Mick Barr is a metal guitarist who has performed as a solo artist and collaborator under a few different monikers, including Orthrelm, Octis and Crom Tech. He's also the man behind Ocrilim, and this is his second CD under that name.
Annwn is an instrumental CD, comprised entirely of pieces composed for multiple electric guitars. There's no bass or drums, just walls of guitars. The songs have a very classical feel, and are very long, ranging from 7 to 15 minutes. There's a lot of dissonance, which can make for a difficult listen.
Barr is an outstanding guitarist, but these songs lose luster quickly. There's not a lot of melody, just atmosphere and skilled playing. 80 minutes is also way too long for an album of this type. Although I can appreciate the skill and virtuosity of the guitar playing, after the first few minutes I didn't enjoy listening to Annwn at all.
(released February 5, 2008 on Hydra Head Records)
