The
release of Metsatöll's fifth
album, Ulg, was highly anticipated in their native country,
Estonia. It perhaps wasn't quite so hotly anticipated around the rest
of the world, but since the release of Äio,
their debut on Spinefarm Records, the band has begun to make greater
waves abroad, and with Ulg they look set to continue that
progress. Ulg is a record in much the same vein as their previous release,
presenting a fascinating blend of Estonian folk music and sludgy,
midpaced metal.
The
album is a great example of what I consider to be 'authentic' folk
metal – this isn't a band treading in the footsteps of others who
have previously mixed folk and metal, they clearly have a genuine
passion for the music of their homeland and are trying to incorporate
that influence into their own style of metal. And, unlike many of
their contemporaries in this field, the folk elements of the music
don't dominate proceedings, but are merely complementary to the
metal, and as such they provide an added depth to the music, rather
than taking away from the band's heaviness.
The
album does, however, make something of a false start with opening
track 'Agu', which is a meandering, two-minute acoustic intro that
feels repetitive and slightly out of place, with little relevance to the
music that follows. The real album opener is 'Sõjasüda',
a ferocious number with a driving rhythm section, discordant guitars
and epic vocals. This sets the tone nicely, and is a powerful introduction to a powerful album.
'Kivine
Maa' is probably the most instantly catchy song, with its bouncy
chorus, easily listenable vocal line and radio-friendly running time.
Having said that, the album is remarkably consistent; no track particularly stands
out above the rest and there are no particular weak links either. One
criticism that I would make is that the album is very one-paced,
finding its groove immediately and differentiating little from the
steady, relaxed pace that most of the tracks follow. This could get
boring, but just as things begin to feel slightly stale with the
rather forgettable 'Rabakannel', acoustic number 'Isata' freshens
things up and provides a little respite. This is immediately followed
by 'Kahjakaldad', which does up the tempo and also demonstrates the
band's more technical side.
Title
track 'Ulg' is my pick of the bunch, an instantly memorable song with
a real anthemic quality to it and a dense, epic feel that recalls Moonsorrow at their best. It provides the perfect conclusion to
the album, encapsulating perfectly all that the band was trying to
achieve with this release.
Metsatöll
have created a unique style, with layers of dense guitars and a
strong rhythm section with powerful basslines, creating a richly
textured listening experience. The use of a variety of different
instruments (including torupill, Jew's harp, kannel and various
flutes) keep things fresh and interesting, as well as making each
song distinct. The formula would quickly get tired without the folk
elements, the presence of which give each song a distinct identity.
These winding folk melodies act as a hook to give each song a central
theme, which anchors some of the more disparate elements that the band
experiments with.
Ulg
introduces little in the way of innovation to Metsatöll's
now-familiar sound, but instead represents a solid refinement of that
sound, making this their strongest and most consistent release to
date. Metsatöll
seem to have found a magic formula for creating intelligent, unique
folk metal, which frequently surprises and rarely bores, and it is
for this reason that they stand out as one of the strongest and most
refreshing bands currently on the scene.
VERDICT
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