ASK EMBLA "Question Asked" / Fluttering Dragon 016



FLUXEUROPA

Norwegian Ask Embla's debut album uses mournful goth rock vocals, dark-metal-inclined guitar and a hint of industrial. With good melodies and plenty of variation in both the female vocals (Eivor Raudstein) and in the guitars, bass and programming (Zorkham Outré), this is goth rock the way it ought to be. 'Nothing is Everything' is a little weak, but most of the rest is strong enough, especially 'Not Pleased'. The duo is named after Ask (Ash) and Embla (Elm), the the prototypical man and woman from the Nordic creation myth. Fluttering Dragon is a growing Polish label which has issued recordings by Ildfrost, Puissance and Ontario Blue.

[RIK - 22 August 2001]



RECYCLEYOUREARS

Ok, once again from Fluttering Dragon comes a band about which I have absolutely zero information, except that it is a duo. So, well, I don't even know if this is the first album for Ask Embla, but I have never heard of them anywhere, and I couldn't say where they come from. Ask Embla plays what I would definitely call metal, and what would be probably defined as gothic metal by lots of people. The guitar is the main instrument on this disc, along with a dark and melancholic female voice. Sometimes slow ("Always Looked Good On Paper, Always Sounded Good In Theory") sometimes more epic ("Still waiting"), Ask Embla offers a wide range of songs made of this typical electric guitar, a background drum-machine (sometimes quite well programmed, for example on "Dream") and the always present singing. The general sound is not too heavy, and the singing is "clear" (no screaming), which makes this album sounds gothier than the rest of the "harsh guitar+female voice" things I have heard before. Generally speaking, I think this could be compard to The Third And The Mortal, which is in my opinion of the only essential band in this style. Short and compact, this album has nice tracks, like "Still waiting", and, even though it could benefit from a better production, is is not unpleasant. It's been a long time I have not listened to this kind of music, and I don't feel really competent to speak about this "Questions asked", but I guess it can appeal to any fan of gothic rock. The metal touch is present, but not too heavy, and the voice of the girl is sometimes quite nice. All in all, this might not be really my cup of tea, but it still sounds better than the average for the genre, and people interested in this kind of music should check this by themselves.

[Nicolas, July 5th, 2001]


DARKER THAN THE BAT

Questions asked is the debut CD by this Norwegian band. It combines beautiful and mournful vocals of Eivor M. Raudstein with genuine gothic seasoned with pinch of industrial. On this tuneful album, full of space and romantic you will find a gothic metal sound with some slight electro influences. Their style is unique and it is hard to compare them to another band. Still, people who like Sanguis Et Cinis and L'Ame Immortelle will certainly be able to appreciate Ask Embla. Some songs are more melodic than others, others have more heavy guitars, others are more peaceful, but they all deserve attention. This duo brings a new wind in the gothic scene. Some good tracks are Into The Day and the instrumental, and another. Reject.



THE DARK SITE (6/10)

Der strapazierte Begriff Gothic könnte auch im Falle der Norweger Aks Embla zur groben Beschreibung der musikalischen Ausrichtung herangezogen werden. Grob wohlgemerkt, denn aufgrund dieser Schublade sollte man sich nicht dazu verleiten lassen, Goth Größen, wie die Sisters oder Fields, nun gedanklich als Referenz einzublenden, denn aufgrund der überwiegend elektronischen Klangerzeugung fehlt der Musik das Organische. Neben der musikalischen Basis, ist es die mitschwingende Melancholie, die auf dem Album "Questions Asked" als größte Gemeinsamkeit zu vorhergehendem Genre genannt werden kann. Ask Embla scheuen auf ihrem Debüt allerdings nicht davor, ihr Klangbild, durch Anleihen aus dem Bereich des Elektro, zu erweitern. Dies verhilft dem schwermütig, melancholischen Grundtenor des Albums zu phasenhafter Vitalität, in denen betäubende Trauer und dynamische Zerrissenheit sich gegeneinander aufbäumen. Womit ich mich allerdings nicht wirklich anfreunden kann, ist der Gesang von Eivor M. Raudstein. Die Bemühungen um eine, der jeweiligen Stimmung entsprechende, stimmliche Begeleitung schlagen manchmal leider in ein, lapidar ausgedrückt, jammerndes Genöle um. Insgesamt gesehen, ein interessantes Debüt, das durch die Vermischung von Gothic und Elektro Elementen durchaus Eigenständigkeit beweißt, aber gerade durch den Klang der Stimme wieder einiges an Atmosphäre kompensiert.

[Peth / 13.05.2001]

HEIMDALLR

Encore une formation venue du Nord, de Norvège plus précisément. On retrouve les guitares métal parmi ces morceaux gothiques, planant et aérien. Il est difficile de parler d'un album dont peu de chose accroche l'oreille, si ce n'est cette atmosphère éthérée portée par une voix féminine proche de Xmal Deutschland, mais en pire. Je n'y ai trouvé qu'une certaine lassitude à écouter cet album peu convaincant et maladroit. Certes certains passages de guitares électriques sont de bonne facture (Savn til Eaivor), mais le tout représente les clichés les plus poussifs de la musique gothique. Les afficionados de cette musique adoreront là où je ne fais que soupirer. Il est loin le fameux temps où gothique rimait avec Bauhaus ou Virgin Prunes. Deux titres sortent du lot, le très calme "Not Pleased", proche de Sorrow au début, et le surprenant et excellent "Dream", qui clôt l'album, avec sa guitare acoustique et sa voix d'elfe, en ersatz de Liz Fraser. Si seulement ils pouvaient continuer dans cette voie, ils ont tout à y gagner. Un album d'une irrégularité impressionnante, comprenant tout de même trois bons morceaux, à mon humble avis ....

[Stéphane F. - Mai 2001]

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