There is magic to be heard in Simon Kölle's score for Ave Mater (Vilsen), with individual moments of beauty that make the album worth every penny. Released on the highly-touted soundtrack label MovieScore Media and already award winning on several international festivals.

This album is pure suspense with liturgical moments from the choir which makes me think of the classical soundtrack of "Omen".
It's dark, satanic and beautiful!

The highlights of the score for Ave Mater are the themes and the mix of choir, electronics and orchestral elements. It's a highly original score at times working its way towards the cue "Lost in the Dark and Final Confrontation".

The cues I love the most on this masterpiece are in the beginning and in the end. The absolute favorite for me is "Lost in the Dark and Final Confrontation" because everything comes together in that 7-minute-long track.

In terms of compositional structure, this album is very good. We know Simon from his early years but see him now becoming a fantastic film composer.

Outside of the thematic cues, Ave Mater contains several standout tracks of symphonic and choral beauty.

We can now only hope that MovieScore Media also release this album as a CD but until then it can be found on ITunes, Amazon and Spotify.

Originally released for the Swedish Roleplay game Drakar och Demoner: Trudvang but also soundtrack to the pilot films inspired by the game.

Simon Kolle is no stranger to us because of his work with Za Frumi and Musterion. Simon has composed a masterful set of cues that effortlessly blends Nordic Folk Music motifs with orchestral trademarks. Even though their blending is seamless, the combination of the two elements creates a very unique sound that is difficult to describe. Some tracks are more traditional, film music like orchestral cues, while others are heavily folk music oriented, using traditional Nordic chord progressions and instruments. The composer focuses on developing Nordic sensibilities within a standard orchestral format. The result is nothing less than breathtaking.

Drakar och Demoner was a smash hit in Sweden in the 80s and 90s and pawed the way for countless of other games and books. Drakar och Demoner is Dungeons and Dragons but with more of a Nordic take on it. The version called Trudvang is released by Riotminds and they seem to be taking their projects online with a unique and cool project called Riot Online. Right now it's only in Swedish but it's said it will be in English too.

The score of Drakar och Demoner: Trudvang is enormously strong, mature music that rivals the best orchestral works for film.

The 26 track CD has a lean running time of more than an hour. I doubt any material is missing. Track title translations exist and it's helpful.

All the lyrics (on a couple of cues) are in Icelandic and are sung by Susanne Cermenius and Lisa Gregorsson.

The main theme is superb, worthy of becoming known mainstream. It would have suited perfect for many films.
The best tracks on the album are the ones that blend powerful orchestral work with Nordic Folk Music. Many are the ethnic instruments heard on the album and sometimes you forget you are actually listening to music as you get so into it all. Many of these tracks could easily constitute the main theme for an entirely different score.

The Bonus Tracks are really good too and ending the album is a cue written for a bowyer (maker of bows) with mysterious Elven whispers.

This is a strong, expertly crafted score that never gets dull. It effortlessly combines Nordic Folk Music and Orchestral musical elements, creating a very unique and enjoyable listening experience.

Limited edition of 500 copies.

Tengil released their debut album "Stanni Altah" in August just to be discovered by Waerloga Records in September. Tengil landed themselves a record deal in a month!

Tengil is a Swedish medieval folk band much in the style of Cultus Ferox and In Extremo but without the metal parts. For me that is a big plus as I never where a big fan of the metal in those band even though many seem to like the blend.

Tengil is much darker where Cultus Ferox (which is one of my favorite bands!) is more pirate romance. Tengil is groovier where Cultus Ferox is hard and Pirate party music.

I think of bands such as Cultus Ferox because of one of the two band members in Tengil where playing in Cultus Ferox in Germany. I like that Cultus Ferox has a gimmick, a show and I don't really find that in Tengil.

The debut album is sometimes awesome and sometimes a bit boring as I have to check if the CD is on repeat. However that might sound harsh I truly believe in Tengil and think they show what they could be on the track Tamfanae. If they try more to mix things up and don't have the bagpipes shouting at me all the time I think Tengil could be among my favorites!

I liked the early Cultus Ferox the most as they were less metal then and more medieval. In Tengil I see a lot of potential if they stay away from metal.

The drumming on Stanni Altah I like a lot and also other weird sounding instruments and voices. The bagpipes are beautiful but as I mentioned before they are way to repetitive to be awesome.

