Site Update

Okay, the elephant in the room here is that I stopped updating The Final Age blog throughout most of 2010, and have only sporadically updated it in 2011. In fact, other than the first few months of keeping the blog, my reviews have been pretty sporadic and I haven't kept things updated as often as I'd like. There are many reasons for this, including other projects, hobbies, etc., as well as personal matters, but I feel like I've turned a corner this year and will finally be able to start updating regularly and reliably.

My motivation for this blog has always been that I love this music and I want to do what I can to support the bands and labels that create and publish it, and I want to help spread the work of these bands by possibly helping others discover new music (as others have done for me over the years). I do not consider myself to be a very good "critic" or a good music writer at all, but I enjoy updating this site and getting feedback from fans or artists. I plan to be here for a very long time and to hopefully do it a lot better. I don't think there are any regular readers of my reviews, but if so, I appreciate your patience and hopefully I am getting back on track. I have a huge backlog of CD's to talk about, so the potential material is there; I just need to keep at it. Thank you and good night.

Album Review: Всполох - Печаль о прошлом

Artist: Всполох (Vspolokh, Vspolox, Vspoloh, etc.) [Russia]
Album Title: Печаль о прошлом ("Sorrow of the Past")
Record Label: Purity Through Fire (Germany)
Released: 2010 (December)
Purchased From: Ebay (Apothelyptic Reign)

In 2007, the German record label Hammermark Art (which, at that time, was the label of the highly-acclaimed Kroda) released an EP by a young Russian band called Всполох, which they romanized as "Vspolox." This EP, Сумерки, or The Dusk, was actually a demo from 2005, and as such felt kind of half-baked and immature. The production was pretty obscure and the drums were programmed, while there was nothing extremely compelling about the songwriting or vocals. It was not altogether bad considering it was a demo, but it seemed an odd choice for Hammermark to put forth the expense and effort to release it on CD. I bought the EP sometime in 2008 or 2009, shortly after purchasing the EP My Lands by Smaga, a band which shares a member with this one, and my impression after hearing the two EP's was that Smaga was definitely the more promising band.

However, Всполох stuck with it and, after adding a bassist and drummer and losing one of the two original guitarist/vocalists (though he appears as a guest vocalist on this album), the band released their first full-length in 2010. I was on the fence about buying it when I saw it for sale, but then I checked out a sample on Youtube and decided it was worth giving a try. One thing that caught my attention was the artwork, which this time around was done by the talented Kogaion Art (one might remember them from the artwork for Wodensthrone's Loss and Askival's Eternity, among others). Later, upon hearing the album and reading the lyrics, I realized that the dark, somber artwork is very appropriate considering the subject matter. Another thing that caught my attention was that, in the sample, I heard a large improvement over the debut EP/demo. I actually ordered this at the same time as Kroda's Schwarzpfad, kind of as a supplement to that order, but upon having the time to absorb this CD properly I was immediately impressed. If you heard the band on The Dusk and didn't like them, I encourage you to give them another try. This is so different that it might as well be an entirely new band.

One thing to get out of the way is that the band's name has been transliterated a few different ways. I already mentioned that they were called Vspolox on the 2007 EP, but on this release their name is romanized as Vspolokh. Vspoloh may also be appropriate. Their website and Myspace uses "Vspolox," so I'm at a loss as to which version to use. I'm going to go with the spelling that's used on the spine of the CD, so, going forward in this review, I'm going to call them Vspolokh. Okay, so now that's settled. One thing that's easier to settle is the name of the CD, which is translated as Sorrow of the Past. This title is very appropriate, because the lyrics (which are in Russian, but are helpfully translated into English in the insert) are primarily concerned with lamenting the loss of the old, heathen ways of Russia, which have been largely replaced by the alien faith of Christianity. This is certainly not a subject that is new or original in pagan metal (the subject is probably dealt with in roughly 95% of all pagan metal albums), but the lyrics are poetic and are pretty well-translated into English, and I get a sense of earnestness from the band as I read along and listen to the anguished and proud shrieks of guitarist/vocalist/flute-player "Vel" (aka "Velemudr" on the first release). I find some of the lyrics very moving and wistful, like: "Where are the flames and sparkles of Kupala piles in the night? Nowhere. There are only ominous shades of crosses on Earth." According to the liner notes, the lyrics are inspired by a story called "Death of Volkhv" by G. Osetrov.

