We’ve had a number of prog bands recently but I make no apology for hosting another one and even though the album is a few months old.
Maldito is out of Trondheim, in the north of Norway and the home to a jazz-oriented conservatoire as you may know but their music is definitively tinged by a previous era and I’m thinking of the 1970s.
Maldito was actually formed in Liverpool by students of the Institute of Performing Arts there, in common with many other bands that have come to my attention in recent years, and mainly from Norway as it happens. They established an early name as energetic live rockers.
Then they gained some early fans while touring Germany, just like a scouse band whose name escapes me for the moment, back in the 1960s.
Prior to the pandemic they played many gigs across Europe including blues festivals. They even represented Norway in the International Blues Challenge in Memphis in January 2020.
Their debut album was released in 2021, followed by this one, ‘Contact Light, in May of this year, in which they ventured into new and previously unexplored territory, “drawing inspiration from 1970s prog rock, experimenting more with sound, time signatures, and genres while staying true to their roots in blues rock.”
That’s where we pick them up and while they released some early singles from it I zeroed in immediately on the opening track, ‘Moon & the Stars’, a blazing, rollicking, rocker of a thing that falls somewhere between The Allman Brothers and Yes, if you can imagine Steve Howe playing a catchy Blues riff while Wakeman picks away at a synthesiser with mazy little runs.
And speaking of Yes, Maldito’s vocalist, Vegard Ring, has a distinctive rock voice and easily nails the very same high notes and pitch that was and still is Jon Anderson’s trademark.
I like what they’ve done here. A Blues/prog combo isn’t unique but it isn’t found frequently either, and they have made it work exceptionally well.
‘Moon & the Stars’ makes you hungry for the whole 11-planet Solar System that is ‘Contact Light’ and is an excellent choice for opening track.
What’s more they’ve identified themselves as a live band to watch out for if they tour these shores.
(We’re in Manchester, guys, that bigger, better place just up the East Lancs Road).
Maldito are (including geographical origin, that’s a new one for us):
Vocals and guitar: Vegard Ring from Oppdal, Norway.
Guitar: Bendik Brevik from Trondheim, Norway.
Bass: Jon Olav Alstad from Frosta, Norway.
Drums: Gard Rognskog Nødset from Surnadal, Norway.
Find them on:
Website: www.maldito.no
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/bandmaldito
Instagram: http://instagram.com/malditoofficial
