KANNONAU - Kannonau LP

LP edition released by Steinklang.Released in 2005 on CDr and never reprinted, Italian Kannonau’s self-titled debut mini-album is long overdue for a re-release. Coupled with two brand new tracks recorded in 2021, this first-ever vinyl edition unites the past and present of Kannonau into a release relevant to newcomers and old friends alike.

Drawing from the classic neofolk sound, neoclassical and other esoteric strains of post-industrial music, Kannonau’s expression is mystical, evocative, majestic and at times even ritualistic. Marrying acoustic instrumentation with synthesized sounds, ritual percussion, powerful male vocals and haunting female backing vocals, the music evokes images of sacral fires in ancient temples, ancestral glory, and an all-pervasive melancholy for this world in decline.

Their first new material in 14 years, the new tracks on this release are a welcome sign of life from one of the less recognized but still vital proponents of Italian neofolk. The new tracks prove that Kannonau have not lost any of their essential core: the gap of 16 years makes itself heard as an increased confidence and maturity of expression, but the sound and style are recognizable as Kannonau from the onset.