Conrad - "Oseaan Kroniek" (2010)

CONRAD "Oseaan Kroniek"

Year: 2010
Genre: Pagan/Folk Metal
Country: Barbados

Track List:

1. Oseaan Kroniek (Introduction)
2. Ocean Chronicle
3. The Vehemance Of Neptune
4. Queen Anne's Revenge (...And The Bonnet Militia)
5. Oracles Of Olokun (Conclusion)

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Conrad is the only metal project from Barbados, a relatively small island in the Caribbean. The band was started on August 5th 2009 in the Eastern Grasslands of St. Philip by then 17-year old Kadeem Ward (Veldt Soldaat/Emdeka). Members of such black metal bands as Fornost (Nicaragua) and Orisha Shakpana (Jamaica) have also contibuted to Conrad's releases.

As for the name - Conrad is said to be an irritable ghost from the Bajan mythology who possessed women and live in their stomaches. According to the project's mastermind, "With the goal to preserve and teach historical tales and ancestral myths, Conrad fuses the elements of Afro-Caribbean rhythms & sounds with epic orchestral ambience and highly distorted riffs influenced by the groundbreaking bands of the early Norwegian Black Metal scene. The project’s themes are highly focused on Barbadian folklore which either tells dark or mesmerizing tales about the island’s early inhabitants, nature, paranormal events and various mythical creatures. Other lyrical themes reflect on early African Tribes, Orishas and pirates of the Caribbean".


While the music of Conrad is definitely influenced by black metal, overall it's more of ambient folk/pagan metal with LOTS of synths. Or maybe even "pirate metal"?.. yaarrr!!! Anyway, it's much better than I expected, very melodic and atmospheric (but not very raw or brutal). The archive includes all the artwork and lyrics (some of which are even in Yoruba language!), along with mp3 files.

Today, Kadeem Ward is working on Conrad's next demo, "Conrad Within". Looks like the society of Barbados is very hostile to any forms of metal, and it's hard to him to find any like-minded people there, but he have already found a drummer. This future release will be far more darker and eerie in terms of the musical, lyrical and visual aspects entailed. Of course I'd upload it too, if he send it to me. It's cool to have readers even in Barbados!

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