Releasing an album a year can be risky for some bands, as they run the risk of getting burnt out and starting to sound the same with each new effort. But this clearly hasn’t harmed Poland’s Narrenwind, as they’ve returned with their third full length I, Shaman a mere six months after Ja, Dago. Those who have been following Metal Trenches closely may remember Ja, Dago ended up in my best of the year list, as it’s unique mixture of black metal and progressive rock took listeners on a journey through all sorts of twists and turns. For I, Shaman Narrenwind has gone even further down the progressive path, shedding almost all remnants of their black metal roots aside from the harsher vocals. It’s an album that’s a bit less approachable than its predecessor but no less interesting, and it lives up to its title with instrumentation that feels like it has mystical energy dripping from every note.
There were hints of metal in Narrenwind’s sound over their past two efforts, though it was run through a significant amount of progressive rock that could have been ripped right out of the 1970s. On I, Shaman it feels like the band has reached the natural evolution of this musical journey, shedding any remnants of their previous aesthetic and diving right into soaring and melodically oriented instrumentation where every song feels like it’s taking you on an adventure into parts unknown. While there are still plenty of soaring climaxes where the instrumentals fill the room with a mystical atmosphere, the writing here comes across as a bit more subdued as the band slows the tempos down and lets the hazier psychedelic vibes take over. This does make the material not jump out at you in the same way as it did on Ja, Dago and it flows together more as a seamless listen from beginning to end. But that doesn’t mean that Narrenwind is any less interesting this time around, as the twists and turns beckon you back for another listen and there are nuances to each and every track that don’t become apparent until a few times through. What stood out the most to me is how much brighter the guitars sound, as while you still get a sense of solitude from the overall tone there’s a much calmer and almost whimsical feel that proves to be utterly captivating. This is the type of progressive rock album where you can lose yourself in all of its transitions as the shimmering melodies and jazzier drums wash over you, with the occasional stylistic hints of spaghetti western soundtracks and even neofolk seeping into the mix.
Where the guitars and bass have brightened up a bit and emphasized airier melodies, the vocals remain rooted in a much harsher and grittier style. Klimørh tends to sound completely different in each of the bands he fronts, so if you’re familiar with his work with Non Opus Dei you may be surprised that this is even the same person. His main pitch is a gruff scream/sung pitch that comes across as though a giant or troll is relaying you a story from ancient times, and it creates a nice contrast with the instrumentation. Where the riffs may be working to send you into a hazier trance, the vocals always pull you back with a rougher edge and give Narrenwind a sound completely unlike many of their prog influences. While this vocal approach would be at risk of becoming repetitive if it remained the same the entire album, the band also incorporates some cleaner ranges and spoken passages that have just as many twists and turns as the rest of the material.
Narrenwind has been hinting at this type of sprawling, hazy prog for two albums now and have fully made the move over with I, Shaman. Seeing how many other metal projects its two members are a part of, this band continues to give them an outlet to explore completely different and mellower textures that give off a more adventurous and playful side while still having plenty to say. It’s the type of album you could get lost in for days, and despite lacking some of the immediate hooks of the band’s last full length there’s plenty of fun and entrancing nuances underneath the surface begging to be discovered. I’m not sure how they’ve been able to keep up this frantic release pace and still make as much of a stylistic leap as they have here, but I won’t be complaining if the material remains as consistently strong. I, Shaman is available from Wheelwright Productions.
-Review by Chris Dahlberg
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