Anabasis and Gargrim the Liar - Two Worlds![]() The more mysterious Gargrim the Liar is the second 'book' of Two Worlds. Here, the full-length CD, 'Stories of Long Forgotten' seems to draw from the steam-punk fantasy world of Warhammer, particularly in respect of the 'City-state of Miragliano'. Within such a recognized fantasy template any attempt at an accompanying soundtrack may rise or fall heavily. 'Stories of Long Forgotten' soars. From the opening field-recordings of birdsong there is a sense of open spaces and untamed expanses. The overwhelming strength, which is immediately apparent on 'Stories of Long Forgotten' is the employment of choral voices, not set apart from other elements in the compositions but rather, the voice is recognized as an instrument in itself and as such interflows throughout the music to produce captivating pieces that are highly emotive and stirring. There are some reminders of Enya's soundtrack for The Celts but here any similarity is nullified by the sweeping arrangements that quickly put the aforementioned work into shade. At times the narrative of the music is driven forward by percussive phrasing and the accompaniment of strings which pervades the resultant sounds with a richness that serves to voice the tale. 'Stories of Long Forgotten' is a very strong piece of work that wraps many emotions together through incredibly expressive compositions. Again, there are subtle nods to influences such as Leone on 'No Way Out' but Gargrim's music retains its originality and complexity serving to propel the listener into a world apart in a manner that few other composers are capable of. Waerloga have obviously taken great care in the aesthetic presentation of this double CD release and produced a sumptuous eight page booklet to accompany it. The artwork is another highlight as Waerloga have secured John Howe's piece that he produced in the 1980's for the cover of Robert Holdstock's utterly brilliant Mythago Wood. Two Worlds benefits from the fact that the two composers never overlap in style and composition so both works are separate in realization and sounds, allowing the audience to delve into either world which are distinctive to one another. This is a very mature release both in structure and vision that opens a great deal of potential for the future of the 'Dark Fantasy' soundtrack. For more information go to www.waerloga.com or www.myspace.com/gargrimtheliar or www.myspace.com/anabasishome (review by Michael Cunningham) |