CD: Chants of Old
by Kargan

Chants of Old is the first album of Karagan, and it offers a wonderful experience of vocal enchantment and magic. The album is entirely vocalized, with every sound and note created through beautiful harmonies of the voice. The use of breathing is mingled with layers of voice chorus to make each sound a unique magical experience, rooted within the most ancient art of Chanting. Dedicated to the gods of the old religions, the themes and power of each track is as old as speaking. Now a classic, Chants of old second edition is a unique experience that will take you to the very heart of magic.

CD: Hymnos
by Kargan

Hymnos is the much anticipated album of 2010 by Karagan. Fusing the ancient traditions of the Chant with paganism, Wicca, and ancient mythology, Hymnos beautifully stirs the mind, body, and spirit with an array of layered sound and voice. With songs sung in words inspired by the ancient invocations of old grimoires and other tracks that mingle them modern and the ancient with electronic and voice made sounds, Hymnos provides for you a soundtrack for meditation and ritual practice.

Athena

Athena is the Greek Goddess of wisdom, courage, war, strength, and strategy. The virgin patron of the city named for her, Athens, and was the Goddess to whom they people of Athens devoted the ancient temple, the Parthenon. She figures prominently in a wide range of range of Greek myths, including the tale of Medusa, who unlike her Gorgan sisters was a beautiful priestess within Athena's temple. However, Poseidon defied Medusa's vow of chastity within Athena's temple, and for violating her temple Athena cursed Medusa such that her hair turned to snakes, and her lower body became that of a serpent. This beautiful statue portrays Athena as though she were sculpted of bronze. With her feet planted wide, she bears the shield marked with the head of medusa, and wields a spear in her other hand, with her body clad in the armor and helmet of a hoplite warrior. The result is a beautiful image of the protector goddess, who stands defiant and calm with the Owl, a symbol of her wisdom, descending to perch upon her shoulder. Standing 12" tall, she is a perfect piece for your altar or home, reminding you to seek wisdom in choosing your battles, and otherwise bringing the protection of the beloved Athena into your life.

Apollo

One of the most famed figures of Greek mythology, Apollo is the son of Zeus and, and the twin brother of the virginal huntress goddess, Artemis. Often shown as the ideal of youthful, athletic vigor, Apollo is revered as a god of light, and has been known as the god of the prophecy, sun, medicine, music, poetry, medicine, plague, and healing - just to name a few of his aspects. Indeed, at times he was known to have been associated with many of the properties that might have been gifted from the other gods. Here he is portrayed as he was spoken of in legend, sailing to the north wind upon the back of a swan. Balanced upon the vast swan's back, he stands looking Northward garbed in the sparse robes. At one hand he holds ready an unstrung bow, while with a solemn expression he seems to be looking outward, or standing vigil - a fitting image for a god often viewed as the protector from evil. Sculpted of cold cast resin, the statue has been styled so as to appear to be a creation of bronze, with no detail left unattended. It measures 10 1/2" tall and 6 1/2" wide, making for a perfect representation for your altar.

Viking Warrior

When we think of the Norse culture, we almost always think of the famed Vikings warriors who came from the north, and who revered the fierce Norse gods like Odin, Thor, Baldr, and others. With a fierce and pragmatic spirit, the Vikings warriors descended upon Europe, taking its riches and even extorting kings for ransoms so as to leave whole cities intact. And when they weren't taking wealth at the edge of an axe or sword, the were exploring the world. They were the first among the Europeans to set foot in North America, and their ships traveled throughout the known world down rivers, across seas, and wherever else the winds and currents might take them. This statue embraces the fierce and pragmatic spirit of the Vikings, capturing it in the form of a lone figure. Standing 12 1/2" tall, a solitary Viking looks outward with a stern visage, concealed in part by his beard and the mail coif he wears beneath a winged helm. With a traveler's cloak thrown over a shirt of mail, he's bedecked for war or the seas, hefting both shield and axe in his hands. Made of cold cast resin, and styled so as to appear to be shaped of bronze, no detail is forgotten, with the individual links of his armor on display alongside the grain of the oaken shield he carries. Place it upon your altar or in your home and celebrate the vitality with which the Viking warrior stormed the world.

