Peter Bjärgö
A Wave Of Bitterness
Kalinkaland / Broken Silence

Peter Bjärgö of Arcana has made an unsurprisingly dark solo effort while on leave from his regular band. His deep, dark voice and meandering tunes are present and correct but also a new sense of sadness.

The title track has a quite menace rife with tension that supports his voice well. He gets the feeling across without resorting to melodramatic maneuvers. "A Choice of Silence" is quiet and strong, Bjärgö edging into Dead Can Dance's hymnal mode, but with his own intensity intact. "A Slow Wave" is more of the same, perhaps tempered with Arcana's habitual sorrow. Bjärgö is hardly exploring new territory on this album but he achieves a strong whole anyway. Fans of Arcana will feel right at home with this.

Copyright © 2010 Anna Maria Stjärnell