FOLK METAL NEWS 19/03/12

Here's another bumper news roundup from folk metal bands around the world!

Century Media have announced the forthcoming release of Oriental Metal, a collection of Middle Eastern and Oriental-inspired metal compiled by Orphaned Land's Kobi Farhi. Clocking in at 52 minutes of metal, and featuring some of the biggest names on the scene, the tracklist is as follows:

1. Orphaned Land – Sapari
2. Amaseffer – Slaves for Life
3. Arkan – Deus Vult
4. Pentagram – Lions in a Cage
5. Myrath – Merciless Times
6. Almana Shchora – Elohim
7. Nervecell – The Taste of Betrayal
8. Khalas – Haz El Adala Mayel
9. Nile – Kaffir
10. Melechesh – Grand Gathas of Baal Sin
11. Ahl Sina – Fountains of Muses

Melechesh, included on the above compilation, have release news of their own as well, in the form of digital EP, Mystics of the Pillar II. 'Mystics of the Pillar' was originally written and recorded for the band's 2010 album, The Epigenesis, but two different endings were recorded and mastered. This EP contains the alternate ending as well as instrumental versions of 'Sacred Geometry' and 'The Epigenesis'.

Many bands have been announcing further album news lately, including an avalanche of new album artwork.

Kicking things off are American band, Northsong, who have revealed the artwork for their upcoming album, The Final Journey. The artwork was designed by Valhalla Promotions, who specialise in promotional materials for folk, Viking and pagan metal bands.

In similar fashion, their compatriots Blodravn have also released new artwork for their forthcoming album Sæmd, which is currently being recorded. However, with the album still in production, this is not necessarily a finalised album cover.

Dutch thrashers Chain of Dogs have announced the tracklist for their upcoming EP, Deathworld. Consisting of three tracks featuring guest musicians from Finsterforst, Viatora and 'one other famous folk metal band', this release could be one to watch.

1. D'r Zjwarte Hond va Krapoel (The Black Dog of Krapoel)
2. Ich Bring d'r Droeëd (I Bring Death)
3. Deathworld

Russians Kalevala are ready to release their new live acoustic album Osen v Stile Folk later this month and have also revealed the album artwork. Two songs ('Yarilo' and 'Plakali Verby') from the album are now available to listen to on the band's MySpace.

Eluveitie's new album Helvetios has met with commercial success around the world. The album sold 4242 copies in its first week of sales in the United States, according to Neilson Soundscan, placing it at number 143 on the Billboard top 200 chart and number 3 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart – Eluveitie's highest chart position ever. The album also met with chart success in Canada (#74), Switzerland (#4), Germany (#27) and Austria (#34).

German industrial folk metal band Tanzwut have released a video for the song 'Rückgratreißer'. This is the second video from the band's 2001 album Weiße Nächte and consists of live footage of the band in action.

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TROLLBAND - IN THE SHADOW OF A MOUNTAIN

Recorded on a shoestring budget in a Vancouver apartment, one could be forgiven for having low expectations of Trollband's debut album, In the Shadow of a Mountain. However, those expectations would soon be confounded, as this is an engaging and mature release, and a very enjoyable listen.

The most striking aspect of In the Shadow of a Mountain is the fantastic variety in the songwriting. With songs ranging from the folky 'Heathen Blood', to the epic title track, to the sinister 'Nidhoggr', there is plenty here to keep the listener interested throughout. Every track is competently written as well, and though a few of the tracks feel slightly uninspired, every song is perfectly listenable.

The album begins with 'Fire and Ash', a solid but unspectacular opening track, which acts as a gentle introduction to the band and gives a flavour of what to expect from the rest of the album, with harsh vocals over energetic Viking metal that is reminiscent of Ensiferum. The following track, 'Nidhoggr', veers in a completely different direction, its black metal stylings giving the track a far more sinister edge than most of the other material on the album. Third track, 'Heathen Blood' again signifies a change of tone to a typically high-tempo, folky drinking song. Again, it's competently done, featuring all you would expect from a typical folk metal by-the-numbers song, with folky keyboard melodies overlayed on top of speedy, driving metal. It lifts the pace nicely after the rather ponderous 'Nidhoggr', though it brings little in the way of actual innovation to the table.

