So this is a review of an album by a Swiss band being written by an Egyptian guy living in Egypt and published on a website run by a guy living in Sweden. Don’t you just love the Internet? Anyway, Eluveitie is indeed a very Swiss band that draws its influences from the roots of the land; medieval Helvetian and Celtic history. Since I did not study European history or Anthropology at any level, I can’t verify the accuracy, relevance or truthfulness of the stories being told on Helvetios. What I can verify, though, is that the music is quite interesting; especially if you haven’t heard Eluveitie before. They use the standard metal gear of distorted guitars, drums and bass and they’ve added a multitude of native folk instruments to complement and emphasize that snapshot of medieval Europe they’re creating with their music.

Helvetios is not the first Eluveitie album that presents this initially captivating amalgamation. This has been their standard operating procedure from the get go. The reason I said ‘initially’ there is quite personal. When I first listened to their 2010 effort Everything Remains (as it Never Was), I was indeed captivated by the mere sounds of the instruments that were alien to my rusty ears. After a few listens, I got used to the Eluveitie setup and started to see past that first impression. The result wasn’t as surprising but still not bad at all. Song structure wasn’t very adventurous and the album felt more like it was a collection of songs cast in the same die than a fully coherent piece of work.

But all that is in the past. We have Helvetios now; a seventeen-track effort that stays true to its roots. Some might accuse Eluveitie of copying Dark Tranquillity while adding some weird instruments to make themselves stand out, but guess what? That’s not too far off from the truth. [In fact, that was the thrust of my entire review of their previous album. - AMG] The music is indeed standard Gothenburg-style melodic death metal but I wouldn’t label this as plagiarism because they do have their own sound. “Meet the Enemy”, “Helvetios” and “Havoc” are some of the straightforward bludgeoning tracks that don the folk melodeath cloak while cuts like “Scorched Earth”, “Hope”, intro “Prologue” and outro “Epilogue” create an atmosphere that supports the story. Yup, there’s a story. The reason why Helvetios tops Everything Remains (as it Never Was) in my book is that Helvetios is actually a concept album. The story behind it, of course, comes from medieval Helvetian and Celtic history and some parts of the lyrics are sung in the extinct Gaulish tongue.

So there’s a lot to absorb from Eluveitie and labeling them as ‘just another folk metal band’ would be quite unfair. However, I do feel the obligation to point out that there’s a high possibility that they won’t really please the tech-geeks. Individual showmanship is not what this Swiss bunch is about and that can make them sound a little stale after a few listens. Their song structures are pretty much straightforward all the time and their time signatures can hardly fool anyone. Then again, Helvetios is a pretty cool record and if you’re too pretentious too enjoy it because it’s not technical enough or whatever, then that’s your problem.

Related posts:

1. Eluveitie – Everything Remains (As It Never Was) Review
2. Skyforger – Kurbads Review
3. Orphaned Land – The Never Ending Way of ORwarriOR Review

There’s nothing quite like Danish melodic death/folk, right kids? What’s that you say? You don’t know what Steel Druhm speaks of? For shame! By now you probably should know of Svartsot and their heavier than thou approach to folk metal since they’ve been churning it out since 2007. I was a big fan of their quirky debut Ravnenes Saga and was equally amused by the follow up Mulmets Viser  (as was AMG himself). Both featured heavy but very catchy and anthemic folk metal with very deathy vocals. Their sound can almost be summed up as Korpiklaani meets Cannibal Corpse after too many ales. Its a weirdly festive and danceable style (yes, you may want to dance around like a spazz to some of their tunes) that somehow remains bruisingly heavy at the same time.  Because their approach is so offbeat and unique, it struck a nerve with me and I had high hopes that nerve would continue getting struck with Maledictus Eris, their third release. I’m happy to report this is more entertaining, beer stein swinging, gnome jigging, renaissance faire approved folk metal. All the elements that made the previous albums work are present and if anything, this may be more catchy and fun than before. Now, their admittedly quirky style might not be everyone’s cup of grog. It requires a little tolerance for folk-infused camp and silliness but if you can handle the oddness, its more fun than a barrel full of forest gremlins.

