Parzival – Ordalium (Album – Moondrop Records)
Genre/Influences: Epic, Electro, Industrial, Cinematic.
Format: Digital, Vinyl.
Background/Info: “Ordalium” is the eleventh album of Danish based Parzival. It also is the first part of the “Tradition And Discipline”-trilogy.
Content: The work features 4 extended cuts going a few seconds over the ten minute mark. The work of Parzival remains easy to recognize, characterized by the impressive Electro/Epic arrangements mixed with deep growls. The songs have an uplifting effect which sometimes evolves into a true climax. You’ll also notice passages featuring bagpipes and chants accentuating the Epic aspect.
+ + + : Some should say Parzival is an emulation of Laibach but I think it’s just an influence. The epic/orchestral approach sounds more constant than the work of Laibach and is often darker. The songs reflect pure drama created by Electro-bombast and growling vocals. I like the sound of bagpipes running through “Bottomless Pit” but the absolute highlight is “Toads And Vipers” for its elevating and even transcendental effect.
– – – : The main strength of Parzival remains its particular and pretty unique sound constructure. You like it or not, and if you don’t like it I’m afraid you’ll rapidly stop listening. I can’t get enough of it!
Conclusion: Parzival didn’t change their good-old success formula driven by a unique Industrial/Epic sound.
Best songs: “Toads And Vipers”, “Bottomless Pit”, “Petty Pride”.
Rate: 8½.
Artist: www.facebook.com/parzivalband
Label: www.facebook.com/moondroprecordsdk
About Parzival
Parzival formed in Denmark in 1996 out of the industrial group Stiff Miners. The band counts ten albums under the Parzival name, or twelve when the Stiff Miners records are included, and has moved across martial industrial, symphonic EBM, atmospheric metal, darkwave and electro, with folk material from Russia, Europe and Asia feeding into the arrangements. Live appearances include Wave-Gotik-Treffen, NCN, Nocturnefest and Entremuralhas.
“Ordalium” was released on 29 April 2022 by Moondrop Records and holds four tracks: “Petty Pride”, “Bottomless Pit”, “Toads And Vipers” and “Island Of Despair”. The vinyl edition was pressed on transparent red vinyl in a run of 150 copies with a printed inner sleeve. The label placed the record next to the 2012 album “Die Kulturnacht” and announced “Grimoire” and “Teurgia” as the remaining parts of the “Tradition And Discipline” trilogy.
The band discussed its working method in the ‘Click Interview’ with Parzival published on Side-Line in October 2022.
Support Side-Line
More people read Side-Line than ever, and there is still no paywall and no advertising. Readers pay for it instead - from $5 a month.
Why we ask
Advertising revenues across the media are falling fast. Unlike many news organisations we have not put up a paywall, and we refuse to add annoying advertising, so we need to ask for your help. Side-Line’s independent journalism takes time, money and hard work to produce, and we do it to push the artists we like, who are equally fighting to survive.
Handled by PayPal.
I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.