Heimdall

Possessing keen eyes, keen ears, and the gift of foresight, Heimdall is the Norse God whom was charged with guarding the rainbow bridge, Bifrost, which offers the only passage from Midgard into the realm of Asgard. There, Heimdall also kept watch for the coming of Ragnarok, or the end of the world, upon which he would blow his great horn Gjallarhorn, whose note would alert the Gods to the end of times, where he and Loki were fated to slay each other. Here Heimdall is shown with the great hron Gjallarhorn raised to his lips, blowing the note that will announce the coming of Ragnarok. Armoured as a Viking warrior and standing upon the Bifrost, the rainbow bridge (which also coils around him, he is shown hefting a great axe, and standing ready to protect the bridge from the world of men to the world of the gods with all of the ferocity for which the Norse gods are known. Standing 10" tall and 6" wide, the statue of Heimdall has been sculpted of cold cast resin and hand painted so as to lend the impression that it has been sculpted of copper or bronze. Place it on your altar or within your home to seek the wisdom of Heimdall or his vigilance.

Bastet Feminine Divine

Shown here in her the form of a woman rather than a Lion or a domestic cat, the Ancient Egyptian goddess Bastet is portrayed as the epitome of the feminine divine. Regarded as a goddess who protected Egypt, its royal family, and its people, Bastet was particularly revered, as were all cats within the land. She was also associated with beauty of movement, agility, strength, caution and other such feline qualities that she was said to embody. In this case, she is imbued with grace and beauty, shown as a lithe woman garbed in the traditional robes and headdress in which she is often portrayed. Standing with her hand on her hip, her skin is jet black in contrast to the gold of her clothing, and the feline eyes that rest beneath two feline ears. Place this 10 1/2", cold cast-resin statue upon your altar and celebrate the goddess to bring the joy and protection she offers into your household.

Isis

The Goddess Isis is one of the more famous and popular goddesses of the Ancient Egyptian pantheon, Isis is the wife of Osiris and the mother of Horus. She is often viewed as the ideal mother, as well as the Goddess of magic and nature. Isis is also viewed as a champion for sinners, slaves, and those who are down on their luck, and was revered by the poor and the wealthy alike as the goddess of fertility. As the wife of Osiris, she is also viewed as the protector of children, and the dead, and it was said that the fertility fo the Nile valley sprung from her, with her tears of mourning for Osiris causing the Nile to flood. Here she is shown as a fierce goddess, beautiful and motherly. Her headdress appears as though it were winged, much as she is often depicted, with the horns of a cow supporting the sun disk at its crown. Clad in traditional robes of gold, her skin is inky black, with her eyes shining gold from a serene expression. Resting within her hands is a shield showing the blossoming of the Nile, representative of the fertility and rebirth she inspires while the scarab on her chest is a symbol of the rebirth of the immortal soul. Made of cold cast resin, the hand painted statue stands 11" high.

Horus

One of the most important Gods of the deities of the ancient Egyptians as well as one of the historically oldest, Horus is the Falcon-headed god of the land of the pyramids. He was revered as the God of the sky, and as such it was said that the moon was his left eye and the sun his right. He is also the Egyptian god of hunting, and war, who warred at length with Set at the instruction of his mother, Isis, who set him to protect Egypt from the lord of the deserts. Here he is shown as a barrel-chested man with jet-black skin, and the head and face of a Falcon. Upon his head sits a royal Egyptian head dress, as the Pharaoh or king was often identified as having been Horus reborn. Fearsome and sturdy, he is portrayed as the protector, wielding a polearm within his muscled hands. Place him upon your altar or home in reverence and worship, and seek his aid in protecting you and the ones you love. This statue stands approximately 12" tall and 10" wide at its widest point, and is sculpted beautifully of cold cast resin.

Anubis

Perhaps most famously recognized as the Egyptian god with the head of a jackal, Anubis is the ancient Egyptian god of the afterlife. Within ancient Egyptian culture his position among the gods was sacred, and of great importance, as he is the guardian of the dead. Anubis is the patron god of embalmers, who preserve the dead, and is also often viewed as the Lord of the Dead, who guards the scales of the underworld and weighs the heart of the dead against a feather, determining the place of the deceased within the underworld. Here he is portrayed as a stern figure, with the burling, broad-chested body of a man and the traditional jackal-head, set with a serious expression. With the feet of a jackal, Anubis stands legs are set in a defiant stance implying that none shall get by him - an expression supported by the scowl upon his face and the arms folded across his chest. Hand-painted, his vestments and spear are shown in traditional gold tones while his skin is jet black, leaving a stark impression. Made of cold cast resin, the statue stands 10 3/4" in height. Place it upon your altar in respect and reverence of the dead, and to remind yourself of the balance we must all seek to achieve in life before our hearts are weighed.