After a short intro, Svasrtsot brings down the folk hammer with “Gud Giv Det Varer Ved!” and its stacked with folksy riffing, deathly croaks and flutes, lots of flutes. In fact, there’s more flute on here than on Yanni at the Necropolis or the average Zamfir record. While there’s other typical folk instrumentation present, the flute takes a lead role on most songs and plays harmony off the riffing. Tracks like “Dodedansen” and Om Jeg Lever Krieg”  put it to good use and both have a cheery, driving pace that will keep the head nodding and the stein swinging. The bagpipes in “Holdt Ned Af En Tjorn” sound great alongside heavy, crunching riffing and low death gurgles and this ends up being a standout ditty. For me, the big hit is “Spigrene” with its laid back acoustic feel and emotive clean singing. There’s something quietly powerful, beautiful and epic about it though it never gets heavy or aggressive.  Although all the lyrics are in Danish and therefore beyond my understanding, they revolve around the Black Death ravaging Europe. While that is a great topic for metal, a lot of the songs feel too festive for such a dark concept and most sound far more like drinking songs than “bring out your dead” songs.

All the songs have their own charm and appeal whether heavier or mellower. There’s nothing rotten among these Denmark tunes. However, their writing style can sometimes lead to an overly repetitive approach within   each song. Its almost like folk-groove metal. They lock into one very cool, fun riff and just keep recycling it. For the most part it works well and the songs are short enough where they end before any tedium sets in. As with prior material, the guitars are the main focus and the various medieval instrumentation plays second fiddle (sorry, couldn’t avoid it). This helps ensure things remain heavy and crunchy and that’s one of the things I like about these guys. The best part about the sound is the croaking from Thor Bager (coolest name ever). While largely employing a low-register death groan, he does at times switch to a more traditional viking metal blackened rasp. His vocals make this heavier than most folk music and therefore, they stand out in a pretty deep genre. Well done Thor Bager, well done!

With three albums of top notch folk metal under their leather belts, Svartsot is one of my favorites in the genre. If you like folk metal or viking metal, I have to imagine you will enjoy this. Its a little different, very catchy and fun to listen to. Just don’t be surprised if you end up dancing around like a drunken fool (especially if you get drunken whilst listening).  I don’t know what the word Svartsot actually means, but to me it means fun!

Related posts:

1. Svartsot – Mulmets Viser Review
2. Arkona – Stenka Na Stenku Review
3. Falkenbach – Tiurida Review

I hate Falconer. Okay, that’s not really true, but I have never liked Falconer, let’s put it that way. I first got wind of these guys with the publication of their second album Chapters of a Vale Forlorn and I was very unimpressed. Since then I’ve heard a things here and there, and nothing convinced me away from my previous conviction. I didn’t think what I heard was particularly good, nor did I think it was particularly interesting. In spite of the fact that I’m a huge fan of guitarist Stefan Weinerhall and drummer Karsten Larsson’s previous project Mithotyn (an absolutely underrated band), the power metal tinged Falconer never did anything for me at all.

That is, until I heard Armod.

Armod (which means “Poverty” in Swedish) is a collection of folk metal tracks entirely in Swedish that break largely against the mold of what the band has done previously. This is partially because the whole album is in Swedish, and also because the whole thing isn’t written by the band. Of the 11 tracks 7 are written entirely by Weinerhall (musically). Of the other four tracks three are traditional songs that are rearranged by the band and one of them is by Swedish legend Cornelis Vreeswijk (“Grimasch om morgonen“). This is not to say that the band is just taking the songs and not doing anything with them. Instead, as one would expect, they make power metally arrangements of these tracks and turn beautiful folk tracks into gripping and simultaneously groovy folk metal tracks. And given the performances on here (and the excellent arrangements), these guys nail it home and make what is easily the best album I’ve heard this year until now.

