Cygnus Rock Band - Eldr ok sögu (Fire and Tales)

If you regularly follow this blog's post, you already found out that overtures are my secret favorite tracks of every Cygnus-album.

First of all, I find it a unique, very creative idea that a rock/metal album has got an actual, symphonic overture, just like in classical pieces. It's not only elegant and noble but for me personally it's a chance to have an insight into the creating mind of the composer

if you (still) don't know who the composer of these overtures is, then Cygnus is definitely not for you; with all due respect I would like to suggest you to watch Nu, pogodi! instead.

as he takes me (and every other listener with open ears and heart) by the hand and he doesn't just reveal some of the major beauties of the album, but he hides little gems here and there even in this song.

As always, these gems won't show themselves right there, immediately. It's not their nature. They are there and they can't wait for the listener to find them, but it's up to you, your heart, mind and ears to discover each and every one of them. You won't have any road signs either; you have only your heart and your trust in the Composer.

Believe me, these two are enough. 💓

The other reason why I love these ovetures is because I know that for many of you out there it's the first time you hear about them.

You, dear average and less-than-average listeners, for whom music is mostly just an emotional support background noise and who keep listening to the same 20 songs for your entire life 

and these max. 20 songs are mostly from 2, in better cases 3 performers

and while being ignorant and rejective for any music other than these max. 20 songs you still have the audacity to criticize and tell off bands that are out of your comfort zone without giving an actual listen to them

this is your once-in-a-lifetime chance to get rid of the rust on your heart and the mummified earwax in your auditory meatuses. You got here an opportunity to take a deep breath, to learn something new, to widen your worldview, to find out how beautiful, complex and exciting the world around you is; and you don't even have to do anything but reaching out, because these two wonderful Colombians are giving it all to you, generously, freely, right into your hands.

Prove me that you're not hopeless. Please.

Well... if you expect me to enlighten you here about overtures, what they are and why there's one on this album, and what they are about, you'll be disappointed. I won't enlighten you. Take the energy and educate yourself, if you were too lazy at school to pay attention at music classes. The technology is right there, in your hand, google it and read about it.

I know I'm naive to suppose that you can understand a longer informative text when you have serious problems even with a compound sentence of more than 5 words, but hope dies last.

And if you still don't get the reason why, then here's the answer.

Because these Colombian rockers invested a LOT of work, time and energy to create this overture; what is more, they invested a lot, really a lot of time, energy, work, creativity, care, love, hope, art and beauty to create 5 Viking albums so far, with the mere motivation to make this world a better place and to prove that there's still some beauty in this world that is worth fighting for.

And they're worth a million times more than your obnoxious, tactless and rude comments 😒

And then there's this reason why I love overtures this much. As I mentioned earlier, for me they are an endless guessing game that comes from the nature of overtures. First you find out the order of the songs, then you can discover what kind of instruments these songs were re-arranged into; how the creative mind changed their tempo, how the symphonic instruments express what was originally built and designed for electric ones. And you can't help but stare in awe at those gentle, caring hands that put these instruments all together, in one whole, beautiful piece. 

What makes "Eldr ok sögu" especially important is that this is the first time Cygnus had an actual, symphonic overture on a Viking album. "Yggdrasil" starts right with a war song, without any introduction; for "Fire and Tales" Ruxx and Deneb decided to give their songs an opening. And being the first overture of this kind (followed by many on their upcoming albums) this overture is played by an actual chamber orchestra.

If you keep your ears open, you'll hear only the strings (and some humble percussions in the background, played by Ruxx). This is the same little orchestra they worked together in many of their cover songs with as well. And what else could be more tasteful, dignified and classic than having a real orchestra playing the overture for your metal album?

Because they are so cool that they can do this, too. 😎

One of the many reasons why I love them.

Give it a listen.

No.

Give a hundred listens. A thousand. And even more.

Open your ears, open your heart. Don't be scared of the world around you. Trust in these musicians. They want to give you a wonderful gift. Reach out. Take it. It's yours. It'll make miracles to you.

Really.