REVIEW: FOLKSTONE - IL CONFINE

"This is a simplistic (sometimes a little too simplistic) blend of catchy hard rock overlaid with traditional melodies"

REVIEW: SVARTBY - ELEMENTAL TALES

"Elemental Tales is a fun album to listen to, and if that's all you're after it will serve you well"

REVIEW: TROLLBAND - IN THE SHADOW OF A MOUNTAIN

"In the Shadow of a Mountain is a decent album with moments of brilliance, rather than simply an exceptional album."

REVIEW: ELUVEITIE - HELVETIOS

"Though Helvetios doesn't quite live up to its billing as a concept, it's still an impressive effort"

REVIEW: AL-NAMROOD - KITAB AL-AWTHAN

"Kitab Al-Awthan is a genuinely refreshing listen and one that is highly recommended for anyone seeking an original and interesting album"

Wednesday 25 January 2012

SWORDBEARER - HONOR


Swordbearer continue the good work they began on debut effort Inspired by the Trees, with their sophomore release, Honor. A far more mature album than its predecessor, Honor is that rarest of albums: unashamedly low-fi, but maintaining an epic feel throughout. As a relatively low-budget, self-produced album, this is some achievement and demonstrates the quality of the songs. The album feels epic not as a result of its production and arrangement, but because of its massive riffs and soaring melodies.

The album is also remarkably diverse, ranging from Viking metal-inspired epics ('They Came By Wind and Sail', 'Throne of Ageless Kings'), to folk ballads ('Release My Aching Soul', 'We Await the Spring'), to the instrumental metal-cum-neofolk closer 'Where Mountains Meet the End'.

Intro track 'In the Name of Glory and Honor' kicks things off in typically bombastic fashion, and the 9-minute 'They Came By Wind and Sail' is suitably epic. However, the album loses a bit of momentum with acoustic number 'Release My Aching Soul'. Not that there's anything wrong with the song, it's a very well-written number and acts as a good demonstration of Swordbearer's folky influence, but it comes slightly too early in the album for my liking.

My pick of the bunch is the excellent 'Throne of Ageless Kings' - perfectly written and stuffed full of interesting and diverse sections, and featuring some ridiculously catchy riffs. The next track, 'Pathway to the End' is another well-crafted number, again displaying liberal folk influence, and coming as it does immediately after '...Ageless Kings' acts as a perfect demonstration of Swordbearer's flexibility, from epic, black metal-inspired brutality to catchy, acoustic folk.

Probably the most unusual track on the album is the instrumental closing track, 'Where Mountains Meet the Sky'. Probably the simplest way to describe this song is that it sounds like something Judas Priest would create if they played neo-folk. It's a bizarre but engaging way to finish the album.

If I had to pick out a weak point, it would be the vocals. They're fine and perfectly listenable, but a little uninspiring and don't really do justice to the compositions. The screamed vocals are distant and faint, making them sound a little weak, while the clean vocals often fail to hit the high notes they were aiming for (for example, on 'We Await the Spring').

Another bugbear is the keyboard sound. I don't generally like to criticise too heavily the production of self-released albums because they inevitably have limited resources to work with, but I feel this is an important point. The keyboards, intended as a proxy for genuine folk instruments or string sections, just sound a little bit too artificial and it detracts from the album's epic sound. This is clearly a very important element in the music and if this was improved it could elevate Swordbearer from promising hopefuls to truly fulfill their potential. It's not enough to derail the album, but it's frustrating to think what Swordbearer could achieve if they were given free reign in the studio.

If you're looking for a smooth, polished product this album is probably not for you. However, if you're able to overlook the rough and simplistic production you'll find an album stuffed full of excellent folk-tinged symphonic metal, with many memorable hooks and a good range of material that never ceases to engage the listener. This is an exciting release from a band that is still very young and promises much for the future.

VERDICT 

Sunday 22 January 2012

FOLK METAL NEWS 22/01/12


Following on from last week's unveiling of new song, 'A Rose for Epona', Eluveitie have unleashed their new music video for the song. The video was produced by Polish company Grupa13, who have worked with many established metal acts, such as Behemoth, Sonata Arctica, Die Apokalyptischen Reiter and Amon Amarth and also previously worked with Eluveitie on their video for 'Thousandfold'. The video features clips of the band playing in woodland and amongst ancient ruins, interspersed with moody shots of a young woman who is presumably meant to represent the protagonist of the album.


Epic pagan metallers Moonsorrow have announced their plans to release a DVD at some point this year and other 'interesting projects'.

Meanwhile, plenty of other bands have begun previewing new material, as the 2012 release cycle begins to gear up. Fresh from their inclusion on our '5 Bands to Watch Out for in 2012' list, Shangren have released a second preview trailer for the upcoming debut album Rise of the Dynasty.