Title track, 'In the Shadow of a Mountain' is a hulking beast of a song, sounding epic despite its low-fi production, but the real highlight of this album is 'The Return'. Full of energy and packed with instantly catchy riffs, the bludgeoning verses give way to lighter acoustic sections seamlessly, before returning to pummel the listener once again. A word also for what is effectively the album's closing track, 'We Live'. In truth, much of this song is fairly average – not poor, but nothing particularly special. However, it is the middle section of this song (from about 2 minutes, 40 seconds onwards) that really excited me. Such a simple riff but ever so catchy, it begins with a lone accordion before gradually building to epic proportions. This section alone is worth getting the album for.

As a self-funded release the production is understandably rough, but this hardly detracts from the music at all. There are of course times when it feels as if the songs would have benefited from a more professional production but I've heard plenty of releases from more established acts with lower sound quality than this and it is unlikely to spoil your enjoyment of the album.

While there is plenty of cause for optimism, Trollband's biggest task will be finding a way to stand out in an increasingly crowded genre. In the Shadow of a Mountain is a decent album with moments of brilliance, rather than simply an exceptional album. If Trollband are to break out of the underground they will have to harness their considerable potential to sustain those brilliant passages over the length of a whole album.

VERDICT

The album is available to download for FREE here.

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FOLK METAL NEWS 04/03/12

The folk metal bands of the world have been busy since our last update. Swedes Dråpsnatt have begun preparing for the upcoming release of their new album Skelepht. In a post on the band's MySpace page, the band explains the title of album (named after their hometown Skellefteå and the Skellefte River which flows through it), as well as giving a track-by-track rundown of the forthcoming album. Consisting of 8 tracks, the album's lyrical themes centre around the meaningless of existence, and the local mythology and culture of their hometown. It is due for release later this month.

Trollfest have announced on Facebook that they have finished the recording of new album, Brumblebassen and have begun the process of mixing it at Strand Studio. The album will consist of 12 tracks in total, but no release date has been confirmed yet.

Upcoming Spanish metallers Northland are to begin recording their highly-anticipated sophomore effort, confirming on Facebook that they are to enter the studio on March 5^th. This is an album we're looking forward to hugely, having included Northland on our list of bands to look out for in 2012, so expect to hear plenty more from them on this site over the rest of this year.

With Ensiferum soundalikes Northland due to start recording, the originals themselves have been hard at work on their follow-up to 2009's From Afar. With recording well under way at Petrax Studio in Finland under the watchful eye of Hiili Hiilesmaa, Ensiferum announced on their website that the legendary Die Apokalyptischen Reiter will appear as special guests on the album, as well as Finnish singer Vesa-Matti Loiri. The new album will contain 10 tracks, but we'll have to wait until later in the year to get our grubby mitts on it!

If Celtic folk metal is your thing, then this from French band An Norvys is worth checking out. The band have released 'Jack the Giant-Killer' from their new EP, One and All. Based on the Cornish fairy tale of the same name, the song tells the story of a young boy who slays the the fearsome giant Cormoran.

Many of our featured bands have been busy filming new videos recently, it seems. Italian folk metallers Folkstone have been whetting the appetite for their forthcoming release Il Confine (due on March 16^th, as reported back in December). New song 'Nebbie' (Mists) was first previewed on Italian website Spaziorock ahead of the release of the video, which can be seen below.

Heidevolk have marked the release of their new album Batavi with this video for 'Als De Dood Weer Naar Ons Lacht'. The album tells of the struggles between the Germanic Batavian tribe and the invading Romans, and the video continues this theme.

And finally, Russians Troll Bends Fir have released the video for 'Ave Celia!', from their latest release Brothers in Drinks. 

 

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