“A salve against, or a product of, seasonal affective disorder during the Norwegian winter… light years away from later works”: White Willow’s Ex Tenebris puts their roots on display

White Willow - Ex Tenebris.

First released in 1997, Ex Tenebris began life as a solo album by White Willow’s guitarist and composer-in-chief Jacob Holm-Lupo. The line-up which made the band’s 1995 debut Ignus Fatuus had already disbanded, but as Ex Tenebris took shape Holm-Lupo realised it had enough prog pedigree to stand as a resurrected White Willow’s second album.

Now comes this re-release of a cult favourite. Not as lushly arranged than its predecessor, it was recorded on a shoestring, and benefits from Holm-Lupo’s new remaster.