Vspolokh is a band with a strong backbone of black metal, with some folk as well, though they tend to keep that separate from the black metal. The lead-off song, "Grief," begins with a sorrowful-sounding a capella folk song which floats in the distance, accompanied by sounds of nature (and soon a thunderstorm). This piece of music, as well as the way it is replaced by a doomy guitar tone, reminds me of the Hate Forest album Battlefields, though here you've got a real drummer and can actually hear the bass. The doomy section is replaced by a brief moment of acoustic guitar (accompanied by more nature sounds), and then the song speeds up and the proud, powerful harsh vocals emerge. The guitars here have a similar thick, fuzzy sound and style that Drudkh has, and I would guess from that and some of the songwriting that the well-known Ukrainian band has had some influence on Vspolokh, though that certainly is not a bad thing. At times they also remind me of Khors, except without the keyboards.

The second track begins with a clip taken from the 1930's Russian film Alexander Nevsky, also not really an original thing to do, but in this instance they don't use any speech, only a brief (and creepy-sounding, due to the poor condition of the film's soundtrack) musical fragment that leads into another fairly Drudkh-like riff. I like the simple but competent drumming and the audible bass, and I like the vocals, which don't have a lot of variety in style but do display emotion. I would imagine they are even more effective if the listener understands the Russian language. Towards the end of the second track, the acoustic guitar returns and is accompanied by a nicely-played flute. This folk section is very brief, however, and the metal comes roaring back with a very nice guitar solo (the first of the album).

The third track continues in like manner to the first two tracks, but then the album features a nice five-minute acoustic interlude: the instrumental entitled "Long Forest Paths of Rus'." It's a pretty simple song, just guitar and flute, but it gives the ears and spirit a little time to rest before the band tears through the final two lengthy songs, "Extrinsic Obscurantism" and "The Call." These last two songs are similar to the first three in that they contain a variety of moods and tempo, a few little acoustic sections, and long stretches without vocals. Admittedly, the songs tend to sound pretty similar to one another, and they all have similar characteristics, but everything is very well-done and it is a nice album to listen to. Despite the aggression, it has a rather melancholic, ancient quality, like one would hear listening to Drudkh's Blood In Our Wells or Estrangement. Not that Vspolokh is a sound-alike of that band, as they feature more acoustic parts and less repetition than Drudkh does, but that is the closest comparison I can find. If I knew more about the actual playing of music, I could dissect the guitar playing and rhythms and things like that, but unfortunately there is not much I can contribute to that discussion.

Sorrow of the Past is a very good pagan black metal album. It is lacking in originality, but it makes up for this (in my opinion, at least) with its sincerity and solid writing and performance. This is the kind of album that fans of Khors, Drudkh, Wodensthrone, and the like will want to check out if they're looking for a new album in the style of those established bands, with great, beefy production and a rather satisfying and ear-pleasing group of songs. I'm sure that Vspolokh will, in future releases, better establish their own identity, but the foundation is here. All the basic elements are in place already. It will remain to be seen if they will reach for true greatness, but, whether or not it ever comes to fruition, Sorrow of the Past is already a valued part of my collection, and I recommend it to fans of atmospheric, melancholic, pagan-themed black metal. If you can listen to the album while ignoring the shadow of similar bands that have come before them, you may find that these guys are heads-and-shoulders above many bands in this style. In my opinion, Vspolokh can proudly stand beside the bands that influenced them.

Also, this is certainly better than Drudkh's Handful of Stars or their Old Silver Key album.

