Artist: The Divine Accolade
Title: The Battles We Fought And The Love We Lost
Type: Album
Label: Digital / Sokol Keep
I shall begin this review with an unusual admission for me; I had difficulty here. Oh I love the music, hence this review, but for a good while I found it difficult to understand what is in fact a very long compilation (its around an hour long) and covers a few years and appears to share themes but not a single journey. Now I may be wrong on the latter part and, yes, I could have asked as they were also kindly in touch but I prefer to try and figure these things out myself from the music itself as is the dungeon synth way. Or my way anyway. So perhaps the journey will show me my errors…
It would also be a bit of a problem reviewing track by track too but I’ve said that before and ended up doing so shall we just explore this and why it is worth all this effort? Aye, lets try that.
So I guess somewhat ironically with all the above we set of on a ‘Quest For Certainty’. It’s such a warm and musically lyrical welcome. A little melancholy perhaps, too, as who but the troubled really seek certainty. It is layered and expertly arranged medieval styled dungeon synth style. We search and find ourselves in a ‘Warm Embrace’. A light interlude? Or is it a memory of more certain times on this quest for certainty. A moment of peace with the drum of time beating both heart and time…
‘Femme Mauvaise’ challenged by meagre French, as it is a word where context is everything. It could mean sad, or in poverty, or worse it may be bad, nasty even. So what does the music tell me? There is a darkness initially, a sound that feels a little cold and bare but gradually add an air of power and position. Perhaps a woman to bow politely to and move on.
‘Dost Thou Love Me Yet’ suggests a conversation at least. The music bring the guitar to lay a strangely worrying atmosphere upon the music. I fear no good can come from this and the fire with which it rouses itself maybe proves me right. But there is such a sweet and heart tugging melody here that it proves nothing can be all bad.. Except maybe ‘Lancelot’s Vow’ which for me always seemed to blow with the wind. Here it is simple, a moment of reflection and sedate music but as I listen my own thoughts crowd in and find some shadows. The weakness that forever cursed the knight.
‘Raubritterburg’ as a title left me stumped but I suspect not a good place to visit, a den of thieves ruled by a self styled lord? Something about the grey, cold and sparse notes welcome you to a still place. A slight, pervading hiss and crackle feels like the resting of age. The pace wary. It lightens a little as it goes but a layer of solitude and sadness remains over this place, a knocking or a hammering of nails unanswered.
‘I Will See You At The Riverbank’ feels so much like a bittersweet goodbye. Quite, careful words, moments of puse between the words, the notes, which blooms into the most tender of music, the last slow waltz perhaps to a tune only they can hear. ‘Your Departure’ is for good or ill, the decision made. Smooth, gentle but irresistible the rich synths float you away perhaps on some river tide. Strangely ‘Morte D’Arthur’ whispers to me, revolving many memories, till the hull looked one last dot against the the verge of daw.A ghost to conjour indeed…
‘Justice’ comes slow and quiet next. Considered and with a surprising grace. Perhaps that is what true justice should look like, not the one stained with vengeance. ‘Truth’ becomes more strident as it moves, the guitar adding that cutting edge, the drums martial. A building of speed to a canter beautifully led by the percussion. Is that truth? ‘Peace’ comes after truth, at least here. There is a strange edge to one of the synth sounds here. Perhaps peace needs time to settle in to heal the raw wounds that the previous presence of Justice and Truth have left…
See, I said I might end simply pausing song by song.
‘Holding Her Hand’ perhaps is the moment that peace has brought. It is a light dance, a curtsy and slow twirl and the lightest of smiles that can only exist when two people cannot see the people around, dancing only for each other. ‘Audentes Fortuna Iuvat’ adds more energy, almost a jig as bells tinkle and and instruments twirl. Perhaps it does indeed favour the brave….
‘Facetten’ is a curious interlude, a brief number of ponderings on love in voices with the rippling water and light of the music…
Which brings the arrival of ‘Agincourt’ a little surprising. Perhaps being English it conjures different images indeed… But on a light galloping melody the guitar arrives, a refrain which has an almost folky thread through it. It is a strident, insistent and the song struggles against it as though the lighter parts defend against its strength. There is an inevitable sadness to the music, for me, delicately handled even by the buzz edged guitar.. ‘The King’s Prayer’ following is crystallised in harsh vocals to music that steps like a medieval tale entering a courtly dance with the raw guitar. A tale in the lyrics of where image and legend drape silk over sadness and sin.
So ends the album, really. But there is still time for the unexpected. Anyone fancy a medieval dungeon synth cover of Bolt Thrower’s ‘World Eater’? It’s intriguing, and definitely different and a fun end to this album and highlights the adventurous spirit of the project.
The Divine Accolade are both curious and wonderful. The musicianship is so good as is the arrangement and composition. They can spin a tale and draw you in and make you experience the world they build. I do have to say that this is a slightly tough introduction to them in some ways; it is long and has that ‘anthology’ feel though a theme of love and decisions and emotions remembered when it is long past time to act on them (for me at least) runs through it. But perhaps like any anthology it is best to experience it slowly, at your own pace. I found places to stop and ponder, then came back to it and repeated that until finished. And then I began to explore it as a whole work and slowly it opened for me.
So take your time. Like a good book it will return the effort fourfold.
Gizmo
Walking The Liminal Space 