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CD REVIEW: Agnus Dei – Merlyn
By Ben Ohmart - 07/20/2002 - 01:23 PM EDT

Artist: Band: Agnus Dei
Album: Merlyn
CD Review: I listened to and reviewed Agnus Dei’s 'Lemuria' the other day, but I must admit I didn’t find it nearly as pleasing as Merlyn. Sometimes I like to give the benefit of the doubt to a cd or new artist: telling the truth without damning them, because the one thing you don’t need early on in a career is a bad review. You need the Truth, but you don’t need to be mean and you don’t need to hurt sales needlessly, without thinking. You need to tell people in a Nice way that it stinks, or email them privately. There. That’s my first lesson in how to be an underpaid reviewer.

But I really don’t have to hold back with my comments for this delightful release. If you like Rick Wakeman, you’ll at least like Agnus Dei’s mode of piano instrumentals, helped on by a goodly amount of synth that never tries to sound like what it ain’t.

When I hear ‘Merlyns Wanderschaft’ and ‘Sternentraume’ I really am taken into Wakeman’s court of stylish, tuneful new age music, whipped up by a glowing theme of old, deftly managed by keyboards that can transcend time and place. Granted, you must Like the sub-genre first to appreciate it fully. But if you are into Vangelis, David Lanz and the rest of them, you’ll find a welcome retreat in this story.

Gerald Krampl’s music is formed around the lyrics (printed in the cd booklet) by his wife Hilde. Translated from the German (they are from Austria, ya know), these poems are simple yet elegant and fitting to the music, or vice versa. None are sung. They don’t need to be. They are guiding, and thoughtful, and a welcome edition as we are all guided into the realm of Merlyn – The Return of the Magician.

www.indigomusic.at


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