BURIED ALIVE

This is not a typical live record; I would not really expect it to be due to the nature of this band. ANGLAGARD's Buried Alive is a strange live album in many aspects. With only two studio albums in their discography, this ''compilation'' could not have been something less than representative; in fact the balance leans towards their debut which has been characterised as one of the best post-1990 symphonic prog albums. Timewise, roughly 2/3 of the music are tracks from Hybris.

Buried Alive is actually the first album of the band I have really delved into - I still need to explore the other two which I own - and my judgement will be based on this fact. To my knowledge, the tracks in this live record are pretty close to what you would hear in the studio versions: similar arrangements, similar atmosphere and of course similar complexity and level of virtuosity. The folk element is dominant and it's the one that makes the difference.

In case you have been unfamiliar with ANGLAGARD's music, it is usually a mixture of (extremely at times) technical/complex symphonic prog filled with folk and epic influences; the music radiates some obscure magic that is difficult to describe. Another element that differentiates them from bands in the same genre is this strong Scandinavian atmosphere, a sort of music that derives from the woods... The vocals sung in Swedish add to this obscure atmosphere. The fact that the complex parts of their music interchange with slower, melodic, enchanting melodies is the feature that intrigues me the most.

On the negative side, the production of the recording is mediocre with some 'ups and downs' in the sound and the volume of the output. The crowd can not be described as enthusiastic and is hardly noticeable throughout the recording apart from some applause at the beginning and ending of the songs. To be honest though, if I was watching an ANGLAGARD show I can see myself having the same response; not because I don't like the music, but because I would be absorbed in it and try to understand it.

Kung Bore, the track that concludes the album, is probably my favourite because of its unique references to some extremely interesting passages (which coincidentally or not remind me of my own country's folk music).

Musically the whole recording is at high standards and I would have no doubt to recommend it to friends of prog rock as a first experience with the band. For those who own the studio albums it might not be essential. However, my criteria in this case are different...

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