Godula

The new studio album by Tomáš Kočko & Orchestra is called Godula and, if not counting the “seasonal” CD called Koleda, this is a new studio album after long five years. During those five years Tomáš Kočko helped to create three ethno-doom metal albums in the role of producer and so it is no wonder that Godula offers wide range of genres from folk to world music and folk-metal, all with an emphasis on traditional Moravian music. Balancing this genre jitter is a specialty of Tomáš Kočko. And in the end, there is always good music. Regardless of any pigeon-hole.  

Musically new album builds on the last studio album Poplór, but thematically Godula offers references which are essentially close to Tomáš Kočko. It’s a return to the places which are related to the Hodovnice CD – the mountain Godula (in Beskydy Mountains in northeastern Czech Republic) and its surroundings. In the new album, Tomáš Kočko & Orchestra doesn’t plunge into ancient pagan traditions hidden in our folklore, such as in the Hodovnice album, but they are inspired by the mountain itself, by the legends related to it, present and ancient. Tomáš Kočko says about his current record: “The new album builds on the previous CD Poplór with its musical diversity and elaborateness, but thematically it goes back to the days of Hodovnice. It takes you again to the woods of the legendary Godula Mountain and tells you both old and new stories - just this time, using modern language.”

Although one of the songs is in Old Slavonic (Godovnica – a prayer to Slavic pagan gods, reminder of the cult traditions of this mountain), they are not folk songs and lyrics. Godula is purely author’s album. The Old Slavonic text was written by Pavla Jarošová. Three other texts added Tomáš Kočko who is also the author of music for all songs. Newly, Bogdan Trojak also works on this album with Tomáš Kočko (Magnesia litera, Orten Award, lyrics for Lenka Dusilová and Eternal Seekers); he has four songs on the album. The author connection of Tomáš Kočko and the poet Bogdan Trojak is symbolic for this album, as Tomáš Kočko says:  “Bogdan, same as me, comes from around Godula Mountain.  He comes from Vendryně and I’m from Frýdek-Místek, which is the other side of the mountain. If we came out of our birthplaces and walked towards each other, we’d meet under the Godula Mountain. And this album is such a meeting.”