Country of origin:Switzerland
Location:Geneva
Status:Active

Formed in:2016
Genre:Epic/Atmospheric Folk/Black Metal
Lyrical themes:Nature, Fantasy
Current label:Northern Silence Productions
Years active:2016-present

DISCOGRAPHY

A Gift for Nature Single 2017
Nature Stays Silent Full-length 2018
The Last Rain Full-length 2019

current line up

Dylan Watson Drums (2016-present)
See also: AM:PM, Kassogtha, ex-Kaatarakt, ex-Deus Ex Machina
Malo Civelli Vocals, Guitars, Bass, Keyboards, Orchestrations (2016-present)
See also: ex-Kaatarakt

LIVE MUSICIANS

Nicolas Bise Guitars (lead), Vocals (backing) (2019-present)
See also: AM:PM, Norvhar, Path of Desolation (live), ex-Harmoniks, ex-Prometherion
Matthieu Favre Guitars (rhythm), Vocals (backing) (2019-present)
See also: Norvhar, Duthaig (live), ex-Harmoniks, ex-Anachronism, ex-Peace Is Just a Break, ex-Path of Desolation (live)

Type:Full-length
Release date:March 30th, 2018
Catalog ID:NSP 160
Version desc.:Limited edition, Digipak
Label:Northern Silence Productions
Format:CD
Limitation:1000 copies

Mastered by Mike Lamb at Oneiros Studio

A Promising Beginning - 70%
Sokratemnos, March 30th, 2018
Written based on this version: 2018, CD, Northern Silence Productions (Limited edition, Digipak)
From what I’ve seen, Cân Bardd’s “Nature Stays Silent” has been receiving some polarising reactions since its official YouTube premiere. Whilst many are lauding its melodic prowess, others aim major criticisms at its production. Having always respected Northern Silence Production’s choice in bands, it was in eager anticipation that I dove into the album, with no idea of what to truly expect.

Unfortunately, it became swiftly apparent that the production is indeed an issue that requires discussing, and I suppose that it’s always easier to address the elephant in the room sooner rather than later. According to Bandcamp, project mastermind Malo Civelli is responsible for the mix, with Mike Lamb (of epic black metal titans Sojourner) handling the mastering. Whilst one doesn’t go into a debut black metal album expecting the polish that might be found in a genre like power metal, the fact remains that the drums and vocals are drenched in reverb, a technique often used to disguise poor performance. Prominent bands in the genre, like Summoning, Caladan Brood and Sojourner, all take different approaches to production in their melodic metal, yet all have prominent drums that enhance and drive the atmosphere. In contrast, Cân Bardd’s drums really suffer under the production, to the point of being painfully noticeable every time they come in. Of special note is the kick; it really shouldn’t have much reverb at all, in order to provide clarity, but instead makes each blast section an endurance test for the listener; an early blast in “Méditation Glaciale” is particularly notable as being criminally offensive, also suffering from overloud bass in addition to the abrasive drums. In the case of the vocals, there’s a definite resemblance to the approach taken by Saor, especially on the lower vocals; unfortunately for Cân Bardd, Saor’s vocals have always been the main drawback for me personally, and so the approach doesn’t do anything for me in this scenario. Furthermore, especially on “An Evolving Painting”, the pseudo-Saor vocals are weak and lacklustre, making the contrast an unflattering one. In the case of the cleans, I do suspect that the reverb is intentionally disguising the performance somewhat. I will say, however, that in some cases such, as in the opening of “Méditation Glaciale”, the chanting effect is clearly the intention, and does work far better.

Having got that out the way, we can now discuss the actual songs themselves. Simply put, Civelli has written some of the finest melodies I’ve ever had the pleasure to experience. Album opener “Introduction” builds gradually, with a harp fluttering and weaving a melody around a clean guitar pattern. Strings and choir pads build around this, before the sudden introduction of a tremolo guitar riff that makes the heart skip a beat - and this is only a teaser of what Cân Bardd have in store. After a grand opening, “An Evolving Pattern” drops out to allow a delay-rich clean guitar melody to take centre stage, a melody that conjures images of still lakes and the like. Whilst the rest of the song returns to an epic scale, with a particularly excellent use of clean and harsh vocals together, that melody is constantly reprised. “Underwater” is an album highlight, with a more desperately emotional melody and chord progression building to a massive climax that features a powerful, wailing guitar lead. The best, however, is saved for last; “A Gift For Nature” opens with a stunning opening riff, with full epic melodic sensibilities on show. Of special note are the rhythmic variations throughout the song that compliment the melody, truly making this a standout track; even the return of the pseudo-Saor vocals isn’t enough to dissuade me from loving this song. The climax especially is one of the best on the album, with clean choirs and exquisite ascending scales on piano and guitar.

