Steinklang Rec. 
Sangre Cavallum : Pátria Granítica (PT,2006)***
The booklet shows impressive photographs of an ancient granite site in the North of Portugal, in Galiza (=Gallaecia/Callaecia/Galicia). The group is very concerned in respecting the place and origins where one is born, and here refers to this stone site. In general, the group tries to discover the old traditions through rediscovering and rebuilding old instruments, searching for what story these instruments have to tell, simply by playing and improvising with them. It is not only the place that is respected, rediscovered and renewed, the actual moment of birth, now, confirms the renewal that has to be taken place. It is the actual experience that is able to renew and give life to everything. Old Callaecia had definitely pagan relations, where the people were living close to the nature with also its constant struggle, also against environmental change. Going back to that pagan energy means also in music experiencing circular movements and ritualistic power. This nature and struggle related movement but also the bonds with nature were broken by the advent of Christianity. The renewal of the group making revivals in music, in this age, should keep some of the consciousness of how this new age (influenced by Christianity) could see things on a distant well and this way is able to renew itself more quickly and fundamentally. By simply returning to the past, that sound on its own, is like a darker gothic symphony which firstly lingers here and there, while pipes, stringed instruments, improvisation and song inspiration are like the pagan based revival fundament, the experience, while the also present electric (call it folkrock) part, stands for the struggles that have started anew, in the context of now.
Acoustic instruments used are Portuguese traditional guitars like amarantina, braguesa and beiroa, psalters, lyres, mandola, alpine zithers, epinette de Vosges, violin, harp, tricordino, melodica, accordion, melodica, Galicean bagpipe, bagpipe of Miranda do Douro, säckpipa, chanters, wooden flutes, tin-whistles, psaltery, biaxo, ebow, rattle, melodic accordion, and stones, besides electric mandolin, organs and analogue synthesizers.
The result is a kind of folkrock with pagan-associations, with mini-symphony details of keyboards and many other instruments.
