Review: GOLFARON – Odwieczna pieśń lasu

Year: 2021
Label: Werewolf Promotion / Stronghold Music
Rating: 7 / 10

The Polish formation GOLFARON existed for about 3 years, publishing two releases at the millennium pass. Among its members are the musicians of the boring band OLD LESHY and mighty SUNWHEEL. This compilation includes both the promo "Posród prastarych kniei" (1999) and the demo” Odwieczna pieśń lasu" (2000). After listening to everything, I can officially declare: these are probably the last recordings with the authentic spirit and sound of Old Poland, that is, the Temple of Fullmoon and Dąb I Orzeł.

The music on ”Odwieczna pieśń lasu" mostly resembles demo era of NORTH. The band often strives to play fast and intensely, actively using acoustic interludes, but does it very clumsy. Especially the drummer, who plays his beats all over the place and rarely keeps a constant rhythm for more than 2 seconds. NORTH is also referred to by the graphic design of the demo tapes, which can be viewed in the booklet (and it was Sirkis himself who worked on it). The slow tracks sound much better. Everything is played quite smoothly in them, there is a strong winter atmosphere, sometimes there is even a bit of epicness in the vein of HADES. Of course, the songs also contain clear-voiced recitations, without which no traditional Polish album simply has the right to exist. The general mood of the music is rather gloomy, but it has an ancient pagan spirit. Unfortunately, almost all Polish groups striving to continue the TTF and D&O business today have completely lost it, having descended into the same malicious tremulous nonsense, which does not convey the ideas inherent in the material at all.

A distinctive feature of “Odwieczna pieśń lasu” are very mature, almost symphonic keyboard parts. Compared to the synth madness of GRAVELAND and VELES, they sound almost academic, but it's good. The famous Jacek Melnicki, who took part in GOETIA, DARK FURY, KATAXU, SALTUS, THUNDERBOLT, VENEDAE, CEDAMUS and a dozen other different bands, was responsible for the keys and sound on the demo. Jacek does not abuse the keys, and they always sound good, closing the gaps where the guitar doesn't give everything it got. He also worked very well on the sound. In addition, another great synth master added his touch to the demo: Wojnar himself, who wrote and performed the powerful track "...z pomrocza naszych dziejów".

The promo ”Posród prastarych kniei" sounds much worse from a technical point of view, but, paradoxically, a little better from a musical point of view. Obviously, GOLFARON's skills were even lower in 1999, but the group was aware of this and did not immediately try to create something big (although the goals were more or less the same). Therefore, all the material here is purely guitar-drum, very primitive, and in places resembles a radical pagan version of the oldest samples of black metal: BATHORY, the first demos of the Norwegians, forefathers like HELLER and KAT. Plus acoustics and rustic solos. The songs are mostly unhurried, softer than the material from 2000, which is good for them.

As a compilation, "Odwieczna pieśń lasu" turned out to be a pretty strong release for those who understand what we are talking about here. It's nice that in GOLFARON's music, unlike with most bands that claim to be inspired by the old TTF and D&O bands, you don't need to search for the influence of these bands under the miscroscope. Everything is on the surface. And although GOLFARON were far from masters in terms of playing, a real pagan flame burned in their souls.

The CD "Odwieczna pieśń lasu" has a 4-page booklet containing scans of the covers, old photographs and all the necessary information about both recordings. Details on a video.