Album Review: Dalriada - Ígéret

Artist: Dalriada (Hungary)
Album Title: Ígéret
Record Label: AFM Records (Germany)
Released: 2011 (February)
Purchased from: Ebay

Okay, before I start my review, take a moment to look at that album cover. One of the unique things about folk metal is that an album cover featuring a field of flowers really doesn't seem all that strange. How many genres of metal can you say that about? Maybe some power metal, possibly. Then there's Opeth's cover for Orchid. But really, the typical metal image of "evil" is really done away when you look at an album cover like that of Dalriada's Ígéret. And there's something kind of refreshing about that. Anyway, this has nothing to do with the rest of the review, so ignore this entire first paragraph if you wish.

I've reviewed the last three Dalriada albums over the last few years and I consider myself to be a huge fan of their music. The fact that, in the past, I've only had one consistent source from which to buy their CD's (a Hungarian seller on Ebay) has made me wonder with each of their albums I was able to obtain that there might come a day when I would be unable to legally purchase Dalriada CD's at all. So with each review of their latest album, my only real complaint has been that they need to land on a label with better worldwide distribution. Naturally, then, I was overjoyed to find that their latest CD, Ígéret, was released on AFM Records, a German label with very good distribution, because now hopefully I will not have to worry about whether or not I can get my hands on future releases from the band. Also, their signing to a label like AFM means hopefully more exposure and better promotion for the band that I feel is one of the more underrated folk metal bands in Europe. Things are looking up for one of Hungary's best-kept secrets, and that makes me happy.

Ígéret arrived about fifteen months after their previous album, the excellent Arany-Album, which is a pretty typical turnaround time for Dalriada, who has now released six full-length albums under this name and their previous name, Echo of Dalriada, since 2004. Just as impressive as how prolific this band is, is that every album starting with 2006's Jégbontó has been pretty amazing (even their 2004 debut, Fergeteg, is pretty good). Fortunately, Ígéret does not break this streak of great albums.

The album begins with a folk song, but I don't know what the source of it is. As the track fades in, I hear what seems like a scratchy record sound, so I don't know if this piece was taken from a previously existing folk recording or if the "scratchy record sound" is just an effect, as midway through the track the sound becomes crystal clear. I suspect, therefore, that this is an original piece to the album, though the song itself may not have been written by the band. At any rate, the album properly begins with the second track, "Hajdútánc." This song is awesome, what can I say? It's catchy and fun, and, most surprisingly of all, for the first time lead vocalist Laura Binder shrieks as well as sings. Laura has long been one of my favorite female vocalists in pagan metal, with a voice that isn't quite power metal and isn't quite folk, but something unique. In the past, the black metal shrieks were always performed by guitarist András Ficzek or, more recently, drummer Tadeusz Rieckmann, but here Laura proves to have a pretty wicked sounding shriek as well, sounding not like Masha Scream (Arkona) or Rodonitsa (Ruyan) but more like Kriegtalith (Darkestrah). However, Laura keeps the harsh vocals to a minimum, and they only seem to appear on this track as well as "Leszek A Hold" (growls do appear elsewhere on the album, but not from Laura). The band recorded a pretty great music video for this song as well; I recommend checking it out.

One of the improvements Dalriada made to their sound beginning with 2009's Arany-Album was the addition of various folk musicians to flesh out the sound. While in the past the band has introduced folk instruments that would disappear with the next release (ie: the flute on Jégbontó or the violin on Kikelet), happily this time they've returned, and the various stringed instruments and even a harmonica on "Hozd el, Isten" add nicely to the sound. Not that Dalriada is the type of band to rely on the novelty of traditional instruments to make up for any deficiencies of their own, as this is a band known for its talent and tight musicianship. The sound of Dalriada is difficult to describe, as they feature elements of power metal, black metal, and occasionally even doom metal. But comparisons with other bands are pretty difficult because I haven't been able to find another band that sounds at all close to Dalriada. Perhaps it's the way they incorporate traditional Hungarian melodies into their sound, or the way they blend their influences into something completely their own, but, regardless, Dalriada is Dalriada.

