Published on Oct 14, 2002
As the Pagan population in the United States and worldwide has
grown over the last twenty years, so too has the obvious corollary;
Pagan music. Similar in some ways to Christian contemporary music,
a great number of artists have produced rock or pop music with
Pagan or Wiccan themes. Unfortunately, it has often suffered from
the same problem that CCM has had; in a nutshell, a lot of it
sucks. Too often, faith has been used as an excuse to put out badly
performed, written, or produced music.
Isn’t it nice to discover the exceptions? I’ve found a big one
in the latest CD from Atlanta-based Emerald Rose,
Fire In The Head.
Frankly, Emerald Rose rocks. The band (a standard four-piece of
two guitars, bass, and drums, with a few arcane instrumental adds
like bodhran and pennywhistle) is talented; they remind me a lot of
Tempest, but where Tempest has occasionally sounded stilted or
forced, Emerald Rose is relaxed, quick, and spontaneous.
Even more surprising, this is a live CD that sounds good.
Longtime DV readers know my feelings about live CDs in general;
most of them are poorly recorded and the sound quality suffers.
Fire In The Head, however, was tightly miked, well-mixed,
and smoothly recorded, but still has the immanence of a live
recording, with real crowd noise and audience banter. This
well-produced, eminently listenable CD is a great introduction to
Emerald Rose’s sound.
Special credits have to go to a few tracks. The
ZZ-Top-meets-the-Mabiginion “Chicken Raid of Cymru” has to be heard
to be believed. “Summerland” and “Freya, Shakti” are two of the
greatest Pagan hymns — yes, I’ll use that word — I’ve ever heard,
and I intend to use them in ritual as soon as I can find the right
moment in the Wheel. “Vampire Girl From Orn” is funny as Hel, and
has been getting justified airplay on the “Dr Demento” show.
Finally, Emerald Rose’s version of “A Pict Song” is chilling and
gorgeous. We should all send copies to John Ashcroft and keep him
from sleeping at night.
Fire In The Head is a wonderful piece of work from one of
the best Pagan bands out there. It captures their talent and energy
perfectly, and should not be missed.