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Hedvig Mollestad Thomassen is a guitar heroine for our times. Born in the Norwegian town of Ålesund in the early 80s, she first picked up her mother s nylon-strung acoustic guitar at the age of ten. As an exploratory teenager she dug deep into her father s jazz and rock record collection and translated a biography of Jimi Hendrix for a school project. Then she was given an electric guitar and amplifier as a confirmation present, and never looked back. But there s nothing pious about her music. Her molten, overdriven guitar sound is forged in the same fiery furnace as Hendrix, Tony Iommi, Jimmy Page, then plunged into a steaming vat of free jazz in the Sonny Sharrock/Fred Frith mould. In tracks like The Rex and Lake Acid , you ll hear the megalithic riffology of Led Zeppelin s Kashmir and Rock N Roll , but with an agility and intensity peculiar to the dark Northern regions where she and her bandmates were raised. Her drummer Ivar Loe Bjørnstad grew up in a Norwegian hillbilly town where the kids taste moonshine before they ve started school. And bassist Ellen Brekken was raised on a farm and is extremely fascinated by trains which, given her impeccable timekeeping, seems highly appropriate. Now we are kind of married , says Hedvig. All Of Them Witches follows the Trio s previous Rune Grammofon release, Shoot! (2011) and, like labelmates Elephant9 and Grand General, represent a thrilling new progressive wave of Norwegian avant rock/free metal energy. This latest batch of electrifying instrumentals was recorded live in the island environment of Ocean Sound studio, a grass-roofed wooden barn on the edge of the Norwegian Sea fitted with state of the art equipment, where the Trio could swim in the freezing waters before breakfast and stretch their gaze out to the horizon in mid-take. It s no surprise that such widescreen surroundings shoul1st d give rise to epic concepts, and the title of first track Sing, Goddess takes its name from the opening line of Homer s Iliad. Inspired by the wide open skies, Shawshank and Ghrá Rúnda are more reflective pieces, bathed in controlled feedback. We have named our pieces of music after things we care for, matters we think about, or feelings that we carry, says Hedvig. Some of them are dedicated to people we love, art we like, experiences we have had. Some of the titles are humorous and with one specific meaning to us, and some are more connected to the title All Of Them Witches, like Achilles and Code Of Hammurabi the ancient law that, among other things, describes how witches should be treated. Witches have historically been victims of persecution, but as Hedvig reminds us, black magicians can also hold the reins of power. There is so much change in the world, she says, and this is nothing new for our age. There are always people screwing up, for reasons we don t understand, driving their country and its people over the edge. Too many people have too little, because a few people need to have much more than enough. Witches now are the state leaders that let their people suffer; witches then were both the ones thrown into the sea by law, and the very ones throwing them. Personnel Hedvig Mollestad Thomassen guitar, Ellen Brekken bass, Ivar Loe Bjørnstad drums Review: Amazing band a must have x - Great band. Great album x Review: Metal Jazz - Enticed by the idea of an arty guitar Scandi I jumped in. It's more TS McPhee than T Rypdal but was a good call. Punchy and keeping it to the point, this is only jazz if you think the label and vibe overrules the content. Good old style adept power trio fun with no guilt.
| ASIN | B00BNR6RQA |
| Best Sellers Rank | 349,698 in CDs & Vinyl ( See Top 100 in CDs & Vinyl ) 72,837 in Vinyl |
| Customer reviews | 4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars (23) |
| Label | Rune Grammofon |
| Manufacturer | Rune Grammofon |
| Manufacturer reference | 7033660031414 |
| Number of discs | 1 |
| Product Dimensions | 0.41 x 31.72 x 30.53 cm; 235.87 g |
B**N
Amazing band a must have x
Great band. Great album x
P**D
Metal Jazz
Enticed by the idea of an arty guitar Scandi I jumped in. It's more TS McPhee than T Rypdal but was a good call. Punchy and keeping it to the point, this is only jazz if you think the label and vibe overrules the content. Good old style adept power trio fun with no guilt.
G**H
Rousing stuff
The place where jazz (played as heavy metal) meets heavy metal (played as jazz). Rousing stuff, and not a weak link anywhere.
R**N
All is ok.
All is ok.
P**N
Got Under Hat Itches
Well, well, this little beauty found its way into my grubby mitts today. Following on very much from where its predecessor Shoot! ended, once again we get a selection of METALLIC Jazz Rock instrumentals featuring Ms Mollestad's High Octane guitar work backed up with great KLUNKING Electric Bass from Ellen Brekken and more contemplative, chin-stroking Jazzy Jazz Rock instrumentals with Ms Brekken on Double Bass. Nice. Recorded live in the studio, it's a welcome antidote to the over produced formulaic bilge that the music industry churns out. It's also on the Rune Grammofon label, a guarantee of quality. So, rev up yer broomstick, get out there and BUY!
G**0
Erstaunlich zugängliches Avantgarde-Brett. Sehr gute Aufnahme, saubere Pressung. Mehr als nur eine Wertanlage!
D**S
After reading of this trio in The New York Times, I had to order this recording unheard, since the combination of instrumental metal with a jazz sense was irresistible as well as rare (if not unique) in music. It had to be heard. Now I have. Although the cover and title took me back a bit, the music delivers excellent musicianship through a difficult form. There are few overdubs, no vocals, and a winning combination of metallic heaviness mixed with dexterous guitar playing and interesting compositions, ranging from near head-banging, to more melodic, to a few place of free jazz improvisation. Unlike metal drum bashers, the drumming is not too heavy-handed, but more jazz-like, and relies a smaller drum kit (without double bass drums). The bass playing fits the trio well, avoiding both a droning sameless (often heard in metal) and an hyper-activity that sometimes distracts from the other instruments. Miss Mollestad uses the tremolo arm frequently (but not too often) and usually with some (or much) distortion. Yet, she is no thrasher, but carefully executes both her chords and solos. She is never boring and always intriguing, which is not easy given how many people have played the electric guitar for so many years. I could not say, "She sounds like X," because she sounds like herself. Having found this recording so satisfying, I have order the trio's previous work with great anticipation. I am sure this group performs in stellar fashion live, and I hope to see them in action.
R**N
All is ok.
C**N
I survey the NY Times review of new CD's regularly and found the review of this group's new disc compelling. "Sharp and focused" caught me. I found the music excellent,concordant with intense electric guitar of high skill,imaginatively arranged and of decent depth. I felt little boredom with it even after several hearings. It's best with time to listen attentively to it rather than "passive background". I would certainly recommend it to those who like a blend of jazz innovation and metallic intensity. We vote with purchases:I've ordered the other disc "Shoot',hoping for continued high quality of enjoyment.
V**O
This is good solid guitar virtuoso fare. Much too articulate for 'metal'. Too exotic for 'rock'. To categorize it as 'jazz' is unfair. The guitar is fine. The bass is powerful, albeit with a few notable departures in the lines. The compositions are artistic. There may have been some psychological substances which came into play performing this. This music would be fitting for a late-60s black light room. It it a try.
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