Another strong element to their sound is the harmonizing of vocals. Mostly it's Laura harmonizing with András, but here we have a number of choruses that feature a lot of voices in the mix, sometimes with a low growl in the background (as is the case with "Mennyei Harang"). Add in some great drumming, the occasional guitar or keyboard solo, excellent folk instruments, and those awesome and unique melodies, and you've got a folk metal album that should appeal to many.

As for highlights on the album, other than "Hajdútánc," as I already mentioned, I particularly enjoyed "Igazi Tûz," mainly due to its wonderful and catchy chorus, and a particularly nice guitar solo. Both of these tracks are certainly in my top 10 Dalriada songs of all time. Another highlight is "Leszek A Hold," the last proper song on the album (unless you count the short outro). Besides the catchy chorus and beautiful violin solo, this track also features a guest appearance by Korpiklaani vocalist Jonne Järvelä. He appears to sing in his native Finnish, and even does some joiking and possibly even throat singing here.

Not every track is a winner, as there are some that aren't as interesting as the others. A few of the tracks are more rooted in black or doom metal, with a lot of harsh vocals, and these didn't appeal to me as much. After the very consistent Arany-Album, I'd say Ígéret doesn't quite maintain its greatness on every track as that album did. However, past Dalriada albums have always had a handful of songs that didn't work as well as others, and with a band that utilizes so many different styles within their overall sound, it's natural that songs that emphasize one particular facet of their sound may not appeal to each listener as much as songs that emphasize other facets. All in all, I'd say this is a great release from the band and a worthy release to serve as their introduction to a wider audience. Hopefully their earlier releases will also see wider distribution, because more people should hear this band and be able to purchase their albums.

I've been listening to Dalriada for about four and a half years now, and so far they have yet to ever let me down. Though Ígéret will likely not be my favorite album of theirs, it is only because they have consistently managed to release great albums, and this is one that stands proudly with the rest of their discography even if it doesn't quite manage to top everything else they've done. I am glad that the band has found new opportunities and I hope that they will make the most of them. After seeing a number of lesser bands find big record deals when the "folk metal trend" as at its zenith, it's good to see a worthy band like Dalriada finally get their break. Hopefully good things are ahead for this talented group.

Album Review: Alkonost - On the Wings of the Call

Artist: Alkonost (Russia)
Album Title: а крыльях зова ("On the Wings of the Call")
Record Label: Einheit Produktionen (Germany)
Released: 2010 (May)
Purchased from: The Omega Order

On the Wings of the Call is Alkonost's long-awaited (by me, at least) follow-up to 2007's Stone Heart Blood, an album that was mostly made up of re-recordings of very old Alkonost songs from the mid-to-late 90's. On the Wings of the Call is also their first album for Germany's well-known pagan metal label Einheit Produktionen, home of a few of my favorite bands in the genre, like Odroerir, Finsterforst, and Mistur. While this isn't the first of their albums to be released on a non-Russian label (their 2002 self-titled compilation was released on Germany's Ketzer Records), it will probably serve to introduce the band to a number of fans who are unaware of or hadn't had a chance to hear their earlier albums. That being said, this isn't exactly a "typical" Alkonost album, specifically in the vocal department, because a temporary line-up change carried over to the recording. However, the album is very good and should give new fans a solid indication of the kind of quality music this band is capable of making.

For a while around late 2009, Alkonost did some live shows without their operatic female vocalist, Alena Pelevina, who was on a temporary maternity leave from the band. Replacing her for these shows was Irina Zybina, whose folk vocal style is very different from Alena's. But apparently the band was so impressed with Irina that they had her perform roughly half of the female vocals on this album. The line-up change is noticeable immediately on the first track, "Bird-Ship," as Irina handles most of the lead vocals on this song. "Bird-Ship" begins with the sound of a small choir, made up of guest vocalists Ilya (Svarga), Kseniya (Kalevala), and Alexandr "Shmel" (Kalevala, Rarog), accompanied by the ambient keyboard work of long-time member Almira Fathullina. Soon the dual guitars of Dmitriy Sokolov and band founder Andrey "Elk" Losev join the mix, as well as the solid drumming of Anton Chepigin. The harsh vocals of Alexey "Nightbird" Soloviev appear next, and then the ice-meltingly beautiful folk vocals of Irina bring a refreshing softness to the overall blend. Later in the song, Kalevala's Kseniya handles some lead vocals as well. The rest of the songs on the album do not have the same kind of vocal variety as "Bird-Ship" does, but it's a great lead-off track even if it doesn't give an accurate view of what is in store for the rest of the album.

