Morild - Time To Rest  

(2CD 2009, 55.26, 46.19, Private Release)

The tracks:
CD 1:
  1- All I wanted (The Whale Song)(12:52)
  2- When The Night Turns To Morning(6:30)
  3- Time To Rest(5:53)
  4- Blackbird’s Lullaby(3:21)
  5- Circus(15:39)
  6- Early This Morning (Christmas Song)(11:03)
CD 2:
  1- Apus Apus(4:57)
  2- Two Glasses(13:14)
The Slave Ship
  3- Part 1: Zong: Searching For Prey(11:50)
  4- Part 2: Harbour Lights(8:14)
  5- Part 3: Mercy(7:59)

Morild Website       


Morild is a progressive rock band from Trondheim, Norway. Nils Larsen (bass), Alex Rodriguez Salgado (drums), John Anders Troset (vocals) and Odd-Roar Bakken (keyboards, electric and acoustic guitar) already play together since the seventies, but the current line-up exists since 2008. It took them a couple of years to record this debut double album. I got little information from the band, but on the internet it’s said their music contains melancholic elements, the spirit of Nordic folk and British progressive music, so let’s have a look at the music.

CD1 starts excellently with All I Wanted (The Whale Song), a twelve-minute long epic piece containing a nice piano and synthesizer duet followed by the pleasant vocals of John Anders Troset: this is Camel meets Kerrs Pink. After a minute, threatening organ sounds blend with graceful synths, flashy guitar solos and lots of atmosphere. The story is about childhood memories of a whale in the river Thames, a great event for a young kid. The acoustic part is outstanding; think of Magna Carta in their golden years. Near the end this piece sounds more dramatic because of the orchestral parts. In When The Night Turns To Morning the vocals are a bit tedious, but musically this song is solid as a rock. It tends to the music of the Dutch progressive rock band Flamborough Head. Again the guitar and synth parts are excellently played. At the end it sounds like prog from the seventies with the flute and organ parts. The instrumental piece Time To Rest strongly reminded me of a blend of Aphrodite’s Child and Camel from The Snow Goose-era caused by its classic organ sound and typical guitar solos. Blackbird’s Lullaby sounds like a simple nursery rhyme in the beginning, but fits well in the build-up of this album. These Norwegian musicians indeed know how to create a relaxed atmosphere!

Circus, with more than fifteen minutes the longest piece on CD1, starts with many pleasant guitar riffs (Galleon) and synthesizer solos. With a lot of excitement, the story of a clown is told by John Anders Troset. This piece is characterized by great drumming, a pounding bass, acoustic guitars in the middle-section and slightly distorted vocals and slowly dragging organ sounds. Lyrically Circus is a metaphor for dedicated politicians, being the cornerstone of democracy; it’s a continuously captivating song. In Early This Morning (Christmas Song) the quiet piano chords lead into a Christmas carol. The winter atmosphere is emphasized by the serene vocals and the Camelesque sound of the guitar. In the first part you can easily dream away; in the second part I heard organ sounds, choirs of angels and a slightly higher pace, more in the direction of their compatriots from Landberk. In the third part the piano returns and the song ends with a magnificent flute solo. 

The 27-minute epic The Slave Ship is the principal piece on CD2. This epic has been divided into three parts. Part 1, Zong: Searching For Prey begins slowly with some Eloy-elements and beautiful flute solos in Camel-style. The middle-section sounds nice and spacious with a wailing guitar solo. In general, the vocal parts are not the best element in Morild’s music, but fortunately you can also enjoy long and stylish synth solos and wailing guitar waves. Part 2, Harbour Lights is completely different: a kind of close harmony singing, followed by cheerful flutes, organ and piano sounds. Halfway the pace is reduced by acoustic strumming on guitar and piano. The final part is excellent with outstanding guitar and flute solos. Part 3, Mercy is folk-oriented. You can even dance a little waltz. In the end you can enjoy all typical characteristics of Morild like the cheerful organ and the flute and guitar solos.

You have to listen a few times to this CD to discover all the secrets in it. I enjoyed listening to these hundred minutes of pleasant and relaxed music and well-thought lyrics. I would like to compliment these Norwegian proggers with their debut album.  

 **** Cor Smeets (edited by Peter Willemsen)

Where to buy?






All Rights Reserved Background Magazine 2013