At just a hair under 50 minutes Armod bursts out the gate with “Svarta änkan,” which caught me off guard with its heaviness, to be honest. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but the downtuned chug and harmonized guitars just nailed me right in the gut and that wasn’t the only time. “Griftefrid” actually starts out with a blast beat and trem picking à la blackened folk metal or drummer Larsson’s other project King of Asgard (or Mithotyn). Both “Dimmornas drottning” and “O, tysta ensamhet” show off a more acoustic and laid back approach to folk metal. The former enlists the beautiful female vocals of Heléne Blad and harmonies which interact beautifully with her brother Mattias’s dramatic delivery, while the latter is a re-arranged folk tune which I have not been able to get out of my head since I first heard it; it is perfectly done, and the guitar solo and heavy verse are stellar.

After the excellent “Vid rosornas grav” begins what I arbitrarily have decided is “Side B” of Armod (I’d buy this on vinyl!). Here the listener is treated to two rearranged traditional instrumental tracks “Eklundaspolskan,” where the main instrument is violin, and “Gammal fäbodpsalm” which is a rip-roaring guitar solo that should not be missed (note that Hedlund’s solos are stellar on every song). Heléne Blad’s vocals get revisited to great success in a duet on the 7 minute epic “Herr Peder och hans syster,” (which is a seriously disturbing story, if you get a chance to translate the lyrics) and the penultimate track “Fru Silfver” belongs among the heavier tracks on the first part of the record—also excellent with a great heavy chug and addictive melody.

There is literally only one moment on the entire album that I could do without. At the end of “Grimborg” the listener is “treated” to a classic rock style outro with the held out note and the wankery. It’s 15 seconds of annoying. There’s maybe some acoustic guitar tone I don’t like in “O, tysta ensamhet,” on the solo. And in spite of the performance being excellent and the song being beautiful, no one (and I mean no one) bests Vreeswijk on one of his own songs. Also, some people might get turned off by Mattias Blad’s theatrical performance, but I certainly love it. That’s it.

With those minute details out of the way, everything I’ve described here should give you an idea of the tremendous power of this album. Falconer took these tracks and with the help of Andy Laroque turned this record into a simultaneously beautiful and heavy affair with plenty of chug and double kick, while maintaining the beautiful melancholy of Swedish folk music. There have been many bands that have tried to do this kind of thing and only a few have succeeded, and fewer still have succeeded with the kind of ease and deft hand that Falconer have shown here. Armod is a remarkable record and for anyone with folk metal or power metal leanings this is something worth checking out. Unfortunately Armod is supposed to be a one off, and while I can see why the band would do that I’d love to see them do more in this vein in the future because Armod is going to be a record that I will be rocking for a very, very long time.

Related posts:

1. King of Asgard – Fi’mbulvintr Review
2. Angry Metal Guy’s Top 10(ish) of 2011
3. Yggdrasil – Irrbloss Review

Arkona (Russian: Аркона) are a Russian folk metal band that has been a real revelation in the scene, as one commenter over at the Angry Metal Guy facebook page put it. Their music deftly blends Russian folk themes with black metally influence and ends up being a bit of a Finntroll plus Russia result. As far as this Angry Metal Guy is concerned, this cannot be more welcome. So while we aren’t being graced with a follow up to 2009′s excellent Goi, Rode, Goi! you can at least get a taste of an acoustic version of it on this EP. 

Clocking in at 24 and a half minutes Stenka Na Stenku consists of one brand spankin’ new song, the title track, as well as a remarkably entrancing cover of a traditional Russian folk song “Valenki.” There’s also a track called “Skal” which features a member from the band Varg and it also appears to be a new track, but I’m not sure what its origin is. Then there are two covers “Duren” and “Noviy Mir” and an acoustic rendition of “Goi, Rode, Goi!” Short and sweet (and not in the order described).

