Mars - The Dark River (Ger), Digipack CD

DIGIPAK

The Album

“A river rolls eastward through valleys of pus, mud and swords, called Slidur.” So it says in the collection of Nordic myths, the ‘Edda’. 'The Dark River', the new and third album by the German band MARS, is named after this dark river, which also cuts its way through our present day. Myth is everything in MARS' work, chiseled into sound by martial drums, accentuated guitars and fatalistic vocals. In the dichotomy between a war-torn present and the pagan spirituality that flows towards us from forests and myths, the musical duo unfolds a dark and atmospheric, sometimes angry and sometimes melancholy world of sound, a series of often strikingly direct songs that do not shy away from looking into the abyss. 'The Dark River' also features the unmistakable recitative voice of Erin Powell of American ritual-band AWEN.

The band

Named after the Roman god of war, German apocalytic folk duo MARS have developed an unmistakable, powerful and archaic sound since their formation in 2011, which is documented on three key albums: 'Blood is the Food of the Gods' (2014), 'The Seeker' (2017) and 'The Dark River' (2024). Always inspired by mythical, spiritual and pagan motifs, the two musicians mix acoustic guitar, percussion, exotic instruments, noisy elements and two vocals in a way that is unique in the dark underground. Undoubtedly indebted to the British apocalyptic folk of the 1990s, we also find elements of occult and shamanic ritual music, Americana folk, as well as occasional doom and black metal riffs. It will come as no surprise that Marcus S. previously founded the band :Golgatha: (2005-2012, Athanor/Cold Meat Industry/Trisol), while Oliver F. also runs his atmospheric black metal project Vinur (also on ZaZen Sounds). With MARS, they have been performing regularly at festivals (NCN, Schwarzer Herbst, Summer Darkness) since 2012 and have shared the stage with scene greats such as King Dude, Of the Wand and the Moon, Spiritual Front, Sol Invictus, and Rome.

Tracklist

1. Odhinn
2. The Dark River
3. Conquerors
4. Frozen Embrace
5. All is One
6. I am the Wolf (Mark Lanagan) feat. Erin Powell / AWEN
7. Ghosts at the Crossroads
8. The Iron Rose
9. Fire to Flames
10. Odhinn at Slidur
11. Don’t You Ever Feel (Bonustrack)



GPSR
Zazen Sounds
Nick Mavres
50 Mpizaniou Str.
12131 Peristeri/Athens
Greece

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