This double album begins with ATARAXIA I did only know from some sampler contributions until now. Therefore as well as for AUTUNNA ET SA ROSE I cannot compare between original and special acoustic version. Nevertheless ATARAXIA provide the perfect sound background for melancholic autumn days, as their compositions with classic guitar, piano, flute and sparsely used percussion in combination with the classic female vocals in spite of the minimalist sound arrangements can convey subliminal a lot of gloom. Female vocalist Franceska Nicoli possesses an extreme singing volume and raises her voice in Faust in una Sala Maledetta to a scream-like rage. Beside the just mentioned song all other arrangements are rather in a slower, nearly dreamy pace. All in all the performance appears to be of one piece; especially Bonthrop goes straight to ear, with songs of the up to now publications containing a few titles, which cannot be bought anymore.
The music of AUTUNNA ET SA ROSE is not schmoozing the audience as easy as ATARAXIAS, as they are strained with recitatives and in impressionistic regions advancing piano solos (Gentiane Percluse), which is nonetheless interesting but hard to digest for untrained ears. AUTUNNA ET SA ROSE cast is a little bit different with piano and cello and the vocals are clearly reduced, but can convince with a great expressive and strong voice that I feared for the wine glasses in my glass cabinet.
Odos Eis Ouranon – La Via Verso Il Cielo is reduced to 2000 copies out as a digipack and should satisfy any friend of modern acoustic arrangements as well as fans of both bands. But regarding AUTUNNA ET SA ROSE, you should not fear classical arrangements and the corresponding demanding sound structures. I think that’s a very interesting publication and of course a very good promotion to buy tickets for a gig of both bands.