Tengil could EASY be a 5 star band in the future and maybe they will be that under the Waerloga banner? Right now they are at best 4 stars but never 2.

The Highpoints of Stanni Altah is magnificent!

Finally Waerloga Records are back with a release. This time a compilation only released on Band Camp. Bands like Za Frumi, Arcana and Cultus Ferox are on the same album as some of the most talented upcoming stars in film score composing and composing for great video games. Waerloga celebrates their 13th year with a compilation with both old acts and new.

The album starts off with a beautiful piece of the American Sean Beeson. This track fits any major soundtrack & set the tone for the whole album. I think of movies such as Breveheart when I hear this track.

Bjaran was unknown for me but they knock me out with a song called "Babba". This is some high caliber Nordic Folk Music which make me think of trolls and dark forests of the north! One of the highpoints on the album!

Erdenstern's "Age of Adventure" brings us classic Erdenstern Fantasy music surely inspired by Game of Thrones and other more new films/series in the fantasy genre. This is one of the better songs of Erdenstern which says a lot as they have some true gems in their discography.

Za Frumi is of course heard on the compilation (as Waerloga is their home) as well and the song "Immra - Alternative Version" is stunningly beautiful. This is an alternative version of the song Immra from "Shrak Ishi Za Migul - Chapter 3" and as always with Za Frumi it's really good.

Tengil was the second band I never heard off before in this compilation (also see my review of their debut album) and like Bjaran I am presently surprised. Tengil perform a bag pipe driven song called "Tamfanae" and it's for sure the best one from their debut album "Stanni Altah". Swedish Tengil is a band we will hear more about in the future as they have signed with Waerloga Records. A cool move from Waerloga Records and Tengil.

Simon Kolle known from Za Frumi and his film scores contributes with a song called "Drakar och Demoner: Giltes Bane" which is a Swedish version of the game Dungeons and Dragons made into a couple of Swedish films. The track is fantastic and carries you to other worlds!

Jeff Broadbent is a skilled film/game composer from USA that contributes with a Hans Zimmer inspired piece which is awesome! "Ultimate Sacrifice" is the name of the song and in my mind it's more or less a trailer score. I want to hear more with Broadbent.

Pawel Blaszczak's track is really cool and not fantasy inspired but Sci-fi. The track is inspiring and gives us hints were Waerloga Records are going. Great track!

Eerie Caffer takes the album to a nature setting and with only the close sounds of guitars on a what sounds like a porch I see a swamp in front of me. Eerie Caffer's minimalistic song with a lot of nature sounds and guitars grows on me and I really enjoy it.

Joel Forssell & Simon Kolle made a song called "The Monitor Celestra" for a big Larp in Sweden inspired by Battlestar Galactica. Joel and Simon made this track for the larp and you surely can hear that the two composers where inspired by Bear Mccreary's original song. In my mind this song is actually better than the famous theme of BSG.

Hans Lundgren brings us a track that gives me memories of the film "Leon" at first but later on it burst out into a even more wonderful piece. Marimba, bass and flute are the main instruments heard. I had never heard of Hans but I will for sure listen to more of his film scores! Talented guy.

Gargrim the Liar with the song " Carmen ex Miragliano" really make me dream of dramatic theatrical worlds. It's like music made for Romeo and Juliet.

Joel Forssell with "Outside the Place" is all about thriller and drama. The song never really takes off even though I like it. Joel is for sure talented and parts of the song is action oriented which seem to be his strong suit. I would like to hear more of the work of Forssell.

Abnocto, Lost Kingdom and Encryption all three are presented with each track from their old albums. I like them all and they fit this compilation's purpose well.

Daniel and Mikael Tjernberg are the crazy Swedish brothers always giving us some strange tunes. Here their choice was the title track from their Soundtrack "Anton". This is strange cinematic jazz/fusion and old school film scoring from the 80s. I wrote this about the track when in my review of the complete soundtrack: "The cue Anton I really enjoy as it also is way out there with the Fusion and strange elements of musical geniality.".

Apocalypsis Cum Figuris is compositions made by Simmon Kolle written for guitar and violin. Very beautiful.

Cultus Ferox was one of my old favorites a couple of years back. Tengil remind me Cultus but Cultus often takes it to rock and Tengil stays in the historical music genre and cinematic genre (without rock). The track "Mutter Erde" is one of Cultus best song and I Love it!

Aardia with the song "Legion of Darkness" is the 20th song on this epic compilation. Aardia is all about epic power and this song is maybe their best? Pure, raw and powerful are words that describe this track.

Arcana are heard with their old song "Song of Mourning" which gives me memories of my youth in the 90s. I think Arcana are one the best bands in the world.

The last song on the album is Simon Kölles Musterion. I wrote this in my review of the Musterion album: "From the opening moments of the first piece "Elevator Down" it becomes evident that Musterion possesses a special demeanor via his ferocious line of attack, spiced with verve and a robust tone. Coupled with fluent lines and a few technical nods to the psychedelic years of the 60s, the artist snags your attention, and sails through these largely, original pieces with equal doses of fire and grace!".

"Only great poetry can describe the music on this album" was something I wrote in my review of Musterion "The Wondrous Journey Through the Catacombs of Life" and I think it is suiting to write the same about this wonderful compilation.

Waerloga Records has never been more interesting. They are a taking their beloved label towards Band Camp and digital releases and it will be interesting to see if the fans of the label follow them there?

Overall this is a great compilation, maybe the best 2014! I am stoked to hear more releases from Waerloga Records 3.0, as they call their new great webpage (www.waerloga.com).

Great work Waerloga

Tracklist
1. Sean Beeson ' Rod or By Dagger
2. Bjäran ' Babba
3. Erdenstern ' Age of Adventure
4. Za Frûmi ' Immra (Alternative version)
5. Tengil ' Tamfanae
6. Simon Kölle ' Drakar och Demoner: Giltes Bane
7. Jeff Broadbent ' Ultimate Sacrifice
8. Pawel Blaszczak ' No Escape From Here
9. Eerie Caffer ' Bombina Cries in the Rain
10. Joel Forssell & Simon Kölle ' The Monitor Celestra
11. Hans Lundgren ' Lou
12. Gargrim the liar ' Carmen ex Miragliano
13. Joel Forssell ' Outside the Place
14. Abnocto ' Spiritus Arma
15. Daniel & Mikael Tjernberg ' Anton
16. Lost Kingdom ' Collection
17. Apocalypsis Cum Figuris ' The Forbidden Chamber
18. Encryption ' Cold Skin
19. Cultus Ferox ' Mutter Erde
20. Aardia ' Legion of Darkness
21. Arcana ' Song of Mourning
22. Musterion ' Elevator Down

Launched by means of a party that Diffrent guys were setting up at Hoxton, this excellent selection acts as the festive sonic garland to celebrate the 20th release as well as almost four years of life of Leonard the pink Giraffe, Chris Dexta's puppet which became a sort of sacred image for many d'n'b followers (!) and emblem of one of the best label in the packed scene of experimental drum'n'bass, and has been spread on CD (8 tracks plus two bonus tracks), digital releases with two free mouthwatering downloads (Fybe:One's "Physical" and Jekyll's "Garrison Dogs") and as well as a strictly limited 4 track pink vinyl, which exhaustively retraces the evolutionary mutations of so-called "Giraffe step".The stylistical range and the band spectrum are remarkably broad: even if I prefer the outputs by those artists who seemingly shaked the long neck of the giraffe such as the adventurously and nervously pounding grip of "Choices" - the collaborative track by M-Zine, Scepticz and Mtwn -, the crackling punches over a wild labored breathing, the slapped step and the sticky basslines of "Wax" by Arkaik, the outstanding hi-hat driven machine-gun fire on "Forfeit" by Shiver or the hitching wry tunes by Chills on VIP version of "Everyones Mad" - one of the two bonus tracks together with the shaded pressures of "Gain", another impressive collaborative track by Arkaik and Coma -, those moments when some Diffrent equerries climbed the neck to share giraffe's eye view or hybridized "soulful" or more introspective moments by intriguing percussive filings manage to drain some good stuff as well, so that moments like the lithe pitapat of Fybe:One's "The Last Minute", the ablutions into a sonic pool, who got rippled by mellow sounds and soulful vocals, on Kolectiv's "Slow" or the spellbinding dubby fractures on Dominic Ridgway's "Siren" easily remain afloat on the waves.