CoC : Kroda - Live in Lemburg : Review

Kroda - _Live in Lemburg_
(Hammermark Art Productions, 2008)
by: Quentin Kalis (7.5 out of 10)

This is a live recording from March 2008. Their magnum opus, _Fimbulvinter_, was released in January 2007. _Fimbulvinter_ is their crowning achievement, their best work by a considerable margin. So why is it not represented by a single song? Without any material from _Fimbulvinter_, this live album feels incomplete and premature. A good mix of older material is provided, as well as a version of a folk song ("Oy na Hori") and an Absurd cover. There are two "encore" songs, but of songs already performed, including the Absurd Oi! punk-black rubbish. This is something of an enigma -- their back catalogue is limited, but why not simply provide another cover, or a re-imagined folk song, rather than songs already performed in the same set?

Kroda has always been the duo of Viterzgir and Eisenslav, but two people are inadequate for a concert, and they are ably assisted by four musicians on stage. Their NSBM stance is "controversial", to put it mildly, but judging from English translations of their lyrics, this is not overt, with lyrical themes tending towards romanticized pagan nationalism. The mix is decent; you can hear from the rough edge that this is a live performance. Apart from the Absurd covers, the unnecessary encore and the inexplicable exclusion of any _Fimbulvinter_ material, there is little to find fault with on this album. I will not bore the reader by examining their music -- this has been adequately covered in our reviews of their previous releases, and interested readers are kindly referred to those.

To summarise in one sentence, this is a much deserved live album marred by a glaring omission.

Contact: http://www.kroda.com.ua

(article published 25/3/2009)

ALBUMS
6/23/2007	Q Kalis	9	Kroda - Fimbulvinter
1/12/2007	Q Kalis	9	Kroda - Towards the Firmaments Verge of Life...