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"

Tuesday 29 May 2012

SVARTBY - ELEMENTAL TALES

Svartby have in the past been derided as simply another derivative folk metal by-the-numbers band, a kind of budget Finntroll. On this, their third full-length, they have finally begun to answer some of those critics, and though Elemental Tales will win few awards for originality, it is the work of a band that is at last showing some desire to branch out and forge their own path. Gone are the broken Swedish lyrics, replaced instead with broken English. It's a start at least.

Their previous EP, Scum from Underwater, had been a small hint that change was afoot, though I dared not get my hopes up too much for this release. I needn't have worried, because in Elemental Tales all the positive signs from Scum from Underwater have been realised in long-play format.

The rip-roaring 'Flaming Balls' encapsulates perfectly the great things about this album. It doesn't let up for a second, grabbing the listener by the balls and yanking them repeatedly for three minutes. It's a breathless whirligig of noise that simply refuses to slow down and demonstrates the very best of Svartby. 'Scum from Underwater' and 'Morning Wood' further showcase a band that is at its best when they really let loose and unleash the noise.

The album seems to lose some of its momentum on some of its slower and midpaced tracks, such as 'Sleepy Devils' and 'Ash and Dust', and though it's commendable that Svartby have been trying to add a bit of variety to their repertoire, this is not an area in which they naturally seem to excel. 'Ash and Dust' in particular feels a little aimless, and the keyboard synths that carry this track through from start to finish sound a bit cheap and reminiscent of a tacky ringtone.

Musically this is all very familiar fare, mixing typically bombastic folkish melodies with Bodom-esque metal and it rarely strays from this tried and tested style. Most of the songs are catchy and easy to follow (for example, the excellent 'Done with the Wind'), which makes this the ideal album if familiarity and comfort is all you require of an album, but if it's a challenging listen you're seeking you won't find it here. A further word of warning: a sense of humour (and a pretty childish one at that) is required to really enjoy this album. Elemental Tales is a fun album to listen to, and if that's all you're after it will serve you well, but if you're looking for a deeper, more nuanced folk metal experience, you'd do well to look elsewhere.

VERDICT