DETTA HAR HÄNT

Well I cannot agree more with both Avestin (Assaf) and Windhawk (Olav) about this latest offering from GOSTA BERLINGS SAGA. In my opinion this is a huge improvement over the debut. There are two significant changes on this album when compared to their debut. First we get a new guitarist who's not only more prominant but more accomplished, and second and probably more importantly Mattias Olsson (ANGLAGARD) is involved doing the overdubs, tape loops, various ideas and additional effects. This sounds amazing !

"Kontrast" opens with guitar and keys as drums and bass join in. It gets intense before settling down around 1 1/2 minutes. It's building again. The guitar is incredible here. This is fantastic ! "Sorterargatan 3" is dark to start as guitar and bass slowly start to play. Piano joins in. A fuller sound after 2 minutes. Drums follow. Great sound 3 minutes in followed by some angular guitar. Not worthy ! Mellotron rolls in a minute later. How good is this? The drumming sounds so good. More mellotron follows then synths come in. What a song ! "Svenska Hjartan" is a somewhat haunting track with lots of keys. Listen to the sound effects here. I love the way it ends. "Fem Trappor" is experimental as sounds build. Drums before 1 1/2 minutes as guitar and keys join in. This sounds so good. I know i'm a broken record here but...

"Nattskift" opens with keys. Drums and guitar before 1 1/2 minutes. Why is this so moving and emotional ? It kicks in before 3 1/2 minutes for the big finish. "Bergslagen" opens with guitar as a full sound joins in quickly. I like how dark and heavy this is. A change after 3 minutes to a more uptempo sound. It settles 4 minutes in. Great sound here. It settles again after 6 minutes. Kicks back in at 8 minutes reminding me of ANGLAGARD. Amazing tune. "Innileghur?" is a short acoustic track that builds. Very cool. "Vasterbron 05:30" opens with some feedback as a beat comes in. Piano joins in too. I like the guitar before 4 1/2 minutes as he starts to light it up for a couple of minues. Nice. Piano then takes the lead but the guitar can still be heard. Mellotron 8 1/2 minutes in. It turns experimental before 10 minutes and the wind is blowing.

I hope i'm not too late but this is a top five for me for 2009. A must !