Meister Mephisto
Encyclopedia
Meister Mephisto is the first full-length album by Norwegian
experimental
black
/thrash
band Sturmgeist
, the, then solo, project of Cornelius Jakhelln
. It was released on 24 January 2005. It is the 94th release by French record label, Season Of Mist
. A live drummer was originally planned to be involved with the recording, but Jakhelln wound up programming the drums instead, making Meister Mephisto the first time Jakhelln released an album that was an individual effort after being a professional musician since 1995. In an interview for Nocturnal Horde, Jakhelln stated that the music on the album was influenced by living for a month in Weimar
, Germany
. In a press release for Blabbermouth.net
Jakhelln stated "it is no coincidence if Meister Mephisto has Germanic culture as its scene and source. In support of the album, Jakhelln garnered support from various Norwegian musicians, including drummer, Asgeir Mickelson
of Borknagar
and Spiral Architect
fame, and went on a European tour with Season of Mist
label mates, Carpathian Forest
.
Farther on in the Nocturnal Horde interview, Jakhelln went on to describe briefly the lyrics and concepts between each track on the album:
"Ragnarok: A poem about the end of the world, from my poetry book "Yggdraliv".
Shock And Awe: A song about the invasion of Iraq
. It turned out in favour of the victims of the bombings when I wrote it, as I felt bad about the civilians involved. Still, the songs aim at capturing some of the tremor et stupor of such a massive military operation.
Erlkönig: One of Goethe's most famous ballads, sung and whispered in a dark forest ambience. A father rides with his young son through the forest, and the son is killed by an elf.
Army Of Odin (Hafrsfjord): Battle action from Hafrsfjord!
Master Hunter: A hymn to Jägermeister. I write about a giant cat in Schwarzwald, who hunts down hunters, and force-feed them Jägermeister!
Rattenfänger: This tells about the Rat Chaser, who seduces women and sing for gold!
Grimmer Than Ugly: A Western song, with epic landscapes and men who would kill for brandy or gold!
Walpurgisnacht: I love this song cycle. It talks about the pagan Druids celebrating the Night of Spring, with a mock attack on a Christian village. There is nothing more German on "Meister Mephisto" than these songs. "
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
experimental
Experimental music
Experimental music refers, in the English-language literature, to a compositional tradition which arose in the mid-20th century, applied particularly in North America to music composed in such a way that its outcome is unforeseeable. Its most famous and influential exponent was John Cage...
black
Black metal
Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, shrieked vocals, highly distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, blast beat drumming, raw recording, and unconventional song structure....
/thrash
Thrash metal
Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...
band Sturmgeist
Sturmgeist
Sturmgeist is an experimental black/thrash metal formed by Cornelius Jakhelln in 2002.-Beginnings:In 2002, Cornelius Jakhelln began working on a new band. The name chosen was Sturmgeist . The music was an experimental mix of black/thrash metal with lyrics sung in English, Norwegian, and German...
, the, then solo, project of Cornelius Jakhelln
Cornelius Jakhelln
Cornelius Jakhelln , also known as Cornelius von Jackhelln, is a Norwegian vocalist, guitarist, musician, writer and poet.-Musician:...
. It was released on 24 January 2005. It is the 94th release by French record label, Season Of Mist
Season of Mist
Season of Mist is a record label and record distributor with subsidiaries in France and the United States. The record label was founded in 1996 by Michael S. Berberian in Marseille, France. From the start releasing black metal, pagan metal and death metal records, the label moved on to releasing...
. A live drummer was originally planned to be involved with the recording, but Jakhelln wound up programming the drums instead, making Meister Mephisto the first time Jakhelln released an album that was an individual effort after being a professional musician since 1995. In an interview for Nocturnal Horde, Jakhelln stated that the music on the album was influenced by living for a month in Weimar
Weimar
Weimar is a city in Germany famous for its cultural heritage. It is located in the federal state of Thuringia , north of the Thüringer Wald, east of Erfurt, and southwest of Halle and Leipzig. Its current population is approximately 65,000. The oldest record of the city dates from the year 899...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. In a press release for Blabbermouth.net
Blabbermouth.net
Blabbermouth.net is a website dedicated to heavy metal and hard rock news, as well as album and music DVD reviews. Blabbermouth.net was founded and is run by Borivoj Krgin. The first version of the website was officially launched in March 2001...
Jakhelln stated "it is no coincidence if Meister Mephisto has Germanic culture as its scene and source. In support of the album, Jakhelln garnered support from various Norwegian musicians, including drummer, Asgeir Mickelson
Asgeir Mickelson
Asgeir Mickelson is a Norwegian musician, artist, photographer and music reviewer. Although primarily a drummer, Mickelson has stated that he considers himself a musician above a drummer, and is also a guitarist and bassist....
of Borknagar
Borknagar
Borknagar is a progressive black metal band from Bergen, Norway, founded in 1995 by Øystein Garnes Brun. The band's style combines folk metal and black metal with progressive and melodic elements...
and Spiral Architect
Spiral Architect
Spiral Architect is a Norwegian progressive metal band from Oslo, Norway. They have recorded one acclaimed demo and one album, A Sceptic's Universe, since they began in 1993, as well as a Fates Warning cover "A Prelude to Ruin" for the tribute album Through Different Eyes - A Tribute to Fates Warning...
fame, and went on a European tour with Season of Mist
Season of Mist
Season of Mist is a record label and record distributor with subsidiaries in France and the United States. The record label was founded in 1996 by Michael S. Berberian in Marseille, France. From the start releasing black metal, pagan metal and death metal records, the label moved on to releasing...
label mates, Carpathian Forest
Carpathian Forest
Carpathian Forest is a Norwegian black metal band formed by Nattefrost and Nordavind in 1990.-Biography:Carpathian Forest emerged with the demo tape "Bloodlust and Perversion" in 1992. In 1993 the band released a second demo: Journey Through the Cold Moors of Svarttjern...
