REVIEW - KELTIKON "Agenbite of Inwit" (2014)

  
Keltikon "Agenbite of Inwit" Rock Archive/Folks Alive
Release date: 21 February 2014
Running time: 54:06, 10 tracks

Keltikon is band hailing from Pfäffikon, Zurich (Switzerland). The band is fronted by Olaf Ohl (vocals and lead guitar) and  Iain Duncan (vocals, bagpipes and guitar, born in Scotland). Their band mates are Rino Bollin on bass and backing vocals, and Patrick Feuz on drums, percussion and backing vocals. “Agenbite of Inwit” is their debut album and the 4 guys have been helped by Adrian Studer on flute and whistles, Eva Wey on fiddle and Felix Waldispühl on keyboards.

Keltikon play and eclectic Celtic rock moving from fast-paced Celtic punk-rock to soft ballads or progressive numbers. The title of the first song is that of the album, “Agenbite of Inwit”. It’s a bagpipes rock number with a horror-punk twist.  If you are not familiar with the term “Agenbite of Inwit”, the band says that “it’s an old English expression used several times by James Joyce in “Ulysses” to denote a crisis of conscience or a deep remorse some people never suffer from” and they add ”This is a song for anyone whose life has in some way been damaged by the decision of someone in “power” that doesn’t give a jot for the consequences it causes us.” I’m sure that now you’ll understand why the likes of Donald Trump, Dominique Strauss-Kahn and Silvio Berlusconi are mentioned on this song.

The following number is Keltikon’s rendition of “Bonnie Ship the Diamond”, a well-known song that has already been covered by bands such as Wolfstone, Fiddler’s Green or Brick Top Blaggers.

“Seven Ships” is an amazing number with a Scottish traditional flavour. A guy wants to marry a girl, but the girl’s father feels that seven ships are not enough for his girl. So the poor guy borrows money and gets the fifty ships that the girl’s father finds enough for her. But then the girl’s father says that he should own 100 ships. The guy borrows again and finally he can marry the girl. But a financial crisis arrives, the shipping market sinks and the happy couple loses all their possessions

“Mariner’s Tale” is the first spoken part of a tale that continues on the following track, “The Diving Dutchman”. It’s a updated version of the Flying Dutchman myth. This time a Dutch nuclear submarine explodes around the Cape Of Good Hope and the atomic zombies will glow with ghostly green light. The song is an awesome fast-paced 77 punk rock number.

Track no. 6, “Away to Fight”, is a slow ballad featuring the small pipes. The other number featuring the small pipes is the last song, “Taliesin’s Poem”, a long progressive song.

“The Blackbird” is a traditional tune that Celtic punk fans will love:  bagpipes hardcore at its best.

The next song is titled “Hold on Tight”, an epic number featuring tin whistle, acoustic guitar and fiddle with female backing vocals. Lyrics deal with the greedy behavior of those who “own the earth”. Many years have gone by, but it may seem that the medieval times are back again.

Finally, “Each Other’s Dream” is a soft rock number  featuring keyboards and fiddle, but no pipes.

Keltikon “Agenbite of Inwit” CD is delivered in a jewel case with a 8 page booklet with lyrics to the song, band’s pics and credits and a superb front cover design. The album is also available at the main digital platforms (iTunes, Amazon…) but I strongly recommend to buy the CD version.

Tracklist:

01 - Agenbite of Inwit 4:15
02 - Bonnie Ship the Diamond 4:28
03 - Seven Ships 6:01
04 - Mariner's Tale 3:49
05 - The Diving Dutchman 3:53
06 - Away to Fight 7:37
07 - The Blackbird 3:09
08 - Hold On Tight (The Battle Begins) 4:31
09 - Each Other's Dream (Aphrodite) 6:36
10 - Taliesin's Poem 9:42

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Review by Kinksmarkham