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NESP Reviews

Ostara

by Michael Cunningham

" You miserable, uneducated half-men. You're not at all what we fought for...". So utters a Roman general at the opening of Operation Valkrie, addressing his Germanic captor who offers the general the flames of despair and the passing glory they consume in return for his life which he accepts despite his contempt. The vehicle of Ostara's music then drifts to us through the fog of Europe, the great mother of the grave. At times one may glimpse a spear held aloft, carried in deceitful fists until it is driven into the tragic sons of her soil and their blood that weeps with iron tears. In this work Ostara has created a melodic and beautifully tragic parchment which is soaked in Europe's restless soil. Acoustic and sweeping sounds swirl above the churning cyclic sea of death and rebirth as it rises and floods Europe with strife and struggle before the fall that brought her crashing down in acrid glory towards an impending Ragnarok and the open maw of Fenris, in who's eye one may gaze, fleetingly, at the distant memories of the polar Hyperborean throne drowned in the tidal myths that now conceal it's light. Operation Valkrie provides an informed and textured vision for the listener, strengthened by driving vocals this is a stunning work and is deserving of repeated listenings of the broken glories it envisages. This work rewards on every play and certainly lights the path for Ostara within the rising heathen halls of Midgardr.

Ostara's forthcoming album: Secret Homeland will be available from http://www.worldserpent.com at the end of February. Richard Leviathan and Timothy Jenn may be contacted at osterraed@netscape.net

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