Hedvig Mollestad Trio - Black Stabat Mater

I first became aware of Hedvig Mollestad Thomassen’s music when I first heard about her on Sid Smith’s blog, Postcards from the Yellow Room. As I’ve mentioned in one of my reviews, whenever Sid plays or writes about something on his blog, podcasts, or on PROG Magazine, that would make my ears light up, I know I have to put that on my wish list. The Rune Grammofon label is one of my favorites. It's up there with MoonJune, Cunieform, AltrOck, Esoteric Recordings, Laser’s Edge, Rise Above Records, and the Svart label.

They always release something special and mind-blowing albums from the label. Whether it would be Fire! Orchestra, Motorpsycho, Grand General, Elephant9, or the Hedvig Mollestad Trio, they know my ears would perk up to some amazing bands from the label. Back two years ago, I went and bought Hedvig Mollestad Trio’s Enfant Terrible on Wayside Music and it completely knocked me out of my socks off. This year, she’s released her new album entitled, Black Stabat Mater.

When it was shown on one of the new arrivals on The Laser’s Edge website, I bought straight away. Listening to this album, Hedvig’s guitar playing is like a menacing forceful eruptive explosion that is waiting to happen at the right moment. With the textures of Jazz, Space Rock, Doom Metal, and Post-Rock voyages through the outer limits, she creates this tension. Not only her playing is out of this world, but Ellen Brekken’s Bass, and Ivar Loe Bjornstad’s drumming set the engines engaged to hyper-speed.

There is some elements between early Hawkwind, Black Sabbath, Ash Ra Tempel, and King Crimson. She really takes the listener to those voyages and there’s no stopping her now along with her fellow comrades to keep the fuzzing sound thanks to Ellen and intense drumming techniques by Ivar. She is the new commander-in-chief on the metallic spaceship and the new captain of extra mind-blowing adventures through the five compositions.

With riffs, chord changes, and insane moments, you baldly need to turn this volume all the way up to kingdom come. She’s a very busy person. Mind you, the trio really get down into some space voyage business. It’s also my third time listening to Black Stabat Mater. And I was blown away right from the get-go and knowing she is a damn good and excellent guitar player.

I’ve mentioned a quick second ago, she’s a very busy person. She collaborated with bands/artists such as the Trondheim Jazz Orchestra, Hilde Marie Kjersem, The Cumshots, and El Doom and the Born Electric. And now she is going to be on the new White Willow album released next year. To me, it’s a stamp of approval and a perfect combination for her to work with some of these bands/artists and of course White Willow.

Who says women can’t play an instrument? They can. And they can kick some gigantic ass with it. Hedvig herself will blow you away for the space madness adventure she will take you on with the Black Stabat Mater.