The new track, “Stenka Na Stenku” is bouncy as hell. I would say that this is the happiest and least “black” or dark metal of all the music that I’ve heard from Arknoa. While I really enjoy the track and the direction, it is possible that some of the fans are going to be disappointed with what might seem like a less serious approach to the band’s music. But given that it’s a song about fighting for fun, I’m not sure what exactly is wrong with this kind of approach. “Skal,” the other new song, is also a very, very short (“Stenka Na Stenku” clocks in at 2:36 and “Skal” at 2:35), and it’s a slower track with lyrics that will make Germans giggle (it sounds like they’re saying “Scheiße” in the chorus). But the song is still enjoyable and the chorus sounds like something you could rock out at a party to great success.

The two cover tracks are also of excellent form, in my opinion, showing off where Masha is best, in her folk harmonies and melodies. And as usual, she’s kind of a shining gem in this stuff. While the music is enjoyable, if Arkona wasn’t fronted by this engaging and enigmatic chick (and her wolf skins) I’m just not sure if the appeal would be there. But luckily for us all, it is, and while it’s hard to recommend Stenka Na Stenku to any who is not already a completionist style fan trying to fill in their Arkona collection, this is a reminder that new music is on its way and that our favorite Russian folk metal band hasn’t disappeared into the seedy underworld of vodka shots and spy plots. I can’t wait for the next album.

Related posts:

1. Arkona – Goi, Rode Goi! Review
2. Svartsot – Maledictus Eris Review
3. Metsatöll – Äio Review

Dibbukim is the band that I have been waiting for. Ever since I first hear the Orphaned Land song “Norra El Norra,” I’ve been thinking to myself “Where the hell is the first Klezmer-metal band?” There are two reasons for this: the first is that I love Klezmer. It is a fantastic style of music, entertaining and beautiful, as well as being ripe for blending into heavy metal. The second reason that I’ve always wanted to call a band “Hebrewcore.” And now I can. That’s right, Dibbukim is the world’s first “Hebrewcore” band. Mind you, there’s no -core at all, and they sing in Yiddish, not Hebrew but let’s not kid ourselves. It’s SO much more fun to say “Hebrewcore” than “Klezmer Metal” or “Klezmer Influenced Folk Metal.” Give into the joy of it. Though, it’s not really accurate at all… So. I guess…. Klezmercore! That alliterates! OK, Dibbukim is the world’s first “Klezmercore” band.

So given my enthusiasm, I’m assuming everyone is asking themselves how the hell this record is only receiving a 2 out of 5. Yeah, I was wondering the same fucking thing. I was so excited to get this album and as I put it in and thought to myself “How the hell do you even say Az a Foygl un a Goylem Tantsn” (I’m guessing that this is like “As a bird and a golem dance,” but I don’t actually have a clue or a Yiddish translator [Update: I’m almost right!), I was met with a wave of excellence in the intro song “Shpil di Fidl Shpil” (Is this “Play the fiddle, play?”) and my heart was in my throat. And then it happened, vocalist Ida Olniansky came in and the crushing depression set in.

The idea of this band and the music is fantastic, but Ida needs to be tuned or a new vocalist needs to be found. I do not wish to be harsh, but she is singing off the entire time. The harmonies are literally painful (and I mean that as in I cringe and feel pain) in some places, particularly in “Hinter dem Tol,” but pretty much anywhere she does harmonies (“Der Rodmakher” or yeah, anywhere) they’re bad. They’re off. They don’t sound good. And I’m not sure how anyone let that pass, unless I am misunderstanding the concept of “harmonies” in klezmer music (which I’m pretty sure I don’t). And it just crushes my heart.

Why the sadness? Because the music here is awesome. It’s genuinely creative use of folk melodies and song structures and klezmer music is genuinely fun. It’s just such amazing music that kind of lifts your heart in your chest because much of it is basically dance music. Then mix that into traditional heavy metal structures, with Iron Maidenesque double leads and great guitar work (like on “Czardas” and “Khaloimes”) and what you’re listening to is brilliant. And when the vocals aren’t a hindrance, like on “Papirosn” this record is a 5/5. I mean, it is really excellently written and performed. The musicianship (especially the guitar work) is competent and well done, the composition is tremendously smart and the skill is obvious here. Male vocalist Niklas Olniansky does his job well and the recording is well done, even if the mix is a tad loud.

