Projects
Ever since, the musicians of Corvus Corax have been more than just a medieval band. True to the tradition of medieval traveling minstrels, they pick up the most diverse currents, styles, and instrumentation and create something new out of them. Here is an overview of the various projects.
ERA METALLUM (since 2022)
Under the banner of "ERA METALLUM", CORVUS CORAX are making a massive impact. On the double album, releasing on June 24, 2022, and bolstered by KREATOR's Finnish guitar god Sami Yli-Sirniö alongside other guest appearances by seasoned metal greats, the masters of ancient instruments present a hand-picked selection of their most popular classics from the Nordic cultural sphere in a new, steel-clad sound.
"We just felt like playing heavy metal," explains percussionist and drummer Norri, who many will surely remember from his time with the cult metal band DEPRESSIVE AGE. So it is hardly surprising that with "ERA METALLUM," CORVUS CORAX have conjured up a hard-hitting new combination of "metal wall of sound" and ancient instruments.
Anyone who might still expect this to be another so-called "medieval rock album" for cheerful singalongs will have their mead horn slip away with the opener. After an ominous intro, the 'Gjallarhorn' sounds with an Asgard-shattering force and uncompromisingly shows where the musical journey to the far north is heading. Booming horns, mighty choirs, and several "old" instruments, delivering everything from melody to madness, are combined with bass, drums, and guitars in the best thrash and power metal tradition.
On the subject of "new", the skalds can announce that CORVUS CORAX are even providing a custom-hewn, freshly recorded epic entitled 'Víkingar' on "ERA METALLUM". It becomes doubly exciting when CORVUS CORAX have this testosterone-fueled number cleverly turned into its feminine counterpart in Valkyrie fashion on the second CD by Icelandic opera singer Arndís Halla.
The two Irish pieces 'Na láma-sa' and 'Lá í mBealtaine' receive a similarly fascinating dual treatment. The former is heavily roughened up in another version by Primordial front man Alan "Nemtheanga" Averill, while the second song is once again reinterpreted hymnal-style. BLIND GUARDIAN singer Hansi Kürsch, bass player Bill Gould (FAITH NO MORE), and guitarist Sonia Anubis from COBRA SPELL contributed to this hit.
Of course, CORVUS CORAX couldn't possibly leave out the Faroese street hit 'Sverker' in this medley – nor the ominous, heavy Odin's raven epic 'Hugin & Munin' or the lively mermaid 'Havfru', which temporarily transforms into a raging fury in its metallized new version. And when Sabina Classen from HOLY MOSES takes over the vocal part of 'Ragnarök', the sung apocalypse comes frighteningly close. Although the album works wonderfully even without historical knowledge, specialists will notice that CORVUS CORAX cover the entire Nordic cultural area including the Anglo-Saxon and Irish contact zone – and all without any schoolmasterly attitude.
It only seems logical that CORVUS CORAX are now finally dedicating themselves to their love for heavy metal with "ERA METALLUM". As always, the musical alchemists succeed in transforming raw metal into pure gold! With "ERA METALLUM", CORVUS CORAX deliver a full blast of sound that will captivate far more than just headbangers.
The Limited Edition includes an exclusive bonus disc featuring the following guests: Hansi Kürsch (BLIND GUARDIAN), Bill Gould (Faith No More), Doro, Sabina Classen (Holy Moses), Alan Nemtheanga A. (PRIMORDIAL), Arndis Halla, Philipp Bischoff (DAMNATION DEFACED) & Sonia Anubis (COBRA SPELL).
CARMINA BURANA by Corvus Corax (since 2005)
further information at cantusburanus.net
In 2005, the Berlin-based group Corvus Corax achieved something extraordinary with their orchestra project "CANTUS BURANUS". They ripped the legendary medieval collection of texts Carmina Burana out of the clutches of Carl Orff and created a completely new musical setting for bagpipes and drums, a symphony orchestra, vocal soloists, and a choir.
Ancient traditions, medieval music, classical and contemporary attitudes to life were brought together with force and passion into a synthesis that not only shattered many external boundaries, but also dissolved the familiar dimensions.
In the same year, Corvus Corax performed their orchestral composition for the first time with great success at the Wacken Open Air and on the culturally rich Museum Island in Berlin. Two years of exciting concerts followed, during which the artists were already working on the sequel, and in 2008 Cantus Buranus 2 was released. A mixture of songs from both works has been performed with great success ever since, and in November 2008 the journey even led all the way to China.
It cannot be emphasized often enough – the Carmina Burana is not a creation of Carl Orff. Rather, it is a collection of texts from the 11th and 12th centuries that was written down around 1230. Little is known about the exact origin of the texts. The original designation "Codex Buranus" was only changed to "Carmina Burana" in 1847. The songs provide a comprehensive impression of everyday life and intellectual life in the Middle Ages. Yet as soon as one delves a little more closely into the texts, one will be surprised to find that the Middle Ages are only a stone's throw away from the 21st century. Although people back then eked out their existence under completely different living conditions, they struggled through life with the same problems as today.
