IGNIS FATUUS

"Ignis Fatuus" is the debut full-length studio album by Norwegian progressive rock act White Willow. The album was released through The Laser's Edge in 1995. White Willow are one of the most prolific acts from the 90s Norwegian progressive rock scene.

The music on "Ignis Fatuus" is 70s influenced progressive rock packed in a warm and organic sound production. There is a vintage analogue feel about the album which is further enhanced by the inclusion of instruments like violins, pipes, flutes and vintage keyboards/synths (some of which also provides the music with an occasional folky edge). There are both male and female vocals on the album but they are generally pretty sparse (and delivered in both English and Norwegian). The musicianship is on high level.

The atmosphere is generally on the darker side of the progressive rock fence. Even to the point of being sinister at times. Especially the violin adds an eerie darkness to the sound, but also the distorted bass and the heavy drumming does a great job at creating a gloomy sound. White Willow are much more than that though and the album also features more "light" sections. It´s actually quite a varied release and might require a few spins before it sinks in. Featuring 12 tracks and a 66:34 minutes long playing time, "Ignis Fatuus" is also a rather long album, but as the material are as intriguing, well played and well produced as it generally are, that´s not necessarily a weakness and of course not at all uncommon in progressive rock either.

The tracks range from 2 to almost 12 minutes in length. Some of the shorter tracks work as interludes between the longer tracks. There are several standout tracks on the album but the two longest tracks on the album, "Cryptomenysis" and "John Dee´s Lament" do stand out the most to me. Fans of dark 70s progressive rock should find a lot to like about "Ignis Fatuus" and overall it´s a high quality release by White Willow. A 3.5 - 4 star (75%) rating is deserved.