The second song, "Chilly Fire of the Night," is a more typical Alkonost song, one that would not sound out of place on their excellent 2006 album The Path We've Never Made. On this track, Alena Pelevina returns with her higher-pitch, operatic-style vocals, and Irina Zybina disappears until track 5. This, as well as the next two songs, are closer representatives of what you could expect if you pick up most Alkonost albums from 2004 forward. Their unique blend of gothic, folk, black, and doom metal stands out from every other band I've heard in the folk metal world. There are no folk instruments to be found on this or any other Alkonost album so far, but the "folk" style can be heard in the guitar leads and in the lyrics themselves, which often read like dark fairy tales. I believe many of them are based on Russian folklore, but I'm not certain. Fortunately, although the lyrics are in Russian, in the booklet they are translated into English for their international audience, a thoughtful touch.

Tracks 3 and 4, "Thought-Trees" and the great "Ineffable Light," are pretty similar to "Chilly Fire of the Night," but on track 5, "Wonderland True Story," the band slows things down a bit and we get something unique on this album: both Alena's and Irina's vocals on the same track. Their differing styles of vocals sound good whether alternating or blending, and both of these things happen on this song. Also, Ilya from Svarga lends his voice to the mix again, singing while Alexey "Nightbird" growls in the background. This song is probably the highlight of the album for me, and it makes me wish we could hear more of Irina Zybina on future Alkonost releases, but it doesn't seem like that's going to happen.

The next song, "Fire Bloom-Charm," features Irina's folk vocals again, and a nice, catchy chorus. Her voice reminds me of the female vocals on Natural Spirit's Sita Rosa, which is a good thing. On "Princess' Lament," a cover of a song by the band Canonis (of which guitarist Andrey "Elk" Losev was once a member) things slow down again, as this has more of a doom metal sound. I have no idea what the original sounds like, but it sounds so much like a natural Alkonost song that I'm not sure anyone would have suspected it's a cover song. I'm impressed with Alena's vocals on this track.

The last two tracks on the CD are re-recordings of songs that originally appeared on Between the Worlds in 2004. The primary difference with these re-recordings, other than the fact that "New Unknown Lands" is a little slower than the original and "Hard Times" is a little faster than the original, is that they both feature Irina's vocals exclusively. I suppose these tracks serve as a send-off for Irina for her great work filling in for Alena, as well as a gift for fans who enjoyed hearing these songs live with a somewhat different vocal style. I would have preferred a few new songs, since I already have two different versions of each of these songs (the original English versions on Between the Worlds and Russian versions on Межмирье, the 2005 re-recording of the entire album), but, taken as bonus tracks, they are a nice addition to the CD and I'm never tempted to stop the CD after the new songs are finished.

Because of the unusual line-up situation, it's difficult to say exactly where On the Wings of the Call fits into the Alkonost discography. It's something unique, a capturing of a specific moment in the band's history. As it turns out, it will also be the last album to feature founding member Alexey "Nightbird," as he parted ways with the band later in 2010. The band replaced him with a guy whose vocals sound remarkably like his, but Nightbird also wrote the band's lyrics and undoubtedly has had a huge hand in the direction of the band over the years, so I'm not yet sure what his departure will mean for the band's future. However, as a sort of introduction to the larger metal world of Alkonost's existence as a band (though they have enjoyed much popularity outside of Russia already, despite the relative difficulty of finding their music outside of Russia), On the Wings of the Call shows us a band that has quietly been perfecting their craft and are ready to enjoy the success and opportunity of a larger international audience. I would not quite put this album up to the high level of their arguable peak with The Path We've Never Made, but it's certainly a step up from their vaguely disappointing Stone Heart Blood and gives me hope about the band's future, despite the loss of one of their founding members.

