The Devils Drink, Sunfire’s new album finally out

On Friday the 17th of November, Sunfire released their long awaited new Album The Devils Drink, just a day before the premiere of their Tales Of The Old West theatre tour in Rijswijk, and it is everything it promised to be. A wonderful collection of western folk songs as only Sunfire can make them.

Opening song The Devils Drink is a great introduction to their new theatre show. It is a ballad with a strong theatrical feel reminiscent of Ye Banished Privateers, or the Spleen Orchestra, even making me think of an old classic like: If I Were A Rich Man from the musical Fiddler On The Roof but always with that unique Western folk feel Sunfire have.
The sound of Sophie’s sobbing violin combined with Satria’s breaking gritty voice truly make this song. The ‘broken-pianola-playing-over-a windswept-violin’ segment becomes the first icing on this wonderful western folk cake.

For those who do not know Sunfire yet, the band makes a powerful mix of Americana and blue grass with touches of European folk, brought with the sharpness, power and energy that comes pretty close to some good old stoner rock. In Sunfire’s case, I find it extremely hard to think of bands to compare them with as they really have their own signature sound, but artists in the style of The Last Knife Fighter, Mean Mary or J.J. Cale come to mind, albeit Sunfire’s music is more rough and feisty than the before-mentioned artists.

We have come to know main lyricist Satria Karsono as a true storyteller, setting his songs in a version of the old wild west that seems to come from the combined minds of Sergio Leone and Tim Burton. We find his alter ego William J. Tanner in that dirty old place called Sinners Town again, where only the lowlifes, the bad and the ugly can survive. This album is filled with more stories of madame Sawyer, Deputy Frost, Banker Henry River and off course William J. Tanner himself.

Sunfire took their time recording this record, so many songs already became well known live favourites The Dolly Parton follow-up song Jolene for example; or the tragic ‘failed-marriage-before-it-even-started’ song Silently Passed Away; the upbeat americana-folk song Frost; Seven Deadly Sins with an interesting re-arrangement half way through, or the cheeky fan favourite Sawyer’s Dance.
The new songs: The Devils Drink – which I mentioned above; Ballad of River – a dark murder ballad that tells you nothing but suggests everything; One Day – a duet with Brotherwood singer Nicole Koning-Bouw, starting gently but building up to an impressive ‘Ghost Riders In The Sky on steroids’ climax; and the country ballad Leave The Bottle, they all fit right into the Sunfire world we got to know so well.

My personal favourite songs would be Grit, a heart wrenching power ballad showcasing the best of Satria’s abilities as a singer. A grooving bass, guitarriffs that cut like a chainsaw and a windswept violin provide the perfect basis for Satria’s anguished end notes. Truly awesome stuff!

My second favourite has to be Sunfire’s Opus magnum The Hunter. A western Folk epos equaling John Miles’ masterpiece Music. A whole movie in one song, epic in its build, played sharp as a knife, building up to a climax played with so much attack, so tight, it really sounds like a gunfight put down to music! Breathtaking is the word here! The whole album is perfectly mixed, but here sound engineer Berend de Vries and Jeffrey de Gans, who was responsible for the mastering, truly shine!

The Devils Drink brings you Sunfire at their very best. Catchy songs, talented musicians and lyrics with a dark sense of humour that puts a smile on your face every single time you hear them. Which leaves me with one question. Is that a hidden track suddenly popping up at two-thirds of the album? If so it is a last masterstroke of this awesome band that knows how to surprise even their biggest fans time and time again, including me.

Cliff

Editor: Sara Weeda

PS: coming back to that theatre tour… It’s brilliant! Truly original in its setup, bringing the best out of the story telling qualities hidden within the band. Even bringing out their acting skills! You don’t want to miss out on this. Trust me, you really don’t!

You can find Sunfire here:

New Interview & Review: Furda – Bojany (2022)

This album has been turning its round in my CD player for about a year now, and it is still a firm favorite of mine.

Furda is a young band from Poland who easily mix Nordic folk with Middle European vibes. Who seamlessly blend ‘old’ traditional instruments with modern techniques and effects. Who manage to maintain an ‘antique’ sound while improvising most of their songs live on stage. Who have written some unique primordial troll-like songs that will definitely appeal to all those who love slightly dark Neo Folk music.

References I used in the review were Irfan, Fuimadane and SeeD. The band themselves are Influenced by Heilung (FB), OMNIA and Lorn. The outcome is one of the best debut albums I have heard in years.

Follow me here for an extensive review with-interview-sniplets, or here for a full interview with Boleslaw Ren Rygiel singer, percussion and wind instrument player with Furda, or go straight to their music in the links below and be just as enchanted as we at CeltCast are.