So here’s thing thing: I suggest you check it out if it sounds interesting to you. I want to encourage a) independent musicians to keep making music b) unique and creative individuals who are not following a well-worn path to keep doing that and c) klezmercore (because hell yes!). And if you can handle the vocals or you don’t hear what I’m hearing for some reason then you will be super pleased. But I recommend caution, because despite everything else that should make this one of the best records of the year, Az a Foygl un a Goylem Tantsn proves once again that vocals really do make or break records.

Related posts:

1. Battlelore – Doombound Review
2. Orphaned Land – The Never Ending Way of ORwarriOR Review
3. Yggdrasil – Irrbloss Review

Yggdrasil is a new band to me, though Irrbloss (“Will-o-wisps”) is their third album. I know that there are a ton of folk metal bands out there, which makes actually going out and looking for new folk metal a very challenging endeavor. Like any underground scene there’s going to be a lot of shit, so sifting through that all sometimes is more effort than its worth. Fortunately for me, there are others with more patience than I who directed me to Sweden’s Yggdrasil and I am very glad that they did so.

These guys formed in 2001, which means that they’ve had 10 years to perfect their craft and Irrbloss is definitely a step in that direction. The music is black metal based, in a way, but more rock beats than blast beats and most of it is punctuated with flutes, jawharps and harmonized clean vocals in 3 to 5 parts (mostly male voices and a single female voice) which give it a choral feel that adds to a mystical sound. The lead vocals are largely screamed in a bit of a tame rasp, but these extreme vocals are offset by the fact that the music is beautifully melodic and laced with gorgeous melodies and harmonies. It’s funny, because in a sense it’s very hard to be extreme when your music is so damn pretty.

Every song on here walks a fine line between Bathory, Vintersorg, Otyg and Fejd. This is a fine lineage of musicians to be compared to, to say the least. The chuggy black metal is obviously in the vein of veins of Bathory, and best illustrated by songs like “Tokikvad” and “Skaldefader”. The Vintersorg and Otyg feels are separate, of course, but the ubiquitous folk melodies carried on guitar and the use of female vocals, which litter the album, are reminsicent of the latter, while blending this into sort of Ulver influenced black metal is definitely more along the lines of the former like in the track “Bergtagen”. And finally, the instrumentation, use of flute and the general coming together of parts is really reminds me of Fejd, which I think is about as high a compliment as one can get in the Swedish folk metal scene, but especially the track “Norrland” really reminds me of those folk metal masters.

That said, Yggdrasil does have a sound all their own that doesn’t feel too overtly derivative, even if it’s not exactly breaking new ground. I can say that I equally enjoyed all the songs on here, though I liked “Skaldefader” the least and I liked “Norrland,” “Uppåkra” (especially the vocal harmonies) and “Tokikvad” the best. I think these guys get the best when they really get further into the black metal side of things. It offers an excellent contrast to the beauty of the melodic structures that they offer, and I find that to be pleasing. Without pain there would be no pleasure, and here the beauty of the folk melodies stands out from the heaviness and rawness of the material. That said, I do think it’s kind of cute that a band from Skåne is writing a song about Norrland.

So fans of folk metal, this is definitely something you should check out, because Irrbloss is excellent folk metal. While some of the music feels a bit simplistic at times, these are basically just folkvisor (simple folk melodies or songs) mixed with black metal, so it’s hard to not just let yourself get taken into the mood. I think this is where the band truly succeeds as the record continues on. At 43 minutes it’s a perfect length to really just sit and enjoy the mood and the feel. There is a natural melancholy to Swedish folk music because of the use of harmonic minor, and Yggdrasil uses that to their advantage in painting aural images of Swedish history and the countryside. Väl gjort!

