Fans of Morgana Lefay Unite!

I have Sanctified and it's pretty good, tho I haven't listened to it in a long time. Make sure you listen to the hidden track at the end, it's a hoot.

Judging from my ancient comment earlier in this thread I must have had a CD-R of Grand Materia at some point, cuz I know I don't have the actual CD... I have no idea where it would be if I still have it. Yeah, I know, I'm so helpful.

I completely lost track of this band ages ago, I believe they have something new in the works for the first time in quite a few years.

I read the thread now and the three I picked sort of figure into their more recommended releases. Though I was not aware of the name change issues. Lucky I didn't get the self-titled, I guess.

Good ones there and I'd add Aberrations of the Mind.

How funny! This band is one I've been meaning to go deeper with for years. I only have one CD of theirs, and really like it. Just yesterday I ordered one from discogs, and plan on buying more each payday until I get them all, or most. Funny how this old thread was brought back from the dead the day after I decide to go all in. Must be a sign that it was meant to be.

So I never heard these guys until this thread today. And I find them...quite good. I dunno. There's something at war here, something in their sound, like conflict, uncertainty. It's odd and I'm not sure if I dig it or not.

The Savatage comparisons are spot on, at least vocally.

MetalGuy71 wrote:

spectrefate wrote:

They are one of my top 3 favorite bands ever.

Knowing Just As I isn't so great. I would stay clear of that one.

Look for (in this order) Grand Materia, S.O.S., The Seventh Seal, Malificium, The Secret Doctrine, Aberrations of the Mind (although this shouldn't be your first introduction to the band), and Sanctified.

Thanks for the recommendations. I'm gonna try and get back there before the end of the week. Now that I'm done Christmas shopping and still have a little cash left over, my new-music-spending-freeze is being lifted. I'm jonesin' for some new music.

Going back to my post 12 years ago (Geez Louise! 12 years posting nonsense), I've still never purchased any Lefay, Morgana or othrwise.

MetalGuy71 wrote:

MetalGuy71 wrote:

spectrefate wrote:

They are one of my top 3 favorite bands ever.

Knowing Just As I isn't so great. I would stay clear of that one.

Look for (in this order) Grand Materia, S.O.S., The Seventh Seal, Malificium, The Secret Doctrine, Aberrations of the Mind (although this shouldn't be your first introduction to the band), and Sanctified.

Thanks for the recommendations. I'm gonna try and get back there before the end of the week. Now that I'm done Christmas shopping and still have a little cash left over, my new-music-spending-freeze is being lifted. I'm jonesin' for some new music.

Going back to my post 12 years ago (Geez Louise! 12 years posting nonsense), I've still never purchased any Lefay, Morgana or othrwise.

Maybe by 2031 then.

That's always a possibility.

Looks like Morgana Lefay CDs are not that easy to find cheap.

Lari wrote:

Looks like Morgana Lefay CDs are not that easy to find cheap.

They're not particularly easy to find, period (at least on this side of the ocean)... which is probably why I lost track of 'em years ago, after their last U.S. label (Noise Records) closed up shop...

Lari wrote:

Looks like Morgana Lefay CDs are not that easy to find cheap.

Nope, can't even find the first two on CD, unless maybe a bootleg somewhere. I ordered the third one on discogs for $14.00 though. Hopefully I can get the other ones for a similar price.

I had to stream. All of their albums are on Google Play.

Kind of weird how these streaming services carry OOP stuff that you can't find on CD these days. Although I am happy that the labels bother at all...

I listened to Sanctified for the first time and boy does it sound like the 90's, with the production and the hidden tracks and all. That guitar and drum sound together with the production makes it sound awfully a lot like Metallica's Black Album. With Jon Oliva singing, because that's who Rytkonen sounds like. Just a little more technically refined.

Musically, it's not unlike some of the other 90's Scandinavian acts like Sentenced and Tarot.

I was expecting maybe more speed (and definitely was not expecting a Bob Rock production sound), but overall the music is catchy, dark, brooding, aggressive at times and with plenty of twists. I like it. Looking forward to spinning the other two I bought.

Post a song by them -

Doing Lord of the Rings themed songs was not as cringe-worthy before the movie series, I guess.

This is a cool one, probably my favourite off of the album (after two listens only, but still)

I love LotR's themed songs. Shocking I know.

Dark Horseman wrote:

I love LotR's themed songs. Shocking I know.

I think Peter Jackson has ruined it for metal.

Lari wrote:

Dark Horseman wrote:

I love LotR's themed songs. Shocking I know.

I think Peter Jackson has ruined it for metal.

Nah, Hollywood ruined it with that abomination they called The Hobbit.

I just have a hard time with that dated 90's sterile production on Sanctified. I wish they'd just gone with a more timeless, organic, sound.

It's not like it sounds bad. The Black Album doesn't sound bad either. But just a little lifeless. I compare it to those big 80's hair metal productions, like Def Leppard and stuff.

I am sure I would have loved it in the 90's though. Just doesn't necessarily age well when you're used to the "natural" sound of instruments.

This thread has inspired me to dig Sanctified out of the archives for tomorrow's drive to work. .

Fat Freddy wrote:

Lari wrote:

Looks like Morgana Lefay CDs are not that easy to find cheap.

They're not particularly easy to find, period (at least on this side of the ocean)... which is probably why I lost track of 'em years ago, after their last U.S. label (Noise Records) closed up shop...

, 12 years and counting.

I live in California and had a hell of a time tracking down their cd's & at a fair price. But, I did end up with all of them..


Awesome song.

Lari wrote:

Musically, it's not unlike some of the other 90's Scandinavian acts like Sentenced and Tarot.

I'll add Lake of Tears to this group. Not gothic but kind of flirting with that dark aesthetic. And of course Metallica, very much.

In fact, there isn't much power metal in Sanctified. At least not the typical European melodic power metal. It's heavy. Very heavy. Just heavy, just metal. Heavy metal.

So I've listened to Sanctified a couple of times this week (for the first time in years) during my rides to and from work. I still dig it. I agree with Lari that the production is dry as hell, but the riffs are oh so crunchy.

How drunk/stoned do you think they were when they recorded that hidden track (a medley of Depeche Mode's "Just Can't Get Enough" and a reggae song)? The singer is laughing so hard during the D.M. cover that he can't even get most of the lyrics out.

Nearly a month has passed and I've moved on to the second disc of my haul of three. Maleficium. A lot more traditional sounding metal album, instead of the Metallica worship that was Sanctified.

The songs are of similar quality. I probably prefer this a little. The guitar solos are definitely better, and there's a more menacing vibe going on. Still not sure why this band gets listed as power metal often. It's just heavy metal to me. Not especially fast either.