Cliff

Furda can be found here:

A new review: Du​š​e by the Czech neo-folk band Ďyvina

The Magic of Castlefest.


It has been talked about many a time. It was the magic of Castlefest that got me in the scene. It was the magic of Castlefest that got me back into band photography. It was the magic of Castlefest that got me volunteering for CeltCast. And now that same magic pulled me back behind the desk as a CD reviewer again. The enticement already started watching Brisinga  play their new songs from their new album Mooncult. It became even stronger looking at the awesome concert Sowulo played, knowing their new album Wurdiz has already been out for a while. But it became irresistible when a new neo-folk band from Czechia entered the stage on Saturday and mesmerized all who were there with their music, including me and musical editor Ilona.

It was there and then I decided this band deserved all the attention I, no we from CeltCast, could give them. It was then that I realized I still wanted to do something with the passsion I have for music, especially the passion for alternative folk music. It was there that the magic of Castlefest did its thing again. So I’m back. With a heap of CDs I wanna talk about. But starting with the one that pulled me in again. the beautiful album Du​š​e by the Czech neo-folk band Ďyvina. Just follow the link and find the review right here.

You can find Ďyvina here:

Livestreams Middeleeuws Winschoten 2023

CC Logo Middeleeuws Winschoten 2023

Did you enjoy Middeleeuws Winschoten 2023 and feel like reminiscing?

Or did you miss it and would like to know what all the fuzz is about?

Don’t worry – CeltCast has you covered: in our livestreams-archive, you can now find the full playlist of the livestreams that were broadcasted by us during this wonderful festival!

New Music on the Stream Today!

CeltCast Radio update: Today, the 23rd of July – 7 hours of new songs 😍

We have special radio news! 📻 Today, around 15:00h CET we’ll start playing 7 hours of new songs for you! The theme this time is animals/creatures and of course some summer vibes! 🐇☀️

We’re looking forward to sharing all these beautiful songs with you! 🎶
You’ll hear artists like Amy Hopwood, Andries Boone, Ben Walker, Beoga, Breabach, Blóð Dýr, Brian Finnegan, Cara, Christy Moore, Cionar, Daridel, Datura medieval music, Deborah Stokol, Dorcha Cobs, Emma van Dobben, Enokham, Faun, Floating Sofa Quartet, Folk Magic, Fuimadane, Hialøsa, Tini aka Gabria, Good Habits, Grabow & Guldhammer, Green Clouds, Greenrose Faire, Grimwater, Grumpy O Sheep, Gudrun Walther and Juergen Treyz, Hamish Napier Music, Hanna van Gorcum, Hannah Read & Michael Starkey, Harmony Glen, Heiter bis Folkig, Henriette Ambæk Flach, Ilse Oversier, Iona Fyfe, Irregang, Ivy Leaves, Jagdselskabet, Jess Ginty, Jenny Sturgeon & Alice Allen, Jessica Comeau, John Lynch, Jorgensen & Sorensen, Joy Shannon and the Beauty Marks, Kalos, Karine Polwart and Dave Milligan, Ken Parsons, Kinnfolk, Kryptik Wood, Kupfer & Eisen, Kupfergold, LANKUM, Larún, Lasairfhiona Ni Chonaola, Legiana, Leonea, Libertalia, Linde Nijland, Liz Hanks, Loell Duinn, Logical Fleadh, Loogaroo Trad Records, Lunasa, Lyradanz, MANdolinMAN en Ansatz Der Maschine, Marvara, Maubuissons, McKee, Walther and Jones, Merlusa, Mette Kathrine, Mia Guldhammer & Morten, Alfred Hoirup, MOHER – BZH, Munknörr, Naragonia Quartet, Norse Gael, Omnia, Pat Razket, Petter Attila Naessan, PurPur, Randall Stephen Hall, Rhiannon Giddens, Rob van Barschot – artist page with Project Baraguda, Sam Sweeney & Louis Campbell, SeeD Pagan Folk, Seth Lakeman, Sian, Svobsk, The Brothers Gillespie, The Devil’s Trade, The Trials of Cato, The Willow Trio, Tim Edey & Ross Ainslie, Trobar de Morte, Urté, Vesselil, Vilsevind – Swedish Folk, Voddemoêr, WARG, Willos’ – irish folk music, Withershins, Wolf & Clover.

Jingles by Omnia, Irfan & Le Garcon de l’automne .

Wishing you a musical day! 🎻

Musical Greetings,
The CeltCast Radio Team 🎻
Follow us on Telegram (no ads) for direct information : 👉🏻 https://celtcast.t.me







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