Related posts:

1. Unleashed – As Yggdrasil Trembles Review
2. Fejd – Eifur Review
3. Svartsot – Mulmets Viser Review

So, a couple months ago I got Lumsk‘s debut Åsmund Frægdegjevar and I have to say that I was really impressed. It’s one of the most unique folk metal records I’ve ever heard. Slow, but the smart blending of progressive elements with traditional Norwegian folk music and the melodies was stellar. In fact, way better than their contemporaries in a lot of areas. However, I was soon informed to not check out the band’s later material, largely because the guitarist who had written the majority of it had left the band. This creativity, however, lives on in this single or EP (or whatever it is) released all these years later which is made up of two songs “Rygteflom” and “Tunge Taarer”.

A little bit of background, however, apparently the lyrics of this were written by Gjest Baardsen and adapted to music by the illustrious Bjørnar Selsbak. Gjest Baardsen is a bit of a folk legend in Norway, as a guy who escaped from prison a few times and was almost like a Norwegian Robin Hood [here's a Wikipedia link to the Norwegian entry on him, translated to English via Google Translate]. He apparently wrote books while he was in prison and the text here is taken from those, which is particularly brilliant.

The two songs are stylistically linked, but they are not identical by any means. The first, “Rygteflom” is actually the more traditional folk metal of the two. It has almost an Otyg feel in the riffing, but it’s very stripped and cleanly recorded. The mix is excellent and the use of operatic tenor Kristian Krokslett adds a beautiful feel to the track that gives it an anachronistic feel that really works. Heavy, this track is not, but neither was that first Lumsk record. Instead, this is much more about the feeling and excellent composition.

“Tunge taarer” is a much more anthemic song, in a way. It is a song of sorrows, (“Heavy Tears”) pain and it has a very strong undertone of melodrama. That said, the man was sitting in prison, so I guess it’s easy to understand why he was feeling a tad bad about his freedom being restricted. “Tunge taarer” also has a folk metal feel, but the chorus is much bigger and doesn’t have a strong folk melody, to it. Instead, it almost lands in the realm of musical theater, and that shoudn’t be taken as an insult at all.

Both songs clock in at a little over three minutes and show deft craftsmanship. Selsbak and company have definitely done a fine job on this material and I’m very interested in hearing a whole record of stuff of this style. This could easily be as successful and excellent as Lumsk‘s debut, which is one of the best folk metal records I own. I obviously don’t feel like I can say much beyond a 4/5 based only 7 minutes of music, but if you consider that I’ve been listening to it straight for an hour, it should give you an idea of how good it is. Definitely purchase this.

Related posts:

1. Yggdrasil – Irrbloss Review
2. Svartsot – Mulmets Viser Review
3. Heidevolk – Uit Oude Grond Review

I never heard of these guys before and didn’t know what to expect but they’re described as folk/viking black  metal from Germany. Finis Terrae is their third platter and features guest appearances from members of Heidevolk and Equilibrium. Since I wasn’t able to locate their earlier works, I can’t speak intelligently about how this stacks up to their past material but I can say this isn’t what I expected from a viking/folk group. Instead, a lot of Finis Terrae reminds me of a mid-paced, way more melodic version of Children of Bodom with some hints of Kalmah appearing throughout as well. Only during the back half of the album does KromleK employ what could be considered a traditional viking/black metal style and by then it seems out of place after all the COB-lite noodling. Thus, this becomes a tale of two half albums that don’t necessarily compliment each other. While I was pleasantly surprised by the strange, progressive approach on some of the material here, things get pretty uneven and spotty as things move along. What we get left with is a confusing mish-mash of styles and intentions.

