At first listen Day Of Wrath may seem like a score to an action film, or some supernatural flick where evil is out to ruin the world.
Storms seem to be brewing in the first notes of “Black Friday.” It is obvious that this piece is about something more ominous than the start of the holiday shopping season. The music is a reflection of several points of history, Good Friday included where bloody acts took place on a Friday.
The music is dark and sinister sounding. It creates a mood that lets you know that death is near.
“Mourning” is the next piece. The piano and strings convey the sadness of the song. It truly brings forth the feelings of those grieving the loss of a loved one, in the case of this song, Jesus.
The title track is truly fearsome and at times soothing. ”The Day Of Wrath” is about The Judgment Day. The first half of the song perfectly illustrates the destruction of the world as we know it. The melody is fierce and dark. About midway through, the music shifts to something lighter where paradise has been found and sorrow will cease.
All of the music on Day Of Wrath is emotionally driven and powerful. “The Story Of My Life” is one such piece. The brass and the percussion are so strong at times, you can feel your heartbeat quicken just listening.
“Glimpse of Happiness” is a turning point in the tone of the music. The music is a reflection of love in the course of life. The melody is soothing and the piano is the perfect instrument to reflect that emotion.
Perhaps after you glimpse happiness, you’ll need “Solitude” to take it all in. The instrumentation on this song is very simple and very solitary to begin with. As it progresses the melody becomes more intense and complex.
“Harald’s Dream” is a song that tells a story on its own. It is based on a love story between a prince of Avar and a beautiful princess with golden hair.
“Fantasy For Piano and Orchestra” is just as it sounds, a beautiful piece of music that takes the listener to a land of happily ever after. It is a dreamy sounding song full of hope and possibilities. The music seems to spill out in waves.
As much as “Fantasy” is full of hope, “Reverie” is full of reflection. It is a quieter piece, almost somber, but not quite, with the piano again in the forefront. The melody is somber, which is perfect for looking back on things that once were or could’ve been. Bogdan, describes it as looking at door that is forever shut.
Edgar Allen Poe’s poem of the same name is the inspiration for “A Dream Within A Dream.” When you think of Poe, you think of things of a darker, spookier nature, yet this song is light, with a relaxing melody. The sweeping melody speaks of a perfect love that doesn’t exist
Just as the album opens a crash of thunder rolls by in the opening strains of “Sahara.” This is a haunting Middle Eastern melody. It is a touch of world music, on an album that is primarily orchestral.
Each piece of music found on Day of Wrath is full of emotion and tells a story. This is more than just instrumental music that can play idly in the background. Bogdan Ota has created a masterpiece of sound that fills your ears with breathtaking beauty. This is music that you can’t forget once you’ve heard it, and once you’ve heard it, you’ll want to play it again and again.
Review by Andrea Guy
Rating 5 (out of 5 stars)