Cygnus Rock Band - Yggdrasil (album review)

"Yggdrasil" is Cygnus Rock Band's very first Viking album. It was released after a major swift in their musical style, when their original, melodic pop/rock music changed into something much heavier, more serious and complex.

Allow me, dear Reader, to be very honest with you right at the beginning. I love Cygnus's original music, too. Really. A lot. Same high-quality, rich melodies, tangible dedication, talent and creativity like today, just those songs are upbeat, melodic, radio-friendly and the lyrics are generally about the lighter side of life. Their lead singer was Jota at that time, with Deneb and Ruxx doing mostly backing vocals, with only occasional lead singing. And yes, I listen to these songs every now and then.

Yes, I have them. Not all of them, but a nice amount of them. The truth is, sometimes I had to dig to the depths of the internet to find them. Sometimes I had to use some tricks to have them saved, but what can prevent a fan with Gollum's mentality to grab The Precious?...

Of course I won't tell where I found them 😒 It's mine, my own, my precious. You also go nicely to hunt in the depths of the Misty Mountains and tell the answers to the riddles, if you want any.

My own thought is that it's always a very courageous act from a band to change their musical style, regardless of what kind of a change it is. Fans turn their back to the band (sometimes a few, sometimes a lot), the arrival of new fans is always unsure - and even that's also unsure how long the newcomers might stay - and starting it all over, finding their own path within the new style. Not many bands have the courage to do it, you can see too many bands turning into their own parody by not being able to renew themselves.

Cygnus could do this, too.

Have I mentioned how I love them?

Yggdrasil was originally released on 10th January, 2019.

Yggdrasil's artwork

(source: Facebook/cygnusrockband)

It's not only the style change that makes this album special, but also the fact that it's a so-called concept album.

I'm not sure how many of you remember concept albums from the times bands released actual - even physical - albums. I loved and still love the idea that the songs of the album are built around a certain subject or have a certain storyline. It needs a lot of focus, determination and creativity. Definitely something I dearly miss from most of today's albums (that are released at all instead of songs only). Some of the most famous concept albums are "The Wall" by Pink Floyd, "The Crimson Idol" by W.A.S.P., "Operation: Mindcrime" by Queensrÿche, or "Metropolis, Pt. 2.: Scenes from a Memory" by Dream Theater. A really illustrious company, I have to say.

What is more, being an old-fashioned music listener who grew up on vinyls and (mostly) cassettes, I even dare to say this album has a so-called "A side" and "B side".

I explain it to you, dear Reader.

Of course it's only my conception. Feel free to argue with me and tell me your thoughts. None of these below are carved in stone and I'll be more than happy to hear your version.

For me, my ears (and heart) the "A side" of the album consists of the first 5 songs. Very interesting, this album - probably being the pathfinder one in the band's new style - has no overture. Skål, the album's opening song in my opinion is much more than it seems at first.

Again I deliberately won't use cheap indicative words, because it goes against my morals.

Being seemingly a [CENSORED INDICATIVE] song, in fact it represents the last gathering of the warriors before they depart for the battle. Eating and drinking together, some of them for the last time. They encourage each other, but the warrior as he's accepting his own fate appears beautifully in the prayer at the end of the song.

The second song The Great Heathen Army is based on the legend of a coalition of Scandinavian warriors that raided England in 855 A.D. A fast, galloping war song with a very interesting theme to give strength and courage to the warriors heading to the battle. Then in the next song we are already in the battlefield with all the Berserkers, the legendary warriors that are, as the traditions say, "touched by Odin's wrath" and fight tirelessly in a trance-like state. Another very interesting song with a unique theme and a one-of-a-kind chorus.

The sun is setting, corpses cover the battlefield, the soil is blood-soaked, those that are still alive gather together in the camp. Winter's Night is a ballad full of poetry about the night that follows the combat. Sung by Deneb it's a beautiful contrast to the previous, heavy and galloping songs.

And very interestingly it's followed by another ballad. Death of a Viking Warrior pictures the saddest part of the battle. The warriors say their last goodbye to their fallen brothers-in-arms.

This is one of the most beautiful ballads of Cygnus. Deep, full of emotions and wonderfully built-up. No wonder it got an old Norse version on Fire and Tales.

Here ends the "A side" of the album, the story of a Norse battle. With Dreams of Adventure starts the "B side", bringing the happy and exciting side of life of Norsemen for the listener. The theme of this song is tangibly easier, with a lot of folk instruments, the heavy, strict and sometimes gloomy atmosphere of the A side disappears. The Vikings are ready for adventure as soon as fresh winds blow. And there they are, out on raid in A Viking We Shall Go

one of my personal favorites ever

a beautiful, heart-warming song that kicks the depression out of the listener with the two powerful male voices and the tiple.

It is followed by Gästabud, an instrumental track that keeps the heartfelt, sweet atmosphere of the previous song. Playful, rich, a warm hug before we slip into the last song, the monumental, full-of-gems title song Yggdrasil. This is the only mythological song on the album

keep in mind that this is the band's first album with their new musical style!

and here appears not only the creation legend of Scandinavian mythology, not only those stories are mentioned that have anything to do with the Tree of Life of Norse folklore but there's a hidden gem at the end which I will reveal only in the song's review.

Allow me a few additional thoughts at the end of this summary review, dear Reader. This album without a doubt a fantastic venture from Cygnus and they deserve every respect to make this huge leap in their music career. This album - for me - is a pathfinder album (as I perhaps mentioned above), but the pathfinder album of some very talented and experienced musicians who had been working together for years when they recorded these songs. It does carry the typical marks of a "first album"

because it's a first album after all, regardless of how many albums Cygnus had released previously

with being sometimes a bit raw and rough here and there, but definitely with a vision, with ideas and with a brand-new conception, both musically and lyrics-wise. And as it has been proven ever since, now with 5 Viking-themed folk metal albums, it was absolutely worth to do it.

Yggdrasil on Spotify:

Yggdrasil as a Youtube-playlist: