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"

Monday 2 July 2012

FOLK METAL NEWS

09:16  FM  No comments

Exciting news for Ensiferum fans! The band have announced that their new album, to be titled Unsung Heroes, will be released on August 27th. Clocking in at over an hour of metal, Unsung Heroes will feature 10 tracks – including the epic, 16-minute 'Passion Proof Power'. In a statement on their official website, the band said: “We've tried to push the different aspects of what we do as far as we can, the sonic scope is wider than ever. The folk elements go further down that path and the metallic parts will absolutely rip your face off!”

The tracklist is as follows:
  1. Symbols
  2. In My Sword I Trust
  3. Unsung Heroes
  4. Burning Leaves
  5. Celestial Bond
  6. Retribution Shall Be Mine
  7. Star Queen (Celestial Bond part II)
  8. Pohjola
  9. Last Breath
  10. Passion Proof Power

They're not the only band who have announced new material. Egyptian progressive metal band Sand Aura have announced their debut album, entitled Elegy of the Orient. Six of the tracks will be re-recorded versions of tracks which appeared on the earlier Elegy of the Orient EP, but also includes some new material. The tracklist is as follows:
  1. The Sand Aura (From the Land of Nod)
  2. Aljahelia
  3. The Orphaned Child I (Pilgrimage for his Name)
  4. The Orphaned Child II (Fountain in the Desert)
  5. Fountains of Moses
  6. Ya Sabyya
  7. The Shepherd's Elegy
  8. Sidi Abd El-Raheem

In addition, Sand Aura have made new track 'The Shepherd's Elegy' available for streaming.




Russian metallers Beer Bear, have also announced the follow-up to their Folk 'n' Roll EP. The new full-length, Beyond the Invisible Line, is nearing completion and will be released in October. The album will consist of nine tracks, plus some bonus material. Here's the tracklist:
  1. Intro
  2. Bears' Wedding Day
  3. Fire-Mead
  4. Drink and Revel, Bears' Gentry!
  5. Folk 'n' Roll
  6. Beyond the Invisible Line
  7. Holger Danske
  8. Twin Soul
  9. Na Zielonej Ukrainie

In addition, the new album will be accompanied by a (slightly) changed logo, incorporating the Lithuanian cross. This reflects a change in the band's musical direction towards the hymns of middle age Poland and Lietuva. The band said: “On the next album there will be two songs of this direction. And the third album will be devoted to the history of Rzeczpospolita.”

There's also a new-old release on the horizon from Eluveitie, following fresh on the heels of their latest release, Helvetios. The band is releasing a new double CD package called The Early Years to celebrate the tenth anniversary of their formation. The collection will feature material from the band's first EP Vên (which will be entirely re-recorded) and debut album Spirit, as well as previously unreleased song 'Divico'.

In a statement on the band's official website, frontman Chrigel said:
 “The Early Years will give both old and new fans access to the very first steps in Eluveitie’s history. I can’t believe it’s been 10 years already!

“We had a lot of fun putting those songs on tape again – some of which we have been playing live to this day and that have developed together with us over all these years.

“With ‘Divico’ we have finally completed a song that has been in the works forever. We are happy to be able to present this little “classic” to you now – good things take time to ripen!”

Trollfest continue to tease us with updates ahead of their upcoming album, Brumblebassen, which is due for release on August 24th. The band have recently announced a whole host of bonus content available on the limited edition Digipack edition of the album. This includes two previously unreleased tracks and over 100 minutes of video, including a video diary from the Heidenfest Tour and making of Brumblebassen feature. In addition, Trollfest have released the song 'Illsint' from the album, which can be downloaded as an MP3 or viewed on Youtube.




Korpiklaani have also been busy whetting the appetite ahead of the August 3rd release of their eighth studio album Manala by releasing lyric videos of both the English and Finnish versions of new song 'Kunnia' ('Honor').






In more sad news, Orphaned Land have parted ways with long-serving guitarist Matti Svatizky. Svatizky had been with the band since its formation in 1991 and leaves after more than 20 years due to undisclosed reasons.

On a statement on the band's official website he said: “It is time for me to move on with my life. There are issues both on the personal and the professional levels that made me come to this decision, which has not been an easy one, and which I'm whole with and sure that will bring many positive things in the future.

“I wish the band many more fruitful years of creation and joy, and I wish you, the fans, many more years of enjoyment of what Orphaned Land has to offer, and who knows, maybe we'll meet again someday in the future, this way or another.”

The band had this to say: “How can you sum up two decades with a brother and a partner? The answer is simple: you can't. Matti is deeply immersed in Orphaned Land history and his uniqueness will surely be missed. All we can do is respect Matti's decision and wish him the best the future can offer for him. Orphaned Land was always a home for friends and shall remain such a place for Matti.”

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