Vladimir Pavelka – Spomienky Review

Sometimes I may be redundant, but there are things I do like to stress and one of them is that years ago this kind of album wouldn’t happen in the Metal Music world. I’m sure of that. Positive. No chance an album like this one be recorded in the 1980s or early 1990s. It’s not because the album is instrumental. No, it’s not it. There’s been instrumental albums in Metal Music for a long time. It’s the kind of instrumental that “Spomienky” deal. By the the way, the name of the album fits perfectly with the music inside it – spomienky means memories. Vladimir Pavelka is Cult of Fire mastemind who decided to give a musical form to his childhood memories which, by the way, must have been full of nostalgia, joy and some sorrow and sadness. If the album follows his growing ages I guess happiness and joy went into his life in the end of his childhood. That’s what he tells here in the form of a solo album.

“Ràna (Mornings)” opens up the album with some pitoresque nature sounds of birds, kittens and other animals. Though many fans aren’t aware of that, there’s a new tendency in Black Metal that aligns with the sounds of nature and is enviromentalist writing songs that deal with some conservation issues and causes. It’s the case here, just a reminder. From then on the album acquires a more joyfull mood with “Detské hry (Children’s games)”. Musicwise, the album goes adding more Metal elements in its melting pot leaving the muzak behind to reach the top at “Stáčanie medu (Honey extraction)”.

The general mood in “Spomienky” is the nostalgia followed by some sorrow and sadness. The music here is a little muzak with all the elements that are part of the so-called soft music that can be played everywhere without disturbing the peace. As I said before, this kind of album wouldn’t be possible years ago because Metal Music wouldn’t allow this kind of influence. On its own way, Metal has been characterized as the disturbing music itself. And that’s the essence of it. However, is the music here bad? No, not at all. Just different from we metalheads are used to.

“Spomienky” is an album that might change some minds.

Vladimir Pavelka “Spomienky” was released on February 26th via Beyond Eyes.

Track Listing:

  1. Rána (Mornings)
  2. Detské hry (Children’s games)
  3. Dedov vodný mlyn (Grandpa’s watermill)
  4. Kostolník (The Creek Kostolník)
  5. Poobedný odpočinok (Afternoon rest)
  6. Túra na Čachtický hrad (Hike to Čachtice Castle)
  7. Výhľad do okolia (Views of surroundings)
  8. Stáčanie medu (Honey extraction)

Watch “Túra na Čachtický hrad (Hike to Čachtice Castle)” official music video here.

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