Album Review: Svartby - "Kom I Min Kittel"

Artist: Svartby (Russia)
Album Title: Kom I Min Kittel
Label: Phono (Russia) / Trollzorn (Germany)
Released: 2007 (Phono) / 2008 (Trollzorn)

I am encountering some difficulty with the opening of this review, because no matter which angle I attempt to use, it all comes back to the same phrase: Svartby sounds a lot like Finntroll. Yes, they've got the Swedish lyrics, just like Finntroll. This is all the more remarkable because Svartby is a Russian band from Saint Petersburg, and I strongly doubt that Swedish is the native language of any member of the band. Svartby also uses a lot of polka rhythms, also like Finntroll. Both bands write songs about creatures from folklore. Both bands' musical aesthetic pits extreme metal (complete with growling vocals) against a backdrop of "evil fairy tale" melodies. It's very obvious where Svartby's primary influences lie.

A post made by a representative of their label, Trollzorn, at the Viking Blood forum, describes Svartby's lyrical themes like this: "The band sings about wild magical creatures living in Svartby (the Black Village) - witches, dwarfs, tree spirits - definitely unkind to human folk, but at the same time merry, nature-loving and nice living beings with a good sense of humor." The music certainly lives up to this description, as I frequently got the feeling that I was listening to what the soundtrack to a fairy tale, albeit a twisted one. Yes, this is not far removed from the aesthetic that Finntroll already established, especially with their first three albums, but Svartby, to my ears at least, has an overall "lighter" and more playful atmosphere than their Finnish inspiration. This is particulary true now that Finntroll has decided to travel in a darker and more serious direction (though we're speaking in relative terms here) with their latest album, 2007's Ur Jordens Djup. I think that those who are looking for something more like Jaktens Tid or Nattfödd might find Svartby's sound quite agreeable to them.

Kom I Min Kittel begins with some sound effects (including a kettle boiling) and a brief (but pretty) instrumental before launching into the title track, which establishes the fact that, yes, you are listening to some polka-infused folk metal here. The fairy tale-like melodies are handled by a very capable keyboard player, whose work is undoubtedly the focal point of the overall sound. There is a variety of sound effects throughout the CD as well, including wolves growing and howling, goats bleating (is that the correct word?), a witch cackling, and a frog croaking. These add to the overall light and fun feeling that this album has, and help give the impression (to this listener at least) that Svartby is a band that is enjoying themselves. The only moment on the album that may cause some concern for sensitive listeners (at least those who, like me, don't understand Swedish... I have no idea what the lyrics are saying) is the beginning of "Julen Av Vedergällning," a song that begins with a rendition of "Silent Night," which transitions into the sound of flames and people screaming, and then explodes into probably the fastest and most aggressive song on the album. This (somewhat playful) anti-Christian moment is reflected in an illustration in the booklet of what looks like a bear standing in the snow in front of a burning church. It's nothing that Finntroll hasn't done before (Jaktens Tid has a similar track), but a few may be bothered by it.

Svartby's full-length debut is a pretty short album (only 33 minutes), but it's so enjoyable that I often listen to it all the way through more than once. Really, the only knock I can make against Svartby is that, no matter how good they are (and they are quite good), they are doomed to sit in the shadow of the well-known band that inspired them if they do not establish their own identity. There are certainly moments of originality, such as the wonderful "Moder Av Alla Häxor," but generally they do not stray very far from an established sound. A band that shows this much spirit and talent deserves to be viewed as more than just "that Russian band that sounds like Finntroll," so I'm hoping that their sound will evolve into something a little more original. Maybe they'll be like Morrigan, a band that, at one point, seemed content to re-create Bathory's "Blood Fire Death" but then became something great on their own terms without losing the qualities that made their earlier albums so enjoyable despite their derivativeness. I love the overall aesthetic and the atmosphere Svartby creates, so I really hope to hear more from them.

I'm reluctant to give the album my full recommendation because I know that a lot of metal fans who are more jaded than I am will dismiss Svartby because of the similarities between them and their main influence. However, if you're not one of those fans and can still enjoy a band despite those similarities, Kom I Min Kittel is a very enjoyable (and addicting) album full of great songs. It has put a smile on my face many times, even when I'm at work (a feat which is not always easy these days). I'm certainly glad I took a chance on it.

Album Review: Astaarth - "Gloria Burgundia"

Artist: Astaarth (France)
Album Title: Gloria Burgundia
Label: Bloodfiredeath (Germany)
Released: 2007

Astaarth is a band (now a duo) that has been in existence since 1996, yet Gloria Burgundia is their first album (not including two demos released in 1998 and 2002, respectively). According to the insert, Astaarth plays "Burgundian Pagan/folk Metal exclusively," this statement being followed by about twenty exclamation points. Listening to this album has had the benefit of forcing me to learn some things about the history of Burgundy, a region of France and Switzerland that was once the site of the kingdom of the Burgundians, an East Germanic tribe that probably originated from Scandinavia. As a lyric from the album's opening track, "Our Beloved Country," states: "We are not French, nor another nationality. We are Burgundians above all." Okay, then. These guys mean business.

The music can be described as somewhat raw and epic black metal with a strong folk sound. One half of the duo plays, in addition to the expected heavy metal instruments, the épinette (a form of zither found in France), banjo, double-bass, and Irish pipes. There are also several guest musicians on the recording, so, in addition to those instruments, we are treated to the sound of the hurdy gurdy, mouth harp, flute, violin, accordion, and spoons (!). To top it off, there are backing vocalists who sing choir parts as well as pieces of traditional Burgundian songs that appear within the construct of the long (between 7 and 12 minute) tracks. Two shorter instrumental tracks round out the package, leaving us with a very odd but compelling 57-minute folk metal album. The lyrics are almost all in English, and primarily deal with Burgundian history and nationalism.

My first listen to this album was a strange experience due to the contrast of the black metal and the frequent folk sections. One moment I was listening to a fairly normal black metal with the expected shrieking vocals, and then in the next moment I'm hearing weird yipping sounds, handclaps, acoustic guitar, mouth harp, double-bass, and another stringed instrument that I'm assuming is the épinette. I'm no neophyte to to folk metal, but even I had to become accustomed to the music Astaarth creates on Gloria Burgundia. I can't even imagine the reaction that a person who is not at all familiar to folk metal would have if I were to play the album for them, especially the track "Vae Victis," which is the one with the spoons.

Although I enjoy Gloria Burgundia immensely, I found that, in contrast to the vibrant (and often smile-inducing) folk sections, some of the longer black metal-oriented sections can be dry. Astaarth is miles more interesting when they bring in the folk instruments and traditional melodies. Fortunately, the black metal sections are made better when the violin, bagpipes, and other instruments play along, though I didn't always notice them at first listen.

Astaarth is likely to have limited appeal with Gloria Burgundia, because, even by folk metal standards, this is a bit of a niche product. I think that some listeners will be entertained but will view it as no more than a novelty due to the uniqueness of the sound. However, I have found it both entertaining and enlightening, and I enjoy it even more with each listen. It persuaded me to look into the history of Burgundy, a subject with which I was unfamiliar previously, so that says something about its impact on me. It's definitely an album to check out if you're looking for something different and perhaps challenging. It's a great album, but, like most folk metal, it's going to sound perplexing and strange to those who aren't prepared for it.

So, prepare yourself with a visit to Astaarth's Myspace profile and give them a listen. I can almost guarantee that you've never heard anything else like it. I would definitely recommend Gloria Burgundia to open-minded fans of folk metal, and I hope we won't have to wait 11 years to hear a second album from this Burgundian duo.

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