While the intro merging pseudo-dance club electronica with ominous marching drums had me clenching my teeth in anticipation of a real musical shit show, “Nekropolis’ Fall” instead comes out swinging with harsh, blackened vocals, decently heavy mid-paced riffing and A LOT of twinkling, pretty keys. This is shockingly melodic stuff with loads of sappy leads that border on bouncy Euro-power metal and a lot of other extraneous fluff and puffery. Only the harsh vocals (mostly shrieked in German) keep this anchored in the realms of extreme music. As hyper-fruity as the music gets (and it gets mighty fruity indeed), it’s actually somewhat engaging and enjoyable, even a tad progressive (those dance club segments resurface here and there in the keys). Elsewhere, “Angrlioo” attacks with blast beats and shrieks but the trilling, melodious guitars and Lady Gaga approved keyboards never stop. This creates a union of beauty and beast elements with a distinct Kalmah vibe (or should I say Klub Kalmah). Follow ups like “The Cocoon,” “Mantikor” and “Manjushri Aus Mir” keep the “Kalmah/COB meets all night rave” style going and all are surprisingly fun and listenable.

It isn’t until track seven, “Moritvrvs Immortalis” that KromLek adopts anything like a viking metal style. Oddly, that’s also when the quality takes a dip too. While not awful, tracks like “Ad Rvbiconem,” “Bastion” and “Creation’s Crowning Glory” just aren’t as enjoyable or fresh sounding as the earlier material and have some really painful moments (I think I heard something about not enjoying the eleventh grade in one song). It also seems strange to jump styles midstream so radically and it left me perplexed as to what these guys were trying to do musically. Only the ginormous fifteen minute plus title track sets things right with a weird amalgam of the two styles. This is a intriguing, oddball number but it works despite the pretentiously overwrought length (including the mandatory whistling wind and marimba outro).

This release is sure to get some interesting feedback and leave many a metal fan scratching his/her head in befuddled confusion. While KromleK‘s sugarcoated, sticky-sweet blackened metal style is amusing, brave and well done, I just couldn’t take the tougher, viking tracks seriously after all the musical mincing, prancing and cavorting. I really wanted to give this a 3.0 but I just couldn’t do it.  Check this out if you like super melodic blackened metal or the idea of a more kid friendly Kalmah or COB. Nursery metal for all!

Related posts:

1. Kalmah – 12 Gauge Review
2. Falkenbach – Tiurida Review
3. Crom – Of Love and Death Review

So, like them or not, Cruachan has been around since the early 1990s doing their Celtic folk metal bit with varying success. Their most widely well-regarded record is the album Folk-Lore from 2002, but there was at least a little love for the band’s blending of Gaelic folk music and metal. For me, the band has always had an air of ‘amateur’ about them. While bands like Primordial and Skyclad produced unique music at a high level, there’s always been a seed of a good idea with Cruachan, but an execution problem. So, how does Blood on the Black Robe live up to the legacy of the band?

Well, I can say with some confidence that the band appears to have taken it to another level on the recording front, producing what is easily their most professional record to date. And I would even say that the song-writing has improved over the years as well. Cruachan is basically one part black metal and one part folk metal, and often times (particularly on earlier records) they did a poor job of blending these two parts. Songs would then get a cut and paste feel, as opposed to seamless and incorporated folk metal like Otyg, Isengard or Finntroll. On the other hand, Blood on the Black Robe doesn’t quite conform to this. Particularly when the folk metal starts to seep in, the music works very well like on “The Voyage of Bran” and the follow-up “Brian Boru’s March” and are especially rich on the last track “The Nine Year War.” This is pleasant and fun to listen to.

The problem, is that Blood on the Black Robe, when compared to the band’s older records, seems to contain a lot less fluting and a lot more pretty repetitive black metal with pretty clichéd themes. Now granted, these themes have been with the band and with black metal since the beginning, but they do feel a bit tired and there isn’t exactly a poetic essence that keeps things together here. Often times the tracks feel like rote descriptions like one could read in a history book—but read with an Irish accent. Another thing that there is a lot less is female vocals. Much of the record is much more stripped down black metal and I’m torn as to how well it works. On the old records some of the more embarrassing parts really were the female vocal parts that felt awkward and didn’t fit, but with the improved writing in Blood on the Black Robe they almost go missing and are a welcome addition when present.