.
Track listing
- "Ragnarok" – 3:50
- "Shock & Awe" – 4:15
- "Erlkönig" – 5:06
- "Army Of Odin (Hafrsfjord)" – 7:18
- "Master Hunter" – 4:31
- "Rattenfänger" – 8:13
- "Grimmer Than Ugly" – 4:48
- "Walpurgisnacht: 1. Satz — Die Flamme" – 3:25
- "Walpurgisnacht: 2. Satz — Meister Mephisto" – 4:36
Recording Line-Up
- Sturmgeist (Cornelius Jakhelln)Cornelius JakhellnCornelius Jakhelln , also known as Cornelius von Jackhelln, is a Norwegian vocalist, guitarist, musician, writer and poet.-Musician:...
(SolefaldSolefaldSolefald is a Norwegian avant-garde metal/black metal band that was formed by members Lars Are "Lazare" Nedland and Cornelius Jakhelln in August 1995, with Lars singing and playing keyboard/synthesizer/piano and drums, and Cornelius singing and playing guitar and bass. The meaning of the band's...
) - Propaganda voices, martial instruments, all science & technology. The music and lyrics of Meister Mephisto all composed, performed and written by Sturmgeist.
Lyrical notes
- "Ragnarok" poem adapted from the book Yggdraliv by Cornelius JakhellnCornelius JakhellnCornelius Jakhelln , also known as Cornelius von Jackhelln, is a Norwegian vocalist, guitarist, musician, writer and poet.-Musician:...
. - "Erlkönig", "Rattenfänger" and "Walpurgisnacht" poems written by Johann Wolfgang Goethe.
- "Harsfjord" written by Ivar AasenIvar AasenIvar Andreas Aasen was a Norwegian philologist, lexicographer, playwright and poet.-Background:...
, adapted from Hornklove's poem in the saga of Harald Hárfagre.
Farther on in the Nocturnal Horde interview, Jakhelln went on to describe briefly the lyrics and concepts between each track on the album:
"Ragnarok: A poem about the end of the world, from my poetry book "Yggdraliv".
Shock And Awe: A song about the invasion of Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
. It turned out in favour of the victims of the bombings when I wrote it, as I felt bad about the civilians involved. Still, the songs aim at capturing some of the tremor et stupor of such a massive military operation.
Erlkönig: One of Goethe's most famous ballads, sung and whispered in a dark forest ambience. A father rides with his young son through the forest, and the son is killed by an elf.
Army Of Odin (Hafrsfjord): Battle action from Hafrsfjord!
Master Hunter: A hymn to Jägermeister. I write about a giant cat in Schwarzwald, who hunts down hunters, and force-feed them Jägermeister!
Rattenfänger: This tells about the Rat Chaser, who seduces women and sing for gold!
Grimmer Than Ugly: A Western song, with epic landscapes and men who would kill for brandy or gold!
Walpurgisnacht: I love this song cycle. It talks about the pagan Druids celebrating the Night of Spring, with a mock attack on a Christian village. There is nothing more German on "Meister Mephisto" than these songs. "
Guest vocalists
- Fuchs (Die Apokalyptischen ReiterDie Apokalyptischen ReiterDie Apokalyptischen Reiter is a Weimar, Germany based heavy metal band signed to Nuclear Blast in Europe and The End Records in North America...
): on "Erlkönig", "Master Hunter" & "Rattenfänger". - LazareLars NedlandLars Are Nedland , known also as Lazare, from Kristiansand, Norway, is the vocalist, drummer and keyboardist for acclaimed avant-garde black metal band Solefald. He is also keyboardist for the progressive black metal act Borknagar...
(SolefaldSolefaldSolefald is a Norwegian avant-garde metal/black metal band that was formed by members Lars Are "Lazare" Nedland and Cornelius Jakhelln in August 1995, with Lars singing and playing keyboard/synthesizer/piano and drums, and Cornelius singing and playing guitar and bass. The meaning of the band's...
, ÁsmeginÁsmeginÁsmegin is a Norwegian folk/viking metal band formed in 1998. The name comes from Old Norse and means "by the might of the gods". Ásmegin's lyrics are written in Norwegian as well as some in Old Norse and older Norwegian...
, Age Of SilenceAge Of SilenceAge of Silence is a Norwegian avant-garde progressive metal band formed in 2004 by Andy Winter of Winds.-Current members:* Lars Are "Lazare" Nedland - Vocals...
, BorknagarBorknagarBorknagar is a progressive black metal band from Bergen, Norway, founded in 1995 by Øystein Garnes Brun. The band's style combines folk metal and black metal with progressive and melodic elements...
, ex-Carpathian ForestCarpathian ForestCarpathian Forest is a Norwegian black metal band formed by Nattefrost and Nordavind in 1990.-Biography:Carpathian Forest emerged with the demo tape "Bloodlust and Perversion" in 1992. In 1993 the band released a second demo: Journey Through the Cold Moors of Svarttjern...
): on "Ragnarok", "Shock and Awe" & "Army Of Odin (Harsfjord)".
External links
- Official record label album page
- Official band page
- Discogs.com album page
- [ Allmusic album page]