Complementing their melodic genius, Cân Bardd also show a true understanding for atmosphere, and the ways in which to create and develop it. Playing on a heavy folk influence, “My Ancestors” creates a sense of being taken on a journey through a medieval film, with whistles and strings abound. The soundtrack feel is further served by the distance of the vocals; the reverb means that the lyrics are indistinguishable, and thus don’t distract the listener from the mental image that the music has conjures. The opening of “Underwater” has an excellent choice of synth; the Lustre-style key pad sounds like it’s resonating from the depths, preparing the listener for this ocean based excursion. For a track about sacrificing oneself to nature, the atmosphere in “A Gift To Nature” is contrastingly upbeat and jaunty, thus creating a sense of wonder and grand scale. In terms of atmosphere though, the masterclass is “Méditation Glaciale”. The track opens with chanting vocals, making the beginning really seem like a meditation. A powerfully epic string melody then develops, then leads into an ambient woodwind break. Putting the major production issues with drums and bass aside, the chorus is truly beautiful. Later in the track, a choral and orchestral break brings us back to the excellent meditation atmosphere, and showcases the real potential of this band’s melodic ability. Calm emotions develop through the extended instrumental section of the latter half of the song, with instruments expertly weaving in and out of carrying the melody. As the song slowly ends with mournful piano, you feel a real sense of tragic impact; Cân Bardd’s meditation on nature is one of beautiful sorrow.

Not every song is a hit, however. “Océan” attempts to follow a more upbeat and jaunty folk style, but relies too heavily upon the flawed drums and rhythmic elements and is thus not nearly as impactful as intended. The whistle melodies are decent, but don’t showcase anything that can’t be found on other tracks, and the clean singing here is probably the weakest on the album. There’s a definite sense that “Océan” is unfortunately placed; following two of the most emotive songs on the record was always going to be tricky, and the song falls short of successfully living up to its potential. The album then stumbles again; “Abîme” displays some pleasant enough melodies, but, nearly an hour into the album, listeners fatigue does start to set in, especially as variety seems to be limited. Furthermore, the dsbm-style vocals on this track are really not my cup of tea. Ultimately, when the song ends, I don’t have anything near the same sense of emotional impact that other songs have given me.

Variety is certainly an issue on ‘Nature Stays Silent’. Within each 8+ minutes song, melodic variation is pretty limited. Although each individual song uses different instruments more prominently, thus making each one a different experience, there’s also a certain predictability in the structures; seven of the eight tracks start calmly, have a full band explosion, and then carry on until a climax about two minutes from the end. By the end of the album, it feels like Cân Bardd could easily have shaved off about 10 minutes, and not really lost any of their atmospheric presence or melodic development. I get the sense that on repeat listens, I’ll be skipping two or three songs in order to make the experience a more digest-able listen, which is a shame considering the amount of work that’s clearly gone into every song.

I find that epic melodic music, whether it be power metal, symphonic metal or folk metal, always benefits from high quality production where every instrument is crisp and clear and has a distinct place in the mix. Cân Bardd’s melodies and atmosphere remain exquisite throughout most of the album, but they would ultimately be far more impactful if the production were clearer. This is especially apparent in the interludes where the drums and guitars are absent; here, the orchestration shows itself to be truly extraordinary. I really hope that Cân Bardd’s follow up album is given the treatment it deserves, because Malo Civelli clearly has the songwriting talent to churn out masterpiece after masterpiece. I’m confident that it’ll be worth the wait.

Standout Tracks: Méditation Glaciale, Underwater, A Gift For Nature

Type:Full-length
Release date:February 22nd, 2019
Catalog ID:NSP 168-DG
Version desc.:Limited edition, Digipak
Label:Northern Silence Productions
Format:CD
Limitation:999 copies

Recorded, mixed and mastered at Conatus Studio.

A majestic voyage and orc chants - 92%
Absinthe1979, June 17th, 2020
Written based on this version: 2019, CD, Northern Silence Productions (Limited edition, Digipak)

Northern Silence Productions has a lot to answer for in relation to my depleting bank balance and increasing CD collection, as they continue to offer outstanding atmospheric black metal releases with alarming regularity.

Switzerland's Can Bardd is another example of the Summoning template being used as the base for a dazzling emotional journey into fantastical worlds, where a blend of Tolkienesque wonder meets the internal journey of the everyman from a modern world that is changing, chaotically and shrilly, beneath his feet. Malo Civelli is the mastermind, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist here, and he has crafted some simply gorgeous epics that are powerfully emotional and moving. The real drums played by Dylan Wilson in a deft performance add a powerfully authentic feel and backbone.

At 5 tracks and nearly 51 minutes in length, we’re talking epic in musical scope yet also expanse. I don’t usually begin reviews with a negative, but first track ‘Between Hope and Reality’ contains what I consider to be the only off-point of the whole project: an excessive run time that isn't required. It begins with some nice acoustic guitar and some beautiful multi-tracked clean vocals, before building up to an epic metal movement of melodic guitars, harsh vocals and soaring keyboards. The song carries on very well, and the acoustic guitars return around the 9 minute mark, and I think, wow that was a great opening track, expecting it to close – it was the perfect moment to end. Yet the music picks up again, I look at the time, and there’s still a whole 6 minutes to go! ‘Between Hope and Reality’ is a mammoth 15 minutes long, and I really don’t think enough is happening in those final 6 minutes to justify the song carrying on like that, as the riffs, largely devoid of vocals by this stage, seem very samey to what came before.

