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ANGLAGARD is probably the first band of the Nineties to have become a legend of Progressive rock, and to have been considered at the same level as the Seventies giants. And this didn’t happen by chance ! It’s probably one of the best Swedish bands, and constitutes a dark counterpart to the resolutely optimistic THE FLOWER KINGS. Now mythical, this line-up unfortunately split-up, because the musicians thought they had said everything they had to say musically speaking. Its fast-track career was however built “Only” on two incredible albums (“Hybris” in 1993 and “Epilog” the following year) and some memorable tours. We’ll just mention two simply huge stage performances at the 1993 and 1994 editions of the most famous modern festival dedicated to this forgotten style, the Los Angeles ProgFest. “Buried Alive” is an album that was issued after the split-up and that consists of the almost complete show there, (About) one hour fifteen minutes of 100% instrumental and breathtaking music ! Let’s just say that the audience could feel privileged to witness such a memorable moment… And this shows on the album ! The art of ANGLAGARD can be characterized by a touch of GENESIS-like arpeggios, YES-like virtuosity, some soft flute melodies, a few bits of local folk, sudden Mellotron apparitions and unexpected, violent KING CRIMSON-like moments (Always beautifully controlled and performed). All of this also shows a paradoxically well defined personality mainly due to its quite Scandinavian and immediately recognizable melancholy. Add to this a perfect, not at all show-off musical interpretation that is subservient to the compositional skills and you can get the picture. The compositions themselves develop mostly with instrumental tracks that include sudden but always melodical rhythm changes. If ANGLAGARD had appeared twenty years ago, we could think that they could be equals to the bands that they acknowledge as influences: first KING CRIMSON, but also GENESIS and YES. How strange ! It’s then not surprising that those six musicians have now managed to influence a lot of other groups such as their compatriots ANEKDOTEN, LANDBERK, BOOK OF HOURS and SINKADUS (But also DEADWOOD FOREST in the United States of America and NeBeLNeST in France). You should then (Re)-discover the only available live album by ANGLAGARD: it will probably blow up your pre-conceived values about Progressive rock !... You were dreaming of a comeback ? Stop dreaming… ANGLAGARD did it !!! After more than eight years apart, the musicians have got together again. The event of a decade ? It could well be… After performing on Northern American and European stages, after having triumphed everywhere they played, after having survived the collective hysteria with a remarkable humility, they are now about to issue their third studio album… And to be able to wait for it patiently, they give us reissues of “Hybris” and “Epilog” in a Digipack format, on their own Exergy Records label. Those collectors tracks had been unavailable for years ! What else can we add…