So while there are some improvements on this record, and there are some definitely enjoyable parts—I think the second half of the album is way better than the first—this isn’t something that I’d be running out to buy. Fans may even be torn because of the downplayed folk parts and the lack of female vocalists, though they may also appeal to a larger group who didn’t like the previous approach. That said, the second half of the album is almost worth owning on its own as its filled with all the things you would expect from an Irish folk metal band with Cruachan‘s legacy. So I guess, what I’m trying to say is, check it out and see what you think. But I remain fairly unmoved despite the improvements.

Related posts:

1. Yggdrasil – Irrbloss Review
2. Moonsorrow – Varjoina Kuljemme Kuolleiden Maassa Review
3. Falkenbach – Tiurida Review

One of the things that one can never take into account when one is a music reviewer is the fact that one receives records and must render judgment in a short amount of time. Especially as a “soulless blog,” production of material sometimes happens in a week. In a sense, every review you read from a label who doesn’t trust this Angry Metal Guy is being done “split second” as opposed to having time to let a record ripen. Such was definitely the case with Crimfall‘s first record As the Path Unfolds… which, while I enjoyed it, didn’t strike me as anything more than just an enjoyable record. However, here I am two years later listening to it regularly and really loving it. If I would score the record today I would give it a 4.5 and I would encourage you all to buy it (buy it, seriously, it’s great).

So you can bet that I was stoked as hell when I figured out that The Writ of Sword was coming to me. I had just broken out As the Path Unfolds… again and was mesmerized by the power and beauty of the music, which in a sense is like a mix of Turisas, Battlelore and even a bit of Moonsorrow thrown in for good measure. The music on that record is simultaneously heavy, entertaining and playful while still being very good. And especially vocalist Helena Haaparanta shines. So you can guess that living up to this wasn’t going to be super easy, but hey The Writ of Sword ain’t half bad either.

In fact, it seems that there is a thematic connection between the two records. First, As the Path Unfolds… uses autumnal colors, and the last track is “Novembré.” The Writ of Sword picks up where that one left off, in a much colder place, “Dicembré,” and this definitely shows throughout. While As the Path Unfolds… was a playful record in a lot of ways, The Writ of Sword is a much more serious record. There is a coldness to the production, and the writing is a lot more in the Moonsorrow range at times (including the soundscape tracks), like at the beginning of the title track “The Writ of Sword” and the track “Silver and Bones.” However, these are offset by the female vocals, which creates a moving contrast.

Though when you have a vocalist like Helena Haaparanta, it’s damn hard to have music that sounds too cold. Her voice is warm and beautiful and every time she sings on this record she shines. Especially when she’s doing the sort of folky stuff like in “Frost upon Their Graves” and “Son of North,” she’s outstanding. And other heavier parts on this record, too, differ a lot from the more cold, dirgey sounds that one would expect for a winter themed record. The band still falls back on the excellent melodic work that makes their first record so enjoyable a lot, and there are folk melodies and orchestrations that litter every track.

All of that said, however, there is an inventiveness that was definitely on As the Path Unfolds… that is not here. This could be because the record is more somber and winter-themed, but I feel like it’s a real shame. Particularly in the trailing half of the last record there are some incredibly inventive vocal harmonies and parts and those were just missing here—instead there is a lot more focus on big, epic orchestral parts and thematically building coldness, sadness and beauty. Or at least, that’s the impression that I have of it. Also, while the production is good, I did like the warmer production better. Particularly on the opening track “Storm Before the Calm” I felt like the music was almost into metalcore or deathcore territory sonically and that really turned me off.

Still, when all is said and done The Writ of Sword is a great record from a band that definitely ranks among the upper echelons of Finnish metal for me now. The writing is excellent, the performances are top notch and they sport the best female vocalist in metal and she adds a dimension to this band that no other bands in the scene has. If you’re a fan of the Finnish orchestral metal scene, this is a must pre-order and since it clocks in at EXACTLY 45 minutes, my guess is that there will be a vinyl release and that the follow up in a couple years will be even better.

Related posts:

1. Moonsorrow – Varjoina Kuljemme Kuolleiden Maassa Review
2. Crimfall – As the Path Unfolds…
3. Korpiklaani – Ukon Wacka Review