Ragnarok — trying hard

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33957, 25 September 1975, Page 4

Ragnarok — trying hard

(By

JOHN McNEILL)

If Split Enz is the undisputed champion band of New Zealand (omitting the Skellerup-Woolston band of course) then Ragnarok is probably a good second choice. Ragnarok is playing at

the Velvet Glove nightclub, but if this is too far removed to attend, the band can be heard on their recently released, but almost year-old album, Ragnarok, released by Pye. The Band's name has been taken from Viking mythology, and means

“twilight of the gods.” The name may not be as appropriate as it was when the disc was cut. Since that time, the female vocalist has left the group to seek a solo career, and Terry Bird, a Christchurch classical guitarist has joined them. Ragnarok is a group which writes and plays most of its own material. Much of it on the disc comes from Lea Maalfrid, the female vocalist, but other numbers are penned by the group, or permutations of it. The group says that it wants to attract an audience to its own type of music, which is fighting talk to any group working the hotel circuit. They describe their music as “cos-, mic rock," which is probably as good a description as any group of words, to describe any group of notes. ; Although the description I of the music conveys little ' to me, the group said that ; the music on the album i “had its roots in modern | German music, by band | and orchestras.” James | Last was no doubt ex- [ cepted. At that time, too, | the group was playing i dressing-up games, but j when I saw their show-, it was good, hard driving music, not games, that the band was playing. The album opens with “Eenris,” a song about a i wolf creature with more power than most mortals. 1 There is good stereo presence on this track, giving i it a “spacey” sound, and the instrumental work is I good. Especially appealing was

the drumming of Mark Jayet, another Christchurch musician, who has obviously been listening as well as beating out those rhythms. “Butterfly Sky”, by the lead guitarist, Ramon York, is dirgesounding but for a McLaughlin-type solo from York, but the next track, “Fire in the Sky”, and. the last on the side, “Rainbow Bridge,” have more interest. Bridge being an extended instrumental. Side two has “Caviar Queen,” which has been released as a single,-and two longer tracks, "Raga” and “Dream.” It finishes with another quickie — “Dawning Horn.” “Raga” has a synthesiser introduction, but develops into a pleasant, rhythmic instrumental number, as is “Dream”, but the last track changes this pace with a quicker introduction and a very ominous finish. Ramon says he hopes the addition .of. Terry to Ragnarok will bring more melody to the band. They still want to write their own material, but realise that they have to establish an audience for their work. This means a compromise, but it is one the group say they are prepared to make. Some of the winning will be done with theatricals, Ramon says, but if the music is not of correspond-; ing quality, then all other efforts would be wasted. Ragnarok impressed me as an intelligent group of musicians, idealistic, but realistic too. They hope to record another album before long. If the promise of this band comes to fruition, it should to be a very good album indeed.