Helas, as I am told the curtain drops for Der Blutharsch. This does not mean that Der Blutharsch really quit, but after ten years of making highly creative and renewing neo-folk and martial music this genre setting act is going to make a drastic change in its musical career. A pity, because front man Albin Julius has managed to develop the genre with albums such as Der Sieg des Lichtes and When all else fails. All the albums have a different approach and sound and became a worthy addition for the genre. With the album The Philosopher’s Stone this also will be the case. On this album a strange yet compelling mixture of neo-folk and (psychedelic) rock is displayed, which reminds me of the When did Wonderland end? album.  Adepts of the “old” Der Blutharsch sound may not like this album, since it drift too far from the original sound created in the end of the 90’s. But when you listen to it more thorough this album has got a lot to offer. There are still enough neo-folk elements present although it has been combined with a more psychedelic atmosphere. The guitar dominates on this album but together with a multitude of instruments it sees to it that there’s plenty to discover. It may take a few spins but after that it sucks you into an atmosphere which is really dark, dreamy and keeps you in trance the entire ride. In my opinion The Philosopher’s Stone has become a worthy last album of Der Blutharsch and probably will end up very high in my year list of 2007. What the future  for Der Blutharsch brings may be uncertain...but this album certainly satisfies my thirst until we find out. As Albin Julius put it: Uniforms are always changing – Rock ‘n’ Roll will stay forever. And maybe Julian Albin is right!