Hekate – Sonnentanz Label: Auerbach Tonträger – AB 027 Format: CD, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue, Digipak Country: Germany Released: 04 Nov 2011 Style: Modern Classical, Neofolk
A cornerstone of German Neofolk
Originally released in 2000 by Well of Urd, “Sonnentanz”, the first album release by Hekate without limitation, became something of a cornerstone of German Neofolk. Conceptionally dedicated to the free spirit of the ‘Bündische Jugend’ (German youth movement) and the ‘Edelweißpiraten’ (Edelweiss pirates), Germany’s “lost youth” of the 1930s, Hekate’s music here is marked by a folkloric acoustic style that sets the standards for the years to come. This re-release is presented in a portrait-format Digipak including revised artwork and liner-notes and is limited to 700 copies.
Label: Prophecy Productions – AB 085 LP Format: 2 × Vinyl, LP, Album, Limited Edition, White Country: Germany Released: 18 May 2018 Style: Neofolk
In Greek mythology, Hekate is the goddess of magic, mediating between the realms of life and death. Hekate, the band, was formed in 1991 and is one of the foremost protagonists of German neofolk. Over the course of five albums, the group has combined folk, medieval and classical music with striking percussion and electronic elements to create a distinctly individual style, which reaches its temporary climax on their sixth record “Totentanz” (“dance of death”).
Seven years after the release of “Die Welt der dunklen Gärten” (“the world of dark gardens”), Hekate delivers its most refined compositions to date, playing both traditional, catchy neofolk tunes and hypnotic tracks. In the process, the group manages to recall the atmosphere of early 90’s apocalyptic folk without coming across as anachronistic. Enhanced by floating synthesizer and drum arrangements, the music itself reflects the lyrical themes of “Totentanz”: dealing with our own mortality in the sense of “memento mori”.
In this context, Hekate plays out its fondness for Romanticism with an urgent interpretation of Prussian poet Joseph von Eichendorff’s “Mondnacht” (“moon night”), and an album cover graced with a (so-far unpublished) painting of the same name by German symbolist and art nouveau artist Franz Stassen. Just as exclusive: the design of the album’s book edition features unpublished ink drawings from the series “Apokalyptische Landschaften” (“apocalyptic landscapes”) by Hermann Wöhler, a painter influenced by magic realism who worked in secret and whose paintings the art community is only now discovering years after his passing. All of the included paintings are a part of Hekate singer Axel Menz’ personal art collection.
Hekate – Ten Years Of Endurance Label: Auerbach Tonträger – AB 008 Format: CD, Album, Limited Edition Country: Germany Released: 2004 Genre: Electronic Style: Ambient, Neofolk
The anniversary album
“Ten Years Of Endurance” is Hekate’s anniversary album celebrating the ten-year history of the band, but it is much more than just a best-of release. Among other things, you will find re-recorded versions from old, long-deleted releases as well as ‘Barbarossa’, a taster for their next studio album, “Goddess”.
Sello: Lucie Cires Records ( ultra-limited ) Formato: DVDr País: Spain Fecha: 2015 Estilo: Medieval, Neoclassic, Dark Wave, Gothic Rock, Martial, Industrial
Documento visual del evento celebrado en Toledo, año 2001. Temas y entrevistas con: Sieben, In Gowan Ring, Faith & the Muse, I.P.D., Camerata Mediolanense y Hetake. Ripeado en DVD ( no oficial), sonido excelente, calidad de imagen buena.
Un documento imprescindible
Contenido:
Intro Sieben ( Entrevista y 1 tema ) In Gowan Ring ( Entrevista y 1 tema ) Faith & The Muse ( Entrevsita y 2 temas ) I.P.D.( Entrevista y 1 tema ) Camerata Mediolanense ( 2 temas ) Hekate ( Entrevista y 1 tema )
The sought-after debut album for the first time on CD
Back in 1998, in conjunction with the 150th anniversary of the German Märzrevolution (‘March Revolution’), Hekate released their first album “Hambach 1848” featuring various folk-songs from the German democracy movement of that era, such as the classic ‘Die Gedanken sind frei’ (‘Thoughts are Free’). The album was only released as an LP in a limited print-run and hasn’t been available for many years. Now, it is re-released in Digipak format, with re-worked design and limited to 700 copies.
Hekate – Tempeltänze Sello: Auerbach Tonträger Formato: CD, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue, Digipak limited to 700 copies País: France Fecha: 2011 Estilo: Neofolk
The many-faceted follow-up to the “Sonnentanz” album
With “Tempeltänze” (originally released in 2002 by Well of Urd), Hekate showed their mediaeval and world-beat leanings for the first time. Although linked in style to its predecessor “Sonnentanz”, songs such as ‘Tempeltanz’ or ‘Il tempo di lupi’ already indicate aspects of the musical world of Hekate’s current album, “Die Welt der dunklen Gärten.” This new edition of “Tempeltänze” is released in a Digipak with revised artwork and is limited to 700 copies.
Sello: Auerbach Tonträger Formato: CD, Album País: Germany Fecha: 10 Jun 2011 Estilo: Neofolk
Hekate’s return to their musical roots
Nearly seven years after “Goddess,” Hekate release their fifth studio album “Die Welt der dunklen Gärten” in order to prove that they have lost nothing of their expressive and artistic powers. Music-wise, “Die Welt …” forges a bridge from Classical elements and Oriental rhythms to melancholic Folk. Once more outstanding are the varied percussion arrangements so typical of Hekate, as well as the alternating vocals by Susanne Grosche and Axel Menz. The brilliant production courtesy of Patrick Damiani (Rome) lends a flair of simple beauty to this album. The selection of lyrics is remarkable as well: apart from the band’s own words, you will find adaptations of classic poetry by Lord Byron (“Byronic Hero”), Joseph von Eichendorff (“Opportunity of Time”), and Hermann Löns (“Die Blaue Blume”).
