Titus writes:
I’m not after the sympathy vote, but I knew that
this would be a tough assignment, due to most references to Celtian
being in the Spanish language. Still, that’s the price you pay for
liking alternative bands, so I will do my best, proceeding as normal!
I
believe that Celtian is pronounced KEL-TEE-AN, although I’m sure that
the pronunciation SEL-TEE-AN is perfectly acceptable. Celtian is a
ground-breaking Spanish symphonic folk metal project, formed in 2017 by
flutist Diego Palacio. They have made four albums which are ‘The
Druid’s Awakening’ (2017); ‘En Tierra de Hadas’ (2019); ‘Sendas de
Leyanda’ (2021) and ‘Secretos de Amor y Muerte’ (2024). They have,
like many groups, had changes in membership, but the ensemble currently
consists of Diego Palacio on flute; Sergio Culebras on guitar; David
Landeroin on drums; Txus Boorao on violin; the brilliant Xana Lavey on
vocals; and Raul Plaza on bass.
Their
unique blend of Celtic metal and traditional Spanish influences, in my
opinion creates a highly pleasing sound which is extremely fulfilling.
They churn out melodic tracks and heartfelt lyrics (this is where a
good Spanish translator comes in). They could never be classed as ‘run
of the mill’, and following on from my two main classifications of
music as either ‘good’ or ‘not so good’, this lot certainly encourages
me to use a rarely used term ‘outstanding’. The founder of the band,
Diego, who was initially recognised for his powerful flute performances
on You Tube, grew up surrounded by music, inspiring him to experiment
with different genres and styles. Vocalist Xana, known for her
extremely powerful voice, also had her own You Tube channel. Diego’s
exposure to traditional Celtic music and Xana’s training in various
vocal styles, laid the foundation for the band’s unique sound.
Over
the years, with a few exceptions, I have always respected serious
musicians, and Diego & Xana fall easily into this category. They
have a deep connection to music that extends beyond mere
entertainment. Celtian draws inspiration from a diverse array of
musical influences, and they have successfully blended Celtic metal
with Spanish folk metal and beyond, with rich orchestration from within
the band. They, like myself and many others, are firm believers in the
vinyl format being the best for the music industry. Such perseverance
led to a recording contract with Maldito Records, propelling them into
the spotlight.and they have always pursued a signature sound that
resonates deeply with their many fans. Their four vinyl album sleeves
remind me very much of some of the brilliant ones produced by Hipgnosis
in the 70’s, and not a lot of people know that Aubrey Powell has
produced a book of some of these masterpieces! Forgive me, I digress.
My
understanding of the Spanish language is very limited to say the
least, so I cannot comment on what the lyrics of many of their songs
convey, so as always, the music rules. I am told that their lyrics
often tell of themes of love, loss and resilience, mirroring their own
life experiences......so I suppose, like many all over the globe, they
are storytellers as well as musicians. I like most of the tunes on
their 2024 album ‘Secretos de Amor y Muerte’ (‘Secrets of love and
death’), but have decided to ask Lex to play just the one, in the hope
that he may play more of Celtian’s work in the weeks to come. The
track is ‘Hasta el Final’ (‘All the Way’) and can be found here.