American symphonic folk metal band Northsong have released the first song from their new album The Final Journey, the album's title track.


Spanish metallers Eldelvar have gone further, releasing three songs from their forthcoming album, Once Upon a Beer, including the amphibian-inspired (!) 'Frogs', slow-paced ballad 'Through the Snow' and the catchy 'When the Moon Cries Blood'.


In other news, Russian thrashers Leshak are another band who have been busy this week. Having previously previewed their new album's artwork (right), they have this week announced the tracklist for their upcoming album Pustosvyat (which I believe can be translated roughly as 'Unholy Priest' in English), consisting of 11 tracks and including a folk metal cover of Motorhead's 'Ace of Spades'! The band's sophomore effort, Pustosvyat is a follow-up to 2009's Chertovorot and is due for release soon.



Отче наш (Lords Prayer)
Пустосвят (Unholy priest)
РостовЪ (RostovЪ)
Фёдор да Марья (Fedor and Marja)
Ойся, ты ойся (Ojsya)
Мельница (инстр.) (Windmill - instrumental)
Распутье (Carrefour)
Чёртов Рог (Devil's Horn)
Яблочко (Apple - Russian folk song)

Bonus-tracks:
Darjane-Marjane (trad. Karelian)
Ace of Spades (Motorhead cover)

Tuesday 17 January 2012

5 BANDS TO LOOK OUT FOR IN 2012


2012 has arrived and is beginning to get into full swing, with a veritable avalanche of new music due for release in the coming months. Some of the genre's biggest bands are represented and no doubt they will make headlines on this particular blog and while plenty will undoubtedly be written about those bigger bands, there will always be those young, up-and-coming bands who make waves as well. So with that in mind, here is a list of five bands we think you should keep your eyes on this year, because 12 months from now they could be the genre's leading lights.

Sunday 15 January 2012

FOLK METAL NEWS 15/01/12


The folk metal bands of the world have been busy lately, with a whole host of announcements to report on.

Firstly, British Viking metal band Oakenshield have released a steady flow of new information about their upcoming release, Legacy, slated for release on the 17th February. The band have released the album artwork (left), as well as announcing the tracklist, revealing the traditional British and Scandinavian songs that have inspired their music:

Northreyjar (traditional arr. Corkhill)
Earl Thorfinn (Corkhill, trad. Norwegian)
Jorvik (Corkhill)
Mannin Veen (H. Wood, trad. Manx, H. Jones, arr. Corkhill)
Wen Heath (Corkhill, trad. Scots)
Clontarf (Corkhill, trad. Irish)
Eternal as the Earth (Corkhill, trad. English)
The Raven Banner (Corkhill, trad. Scandinavian)

As if that wasn't enough, the band has also released a couple of tantalising teasers for the album, first releasing an album preview featuring samples of each of the eight songs on the album....

Legacy - Album Preview by OakenshieldUK

...And then releasing the album's second track, 'Earl Thorfinn' in its entirety on YouTube.




Another band releasing swathes of album news is Swedish band Grimner. The band are currently preparing for the release of their second EP Färd, the follow-up to 2010's A Call for Battle. Like Oakesnhield, they have released the new artwork (right), as well as the tracklist and an album teaser video, featuring sample of five of the six tracks that will make up the new EP.





Eluveitie continue to prepare for the release of upcoming album Helvetios, due next month, by revealing another new track. The band this week unveiled the radio-friendly 'A Rose for Epona', having previously revealed new track 'Meet the Enemy'.



The song, featuring the band's usual hurdy gurdy player Anna Murphy on lead vocals, describes the 'shattered hopes' of the album's main protagonist. The 'Epona' of the title is the Gallic goddess of horsemen and cavalry – not the horse from Zelda!
 
While these bands prepare for the imminent release of the new works, others are just beginning to get started on their new releases. Italian power metallers Elvenking have announced that they plan to begin the recording of their seventh album at Sonic Pump Studios, Helsinki on February 24th. The album will sound “heavier, still very melodic and a bit back to the roots with a lot of good old folklore in it”, according to a statement from the band.
 
Meanwhile, Drakum – hailing from Barcelona, Catalonia – have announced that they are to begin recording their debut album following the success of last year's demo, Around the Oak. However, in order to fund the recording of the album, the band requires donations from fans. This can be done by visiting Drakum's website and clicking the 'Donate' button.
 
Our final piece of news is that Yiddish industrial folk metal band Gevolt have released a new video for the song 'Tshiribim Tshiribom'. The song originally featured on last year's album AlefBase and is the band's first official music video.



Sunday 1 January 2012

FOLK METAL NEWS 01/01/12


Månegarm are currently working on a new album.