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Pagan | 
| Artist: Cruachan
Label: Candlelight
Category: Music
List Price: $14.98
Buy New: $10.48
You Save: $4.50 (30%)
New (9) Used (6) from $7.99
Rating:  8 reviews
Sales Rank: 137560
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 5 x 0.5
UPC: 803341149427
EAN: 0803341149427
ASIN: B0001HAI0Y
Release Date: June 1, 2004
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Tracks:
| • | Michael Collins | | • | Pagan | | • | Gael | | • | Ard Ri Na Heireann | | • | March to Cluain Tairbh | | • | Viking Slayer | | • | 1014 A.D. | | • | Some Say the Devil Is Dead | | • | Summoning of the Sidhe | | • | Thousand Years | | • | Lament for the Wild Geese | | • | Erinsong | | • | Fall of Gondolin |
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| Customer Reviews: Read 3 more reviews...
Better Blend November 2, 2004
sliphsc (VA USA)
9 out of 9 found this review helpful
If you are thinking about picking up a copy of Pagan, it is best to assume that you are at least somewhat familiar with Cruachan's sound. Having said that, Cruachan still continues to amaze with their fourth full-length release. They manage to make a return to their metal roots, but still keep the folk sound that defines them so well. As a result, Pagan is very similar to Tuatha Na Gael in a few ways. First and most importantly, there is more of a metal sound to this album (as compared to The Middle Kingdom and Folk-Lore), very similar to the sound of Tuatha Na Gael. However, there is still plenty of folk sound to it. That is probably what makes this release the most versatile: it can please the most diehard metal fans, but also those fans who have grown to love the folk aspect of Cruachan. Second, there are a lot of covers of songs from Tuatha Na Gael (Viking Slayer, which borrows a lot from Return, Erinsong, and The Fall of Gondolin). I am by no means saying that this is a bad thing. All three of these songs are very well done, and probably my three favorites on the CD. Last and somewhat unfortunately, the recording quality is also similar to that of Tuatha Na Gael. Of course, it does add a nice feel to the CD since Cruachan's only other nearly straight metal release sounds similar in this regard. The only thing that bothered me was that there is far less flute music in the songs on Pagan as compared to their other albums. This is due to the fact that the flutist was on-and-off with the group during recording, so they can hardly be blamed, but it still detracts somewhat. I would recommend this release to anybody who is a fan of either end of Cruachan's spectrum. Both the metal side and the folk side are represented significantly and represented well. Additionally, to clear up any confusion, the track list is out of order. The real order is:
1. Michael Collins
2. Pagan
3. The Gael
4. Ard Ri Na Heireann
5. The March of Cluain Tairbh
6. Viking Slayer
7. 1014 A.D.
8. Some Say the Devil is Dead
9. A Thousand Years
10. Lament for the Wild Geese
11. Erinsong
12. Summoning of the Sidhe
13. The Fall of Gondolin
I Wish I Lived in Europe, Where Music is Good September 20, 2004
Mark Radulich (Tampa, FL USA)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I love this album! I originally got into this genre of music by being turned onto first Dimmu Borgir and then Finntroll. Now I've found an all new genre of music to get into instead of staying stuck in the Hatebreed/Chimaira/Slipknot area of metal.
This album isn't as metal as Finntroll tends to be but if you are looking for different sounds and have some patience for new things then I think you will appreciate this record. It definitely conjures up some lush images of fantasy worlds a la Lord of the Rings. It's no Blind Guardian or Finntroll but more Nightwish, and very pretty none-the-less. Definitely worth the money.
More Metal than the second and third album October 14, 2004
Dante (Valinhos, SP BRAZIL)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
It's the fourth Cruachan's album and I think it would be helpfull if I compare it with their albums came before.
The first Cruachan album, Tuatha na Gael, is a extreme Metal masterpeace. It's perfect and beautiful as Cruachan will never make better.
When Karen Gilligan came with her pretty female vocals, Cruachan made two albums with low Metalness, The Middle Kingdom and Folk-Lore.
Pagan isn't so good as Tuatha na Gael, but it has a higher Metalness than the second and third album. Karen's vocals became better and more interesting, and the presence of Keith Fay O'Fathaigh harsh vocals are stronger than before.
Interesting mix of new-wave rock, Celtic folk, and black metal January 2, 2008
Kimberly L. Stewart (longmont, co United States)
Well, I love folk and I love metal. When I heard of a Celtic folk-metal band (a friend had already turned me onto excellent Nordic bands like Finntroll and Asmegin), I had to check them out. I don't find the blend as "perfect" as Finntroll (where the polka/humpa and stomping metal compliment each other to a sublime extent) or the Flogging Molly/Pogues Irish folk-rock sound (again, where the Celtic pub song/punk thing seems to compliment nicely). So, I can't give it 5 stars, but I do like it and it grows on me with each listen. Karen Gilligan's vocals are very reminiscent of that early 80's new wave chick rock vocal style, which I don't really think blends well with the Celtic or metal styles and gives the overall album more of a rock than (modern-) metal feel, although there are some black-metal moments in this (including some stuff redone from their original Tuatha Na Gael album, which is very much in a black folk-metal vein). The folk instruments and elements (they do a version of Some Say the Devil is Dead, which one might find on a more straight-ahead Irish folk album) are great.
So, if you're looking for Celtic music fused with black metal, you'd do better with their first album (Tuatha Na Gael) or the band Eluveitie, and if you're looking for more of a fantasy feel, try just about any European power metal band (e.g. Rhapsody or Elvenking) but if you are willing to accept them for what they are, this is good music with Celtic and metal elements.
Great Twist On Metal January 9, 2007
Fred Rayworth (Las Vegas, NV United States)
I picked this up because I loved the Pagan cover. The music was another surprise as I was not sure what to expect. I'd never heard of these people until I saw several of their CD's in the closing of Tower Records.
The music is very Irish and folky, yet still full of metal. I have several of the melodies dancing around in my head right now as I write this. I love their use of traditional instruments, particularly, the Shawm (I think it's called that). Overall, the album has a great feel to it.
My only criticism is the harsh vocals. The male voice is good in most places but when he is singing harsh, it just sounds too grating and is too much of a contrast to the rest of the music.
These guys and girl remind me of Goat Of Mendes, and that is not a bad thing. I like their twist on metal and strongly recommend it. Dance an Irish jig!
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