a slightly different challenge this time, namely focussing entirely on instrumental music. Along with his friend of 50 years and previous band mate from Morild, Odd-Roar Bakken, he started a new musical project to fulfil this wish. To complete the band, Nils asked his son Anton Larsen to join on drums, now Kornmo was formed. Kornmo is a project that solely records original progressive instrumental music, and the band does not perform any live gigs.

After my review about the second album entitled Vandring (2019) here are my words about Kornmo its debut album (2017, re-released in 2019). The title is inspired by the glacier found in Glomfjorden in the north of Norway by the same name, which loosely means 'the black ice'. The 11 instrumental tracks sound firmly in the symphonic rock tradition, the structure is very simple, with the focus is on embellishing the melodic and harmonic music with an intense guitar sound and wonderful vintage keyboards.

The one moment the climate is dreamy with acoustic guitar and soaring Mellotron violins, or tender piano and fragile electric guitar. The next moment you can enjoy slow and compelling atmospheres with moving guitar and lush Hammond, or sumptuous outbursts with flashy Minimoog flights (like in Fallvind) and fiery guitar runs. To me Camel sounds as a main source of inspiration, especially in the tracks Sn', Nordlys, Smeltevann (swirling Hammond and flashy pitchbend driven Minimoog), Uv'r (dynamic and bombastic with fiery guitar), Sn'tind (great work on the Hammond) and the beautiful closer F'n, a Symphonic Rock Heaven, the wonderful violin sound comes from the Nord Stage as a MIDI-keyboard.

Alongside Camel I also trace obvious elements from other Seventies symphonic rock bands and artists. But Kornmo certainly doesn't sound derivative, lots of own musical ideas, highly recommended to the symphomaniacs who are into simply structured but very tastefully arranged melodic and harmonic instrumental 24-carat symphonic rock.

My rating: 3,5 star.

FIRST REVIEW OF THIS ALBUM

'Norwegian three piece formation Kornmo arose early 2015 from the ashes of the band Morild which disbanded around 2014. Chief composer and bass player Nils Larsen wished to continue making music, but sought a slightly different challenge this time, namely focussing entirely on instrumental music. Along with his friend of 50 years and previous band mate from Morild, Odd-Roar Bakken, he started a new musical project to fulfil this wish. To complete the band, Nils asked his son Anton Larsen to join on drums, now Kornmo was formed. Kornmo is a project that solely records original progressive instrumental music, and the band does not perform any live gigs. Thus far this collaborative effort has yielded two albums: Svartisen (2017, remixed and remastered in 2019) and Vandring (2019). Kornmo is inspired by bands such as Camel and Jethro Tull, as well as artists like Mike Oldfield, Bj'rn J:son Lindh, and Pekka Pohjola, blended with a distinctive touch of Nordic folk tones'. Information provided by Anton Larsen, early July 2020.

This second effort from Norwegian trio Kornmo entitled Vandring is in the vein of the warmly welcomed debut album Svartisen: instrumental 24-carat symphonic rock that sounds melodic and harmonic, with flowing shifting moods and dynamic outbursts. It's pretty simply structured but very tastefully arranged with the focus on moving Hackett/Latimer-inspired guitar work and lush vintage keyboards, including lots of Hammond organ, along Mellotron and Minimoog. The rhythm-section does a solid job.

My highlights.

Many flowing changing amtospheres featuring with flashy Minimoog, a swirling Hammond soli, fiery and finally a heavy bombastic outburst with powerful guitar and lush Hammond in Oppbrudd.

A strong build-up from mellow to more lush, embellished with Mellotron, twanging guitar, Hammond and finally a howling twin guitar sound in Nord.

Another strong build-up from dreamy to bombastic featuring a vintage keyboard drenched final part and varied guitar work (Symphonic Rock Heaven) in Taiga.

First dreamy with piano and soaring keyboards, then a slow rhythm with lush Hammond waves, halfway beautiful cello play, culminating in a compelling dark atmosphere and moving guitar (Latimer/Hackett), and finally tender cello and and twanging guitar in Kveld.

The final track F'niks delivers a lush instrumentation and cascades of shifting moods: from a folky acoustic guitar and melancholical cello sound to a heavy explosion with raw rock guitar work and propulsive rhythm-section, then from moving guitar runs and Mellotron violins to bombastic with powerful and howling runs guitar with Hammond (again Symphonic Rock Heaven), concluded with a soaring tremolo Hammond sound, wow!

The band its first genuine epic composition, entitled Nunatak (close to 13 minutes) is the magnum opus on this second Kornmo album. The first part contains a blend of swinging piano, and bombastic outbursts with a church organ sound, and Mellotron flute. Halfway a slow rhythm with Minimoog and Hammond, and powerful electric guitar work with fiery runs. It sounds very dynamic. In the second part a swinging rhytmm with sensational pitchbend driven Minimoog solo, then melancholical violin classical sound, raw guitar and Mellotron violins. A nice musical idea is that this interlude is blended with the classical piece Bourree. Next fragile electric guitar and soaring Hammond, and a slow Minimoog solo. Finally a strongly build-up guitar solo, from sensitive to fiery, topped with lush Hammond, what a splendid, very compelling grand finale, this is Kornmo in its full splendor!

If you are up to simply structured and intense instrumental 24-carat symphonic rock Kornmo is a band to discover!

This review was previously published (in a different version) on the website of Background Magazine, the oldest Dutch progrock source.