All the more reason for Corvus Corax to engage with the extensive body of text and continue their journey through the ages and expanses, whereby the selection of writings and their themes underlines the astonishing relevance of the medieval lyrics.
When choosing their compositional means and instruments, Corvus Corax are anything but arbitrary. Multicultural hybrids at any cost are not their thing. Their focus is on bringing sounds together in their logical geographical and historical extension from antiquity to the present day.
The group knows precisely what fund of material it can access and drew upon the horn to its absolute limit. The composition triumphs over the programmatics. The musical realization of the texts thereby becomes significantly more dynamic, subtleties are brought out better, and the unbridled power of the pieces is sensitively cushioned. The sound achieves a depth and color that would have been unimaginable in the first part of "CANTUS BURANUS" from 2005. The group's instrumentation was expanded once again for the new recording. Alongside the new bagpipes already mentioned, Taiko drums have been added, expanding the ensemble's horizon once again in terms of time and space, since Taiko drums in their current form have existed for 3,000 years. Cantus Buranus – this is once more the Middle Ages breaking out of the monastic enclosure into today's urban everyday life. Here, the composers have succeeded in creating a timeless masterpiece that, as a musical milestone, will captivate future generations as well.
DER FLUCH DES DRACHEN (since 2017)
further information on www.derfluchdesdrachen.de
Perhaps not everyone can immediately imagine something under the term, but it hits the core: The Curse of the Dragon combines the opulence of an energetic musical with the imagination and drama of an epic fantasy story.
The gripping Plot of the fantastical comes from none other than Markus Heitz . With a total circulation of 4.6 million books, this counts ( The Dwarves , Ulldart , and many more) and constant placements on the SPIEGEL bestseller list, he is one of the most popular fantasy authors in the country and has really put his heart and soul into the Fantastical: The Curse of the Dragon is a mysterious fantasy story about honor and villainy, loyalty and betrayal, faith and power. In the end, it is about the greatest adventure that humans have always had to face: The adventure of love.
The Narrator of the story is the actor Johannes Steck . Steck has not only recorded numerous genre novels and series for audiobooks, but is also the narrator of the famous Calenberg jousting tournament. For the Fluch des Drachen he combines the massive repertoire of his voice with an equally extensive genre experience.
Musically the exciting story by the well-known medieval band Corvus Corax is brought to life. Epic elements and sound collages reminiscent of atmospheric soundtracks meet authentic music from the actual Middle Ages – and this in turn meets pop-music structures and modern melodic arcs never heard from the band before. Corvus Corax have always been experimental: this is evident in their soundtracks for computer games, experiments with electronica, collaborations with choirs and symphonists, and working with the famous film composer Hans Zimmer on a movie soundtrack. The fact that they are essentially launching a new genre with the "Fantastical" suits the ravens perfectly.
Produced the album became The Curse of the Dragon by Ingo Politz (formerly Vallicon) and Marcus Gorstein.
BERLINSKIBEAT (since 2010)
20s, street music, Berlin: This is BerlinskiBeat.
Seven Berlin musicians from four different countries.
The streets of Berlin are international; and just as much do Berlinski Beat revive the 1920s with an international flair: Berlin classics combined with danceable rhythms, Balkan beats, and mariachi music. Whether in clubs or on the streets: with this project, the cosmopolitan Berlin musicians transport the maxims and lyrics of the Golden Twenties into the present day.
Live, the seven diverse characters in elegant turquoise-black captivate audiences not only with their multicultural charm, but with an impulsive stage show and extravagant instruments: highlighted percussion instruments, an outstanding brass section, and even bagpipes and shawms are transformed into modern indie pop instruments with a unique eye-catching effect.
On their albums, not only the relevant hits are made socially acceptable in a modern-international sound of the Berlin street. Current themes such as street music on the Ringbahn and construction trailer life are also musically processed and glorified in the style of 1920s hits. A musical and thematic bridge between Berlin street and dance music: decadence and the present brought into harmony.
BerlinskiBeat is not only supported by one of the best-known German rock musicians: Rodrigo González from "Die Ärzte" plays guest guitar on one song; they even convinced the Mexican music greats from "Panteon Roccoco" to contribute creatively.
https://www.youtube.com/user/BerlinskiBeat
The producer Moses Schneider
With Tocotronic, Beatsteaks, Seeed, and AnnenMayKantereit, Moses Schneider was able to celebrate his great successes. Today, he is one of Germany's most respected producers. Internationally, he was able to help Gordon Raphael, producer of The Strokes, who lives in New York, to his success through inspiration and equipment. Therefore, the joy of having won him over for the new record by BerlinskiBeat is all the greater.