Fortunately, second track ‘Celestial Horizon’ is not just the best song on the album, I would raise it up as one of epic black metal’s greatest all time songs. What a beautiful piece of music this is, from the opening sounds of a harp (or equivalent) being plucked, before a stunning piping melody comes in that screams Summoning at their best, before the song launches with huge guitars, multi-layered growls and screams. Then, from out of nowhere, in what is a brilliantly inspired moment, the music stops, and what can only be described as an orc chant begins around the 5 minute mark. Yes, it sounds like orcs chanting together. It’s strangely rhythmic, it repeats several times, then the musical blasts back in, the orc chant continues, a clean voice soars over the top, and we have what I’m calling my favourite musical moment of the year so far. It is nothing short of amazing.

‘The Fog of War’ is a short musical palate cleanser, with soft piano notes before a wave of emotive synth rolls through, like the quickening of a mountain breeze across the slopes. The final two tracks offer more changes of pace, and an almost palpable atmosphere. The end of ‘Clouds and Feuds’, with its piano melody atop the blast beat, and that guitar… is something to behold. Final track 'The Last Rain' ends with some excellent clean male voices that chant their way to a close. The album concludes with the sound of rain and subtle bird-call.

Like many Northern Silence Productions releases, the album artwork is beautiful. Mountains, a cascading river and my digipak version contains a booklet with lyrics and more evocative illustrations of mountains and nature scenes. Limited to 999 copies, I highly recommend you get hold of a copy if you can. You’ll treasure it for years.

It’s hard to know where to rate this album. The first song is just too long and probably my least favourite aspect to the album. The rest of the album is simply stunning. It’s beautifully produced, ambitious, and yet another wonderful example of what is possible in the modern age of music production; no personal million euro Wintersun studios are required here. It’s a grand escape; a majestic voyage. I encourage you to take it.

Mountains, Forests, Nature - 95%
andreipianoman, February 22nd, 2019

Cân Bardd is an atmospheric folk black metal solo project from Switzerland by multi-instrumentalist, composer and vocalist Malo Civelli. With his debut album out less than one year ago, he is already approaching the release of his second full-length titled "The Last Rain", coming on February 22nd. And it came to me as quite a surprise because you just don't expect that such an unknown name would write and release good and relevant music in such a short time. But that's exactly what this guy did. This project sounds new and unusual in all the right ways and so far it's probably the best album I've heard this year.

Seeing song lengths around the 10 minute mark and an album composed of only five songs, you should pretty much expect that this is gonna take patience. And when you play the first track you may be tempted to dismiss it right away as a really slow and dragging acoustic harmony opens the album with more silence than notes for over one minute. But please don't! Wait through it and give this 15 minute song at least one full listen before jumping to any conclusions because it's a thing of beauty. As the artwork and titles may suggest, this is very nature oriented music and it's done right. It's the kind of music that makes you see mountains and forests and unspoiled natural landscapes. And the slow pace of evolution really connects with that.

The way such different elements come together in this album is incredible. There are slow folk sections with no hint of metal that will really take their time and build a very peaceful mood that will have you envisioning yourself away from civilization or technology. Using a lot of acoustic guitar (or maybe classical?), piano and keyboards, a pretty meditative mood is created and if you stick with it for a while it will allow you to slow yourself down to its pace so that it doesn't get boring. It's not instant gratification but real, genuine enjoyment that you have to internalize in order to really feel it. But fear not because the metal will eventually come and it will either slowly creep over this ambiance or crash down all at once. Either way, the peaceful atmosphere stays through it. That's what's most amazing. This guy will actually throw blast beats, tremolo picking and wild black metal shrieks at you without hurting the immersive atmosphere. And that dude on the drums did some really savage work. There's a very natural flow in the music that is given by the continuation of some melodies from the soft parts into the heavy ones. A melody that was soothing when played on acoustic guitar will become epic when moved on tremolo picking and backed by the grinding drums that never overpower it. No matter how aggressive the music gets, these uplifting soaring melodies always shine through and in the end the album maintains a surreal blend of raw power and untainted clarity. Then there's the final touch of beauty and majesty in the smooth coat of keyboard synth that hovers above all the other layers giving the sound that "breath of fresh air" effect.

A few brilliant touches added to this blend of contrasts make it a real masterpiece. There are some very well placed chants of layered clean vocals sounding like anthems and some guest vocals that sprinkle a little variety. Another great idea was the "tribal" percussion and scream part in "Celestial Horizon". But my favorite twist in the album is the third song, "Fog of war", which is a five minute interlude consisting of piano, strings and acoustic guitar that are then complemented with a great use of cello before flowing into the next song as the heavy guitars kick in.

The whole composition is then brought to life through a very well executed raw mix that allows some elements to sound clean and a bit processed without straying away from the organic roots that bring the album its unique and lively feel. The result is a fifty minute album that I want to take to the mountains and listen to on repeat with a spectacular landscape in front of me and if nature would be on my side, a bit of mist and a slightly rainy scent in the air. But until you can get to that place, Cân Bardd still does a great job at bringing the spirit of nature in the comfort of your own home.

Originally written for The Metal Observer.