Search - Blood Axis :: Born Again

An infusion of fresh blood

Andreas Faust | Tasmanian Autonomous Zone | 06/19/2010

(4 out of 5 stars)

"With epic comeback albums from Blood Axis and Burzum, and a forthcoming one from Swans, it almost feels like we're back in the 90s again. 'Born Again' is the best thing Blood Axis have done and will stand the test of time far better than their early work, simply because it's more musical. Opener 'Song of the Comrade' is a warm, strong setting of the beautiful poem by Herybert Menzel adapted by Miguel Serrano for 'NOS: Book of the Resurrection'. Allerseelen already used this poem on 'Flamme' in the original German, but here it is in English set to a rousing chorus that could almost be the Dubliners or the Pogues. "If you fall, I'll fight on for the both of us..."



Highland pipes and other resonant instruments complement lyrics in Old English, Middle High German, and the modern varieties of those languages, with songwriting as inventive as it is captivating. Despite the sadness of some lyrics, the overall mood is inspiring and positive. The catchiest piece is 'Churning and Churning', with lyrics by Moynihan about keeping your head and staying focussed on the quest for wisdom, even in the most uninspiring surroundings. 'Erwachen in der Nacht' is a beautiful setting of a Hermann Hesse poem. 'The Path' is about climbing the steep road to the stars, with Annabel Lee's vocals sounding a bit like a folkish Julee Cruise.



The outro is from Orwell's '1984', and seems to mirror Moynihan's disillusionment with politics, implying that the only way to fight the system is by passing knowledge from individual to individual over time. Maybe so, I don't know. Whatever works. Great album, regardless."