IN THE MIST OF MORNING

This Norwegian formation was founded in the mid-Nineties as a trio, but gradually it turned into a six-piece band. From 1994 to 1998 Ketil played together with Daniel, Knud and two other guys, in a symphonic prog-act named Ocean. They made one album: Newborn Ground in 1997, and released it on our own label and were also represented on two compilations named Revenge Of The Orange (1996) and The Good, The Bad, And The Orange (1997). Both released on Briskeby records. This was two compilations (out of four) with Scandinavian progressive rock ? that is quite hard to find for sale these days. They were all printed in a very low number of copies. Then Musea wanted us to sign a contract with them, but we never got that far. The members of Ocean were searching in different musical directions, and therefore we disbanded ? and formed Nordagust. After recording the first demo (1999), Nordagust recorded another two (2001 and 2003). Then the band did some rewriting and rearranging, and then recorded new versions of all the songs. These recordings now made the album In The Mist Of Morning. Then Nordagust just put it aside and started composing and recording new material. After a while they had recorded enough songs for another album, entitled Naudr. At this moment some accidents occurred, and all of their recordings seemed lost because of broken hard disc's and so forth. Fortunately the recordings were saved. A while after this Nordagust made demo-versions of both albums, and sent them to a couple of magazines. One of the magazines published an article on Nordagust, and a short while after this, Karisma contacted Nordagust. Then the band did a remix of the album in Karisma's studio and finally released In The Mist Of Morning in 2010.

The ten Mellotron drenched compositions on In The Mist Of Morning reminds me of the debut albums by fellow Skandinavian bands Anglagard, Landberk, Anekdoten and Sinkadus. But way more simply structured, with the focus on emotion. The climates alternate between dreamy, compelling and sumptuous featuring breathtaking interplay between the omnipresent Mellotron, intense guitar work and a propulsive rhythm-section. An extra dimension is the vocal contribution (in English), pretty expressive/theatrical (I notice elements of the late Marc Bolan): the one moment fragile or melancholic, the other moment powerful with a desperate or wailing undertone. This is a special flavour, but you have to be up to the dramatic vocals, and the frequent dark atmosphere.

I am very positive about Nordagust their first official CD release, to me it sounds as Nineties Skandinavian prog, topped with very emotional vocals (like in blues, flamenco and fado). This is perfect music for dark and lonely late sessions, "Music is your only friend, until the end" as Jim Morrison once wrote. And for the Tron-maniacs, wow, lots of mindblowing moments with flute, violin and choir sections! Unfortunately it has turned out that Nordagust was a promising one-shot-band ...