White Willow – Sacrament (Karisma Records, 2024)
White Willow’s Sacrament, the quintessential third album by Norwegian symphonic progressive rock legends, originally released in 2000, is one of the progressive rock gems of the 2000s. As a leading act in a wave of superb Scandinavian progressive rock groups, White Willow captivated listeners with their charming female vocals; exquisite, evocative flutes intertwined with intricate electric and acoustic guitars; glorious Mellotron, Baroque organs, and synths; and a highly talented rhythm section. They masterfully balanced tranquil, pastoral moments inspired by Early Music and Western classic music with epic, high-energy technical progressive rock bursts.
The band invested significant time and effort into crafting the songs and arrangements for this album. Their inventive and dynamic compositions emerged after lengthy rehearsals at the Norwegian Institute for Scene and Studio. They then entered Lydkjøkkenet, a new studio run by the friendly and talented engineer Øystein Vesaas. His patience and mild manners provided the perfect environment for the band to experiment and explore various musical solutions.
Sacrament was recorded over an extended period, with Holm-Lupo balancing a full-time day job while sessions ran from evening into the night. Despite the demanding schedule, the band remained energized and had great faith in their music. They fondly remember the recording process as an enjoyable experience, buoyed by the period’s infusion of certain prog elements into the mainstream, which provided additional moral motivation. Upon its release, the album received unanimously glowing reviews, healthy sales, and even some mainstream recognition.
This meticulously remastered re-release, undertaken by the band’s own Jacob Holm-Lupo, is presented with the classic original cover art, and available on vinyl for the first time. It is the third in a series of six White Willow re-releases on Karisma Records.
Musicians: Sylvia Erichsen on vocals; Jacob Holm-Lupo on electric, acoustic, and classical guitars, keyboards, bass, and vocals, and served as co-producer; Brynjar Dambo on keyboards and glockenspiel; Ketil Vestrum Einarsen plays flute, recorder, melodica, and keyboards; Johannes Sæbøe on bass; and Aage Moltke-Schou on drums, percussion, and glockenspiel.
Guests: Øystein Vesaas on wordless vocals; Simen E. Haugberg on oboe; Erlend Sæverud on keyboards; Tirill Mohn on violin; Trude Eidtang on vocals; Lars Fredrik Frøislie on keyboards; and Marthe Berger Walthinsen on bass.
Buy Sacrament.