Pagan metal fans looking for something abrasive, aggressive, and relentlessly dark may balk at the female vocals, everpresent keyboards, and folky leads, which definitely balance out the heavier elements into something accessible and often beautiful (though, I would argue, not lacking in power). Some will compare them to middle-of-the-road gothic metal bands and will claim that their songs all sound alike, but, you know, detractors of Alkonost have been saying that for years and yet they are still going strong and gaining fans all over. If the sound clicks with you, it is likely that you will enjoy their entire discography, and if it doesn't, then you probably won't like anything they've released. For those of us with which this long-running Russian band has already clicked, On the Wings of the Call will undoubtedly be a solid addition to our collections and hopefully a sign of even better things still to come.

Album Review: Темнозорь - Урочища снов

Artist: Темнозорь (Temnozor) [Russia]
Album Title: Урочища снов ("Haunted Dreamscapes")
Record Label: Stellar Winter (Russia)
Released: 2010 (January)
Purchased From: Ebay

Temnozor was pretty quiet for a while after the release of their second proper album, Folkstorm of the Azure Nights, but then suddenly as 2010 dawned they put out two big releases: the live CD/DVD Twilights at the Winter Funeral and the studio album Haunted Dreamscapes. I ordered them both at the same time, but it was Haunted Dreamscapes that most interested me. As is usual for Temnozor, there had been some lineup changes since the previous studio album, and because of that, and the relatively long period of time since Folkstorm, I wasn't sure what to expect. The albums Horizons and Folkstorm are highly respected among fans of pagan/folk metal, so many of us wondered if Temnozor could maintain their place towards the top of the pantheon despite the time passed and lineup changes.

Well, looking through the various reviews of Haunted Dreamscapes, it seems that reception to it has been rather mixed, but I'm pretty impressed with the album. First of all, the artwork. I have the Stellar Winter digibook edition, and the word I'd use for it is "lush." The cover is quite evocative of a dreamscape, with its gray fog and ghostly figures. The beautiful artwork continues throughout the generous insert (well, I say "insert" but it's attached to the front cover of the digibook), and one can see a mix of dreamlike and pagan visuals here. Props to Temnozor and Stellar Winter for making the effort to make this packaging really stand out.

The mystical blend of dreamscape and paganism continues with the music and lyrics as well. I don't know who wrote the lyrics to the album, though Gorruth (a non-musical member of the band and the head of Stellar Winter) is credited as lyricist on their Metal Archives page. He also wrote the lyrics to Walknut's Graveforests and their Shadows, which are very good considering English is not his first language, but all the lyrics on Temnozor's Haunted Dreamscapes are in Russian so it would make sense that these are even better. There's an excellent and poetic English translation on Metal Archives, and when I read along while listening to the music, it really helps the atmosphere. A favorite part, from "The Heart of Crane Distances," goes (in English): "Pinewoods stand like ancient armies, In the blue mists of endless distances, In the hands of autumn, I heard, The heart of my land still beats." Now, Temnozor has a bit of, let's say, "notoriety" due to past lyrics and the political positions of band members, but you won't really find any of that on this album. Perhaps it's due to the lineup changes (for instance, Kaldrad Branislav, Mr. Blazebirth Hall, is apparently not present on this album at all... I think he may be in prison).

On to the music itself, it seems that not a lot has changed since Folkstorm of the Azure Nights, though it appears that most if not all of the guitars, bass, and drums were played by live drummer Svyagir (from Walknut and various other bands). I would say that Haunted Dreamscapes, overall, has a more mellow feel to it. Yes, there's still a black metal influence present, and fans will instantly be able to identify the band as