Bölzer – Hero (Iron Bonehead Productions. 2016).

Bölzer – Hero (Iron Bonehead Productions. 2016).

There are not many albums that I am aware of that start off with a whistled introduction, but it works perfectly in helping to set up the atmosphere of this album, generating the aura of the forests and mountains of ancient Europe, now consumed by the mists of time. The first song proper, The Archer, is possessed by the inarticulable spirit that permeates the music of Bölzer, which can only be clumsily described as the primitive, alien magical energy that animated the myths of gods and heroes. It weaves intricate patterns and designs through your mind, before flowing perfectly into the title track Hero, with its entrancing chorus. This has been a controversial album for some. The use of the nine-minute epic, I AM III, as the first promotional track caused some to expect the worse or to insult the band. On its own, it seemed a bit peculiar, however it still was Bölzer, sounding like the expected evolution of the material on the Soma EP to me. In context, though, it makes a lot more sense and you can appreciate the intricacies further. The use of clean vocals was likely to be something that shocked people, but again it is used effectively to accentuate some of the otherworldly atmosphere of the song. When experienced alongside the rest of the album, some of the superhuman power comes forth, and one can sense the sublime presence of the heroes of myth such as Sigurd. Tracks such as Spiritual Athleticism are understandably less controversial, being more akin to the much beloved material from Aura. Ultimately, this is an album that needs to be experienced in one whole sitting to fully immerse yourself in it and to be able to acknowledge and comprehend the spiritual energy that runs through it. With regards to the production, it is outstanding, with every minor detail being easily discernible. Overall, this one of the top albums of the year.

9/10.