review by: Roberto Martinelli

Maelstrom loves Za Frûmi. The mere fact that this dark ambient project is all about orcs and in Orc (the language. Yeah, it exists) makes it a lock to appeal to our bizarre curiosities, whether the albums are good or bad. And the last album, Tach, was bad (see our three reviews here). Regardless, we still awaited more from this wacky, D&D nerd duo from Sweden.

Legends Act 1 is an instrumental album, and it’s much better than Tach, but doesn’t approach the cult appeal of the first album, Za Shum Ushatar Uglakh (read our review and interview here). Certainly Legends Act 1 is in the same style as its two predecessors, being goofy, unique dark ambient with “medieval” sounding percussion that would be at home on Summoning albums, and synthesized silliness that inspires images of traipsing through fantasy, moss covered landscapes replete with sprites and nymphs. Watch out for the orc with the spiked club waiting for you behind the big weeping willow tree.

This image of wandering through swamps and encountering shamans with bone necklaces is especially present on Legends Act 1. Also making a welcome comeback are the choral arrangements that were so great in the first album. There should be more of them on this record and in the future. There are a few passages with brutish grunting, but sadly, no lyric sheet to broaden our steadily growing Orc vocabulary.

As one who has been following Za Frûmi’s tale of a band of orcs, I have to say I’m a little disappointed in there being no dialogue or explicit continuation of the story that came to an abrupt, “tune in next time” end on the last story. Don’t leave me hanging! (7/10)