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Karda Estra 1998-2016 (Collection)

The older I get, the more easily I'm surprised with new bands, KARDA ESTRA is an very competent group of British musicians who from from the late 90's to the date, create music that combines the dark spirit of the Eastern Europe ethnic sound (present in the use of Bazouki and Rastrophone) with the skills of the most pristine Symphonic Prog you can imagine expressed in complex and well developed orchestral arrangements that create an atmosphere of mystery and obscurity enhanced by the haunting chorals.

KARDA ESTRA is the brainchild of the multi instrumentalist and composer Richard Willeman who is obviously obsessed with the 1800's Gothic Revival and created this Neo Classical - Progressive project to exploit that dark mood that most Progressive Rock followers love so much.

Their main inspiration is so wide that goes from Romanian music from the Carpathian Mountains to Steve Hackett with who he shares that obsession for obscurity.

Since their debut, KARDA ESTRA constant members are Richard Willeman (classical, electric and bass guitars, keyboards, percussion, bouzouki, rastrophone and other exotic instruments), the weird and sometimes scary voice of Illesha Bailey, Rachel Larkins (viola, violin) and Zoe King (flute, alto saxophone and oboe) but always has counted with other excellent musicians to complete the band like Caron Hansford who plays oboe, cor anglais and bassoon, a luxury team.

The main theme in his albums is terror and reaches it's peak with "Eve" based in The Future Eve, written in 1886 by Villiers de L'Isle Adam about a scientist who creates a fiancée for his fiend Lord Ewald (2001) and Voivode Dracula of course based in the novel by Bram Stocker.

Didn't had the chance to listen their latest album "The Age Of Science And Enlightenment" released a few months ago but it0's one of the first thing I'm going to do in the next few days.

Symphonic nuts will love this band.


• 1998 "A Winter In Summertime" (00:27:25) 320 kbps
• 2000 "Thirteen From The Twenty First" (00:51:36) 320 kbps
• 2000 "The Land Of Ghosts Vol. 1"
• 2001 "Eve" (00:42:36) 320 kbps
• 2002 "Equilibrium" (01:13:09) 320 kbps
• 2003 "Constellations" (00:43:21) 320 kbps
• 2004 "Voivode Dracula" (00:43:29) 320 kbps
• 2004 "Alternate History" (00:49:32) 320 kbps
• 2006 "The Age Of Science And Enlightenment" (00:43:27) 320 kbps
• 2007 "The Last Of The Libertine" (00:41:42) 320 kbps
• 2009 "Weird Tales" (00:42:49) 320 kbps
• 2011 "New Worlds" (00:37:48) 320 kbps
• 2012 "The Land Of Ghosts 3" [EP] (00:20:58) 320 kbps
• 2013 "Mondo Profondo" (00:36:10) 320 kbps
• 2015 "Strange Relations" (00:53:05) 320 kbps
• 2016 "Time and Stars"

http://the-wall-of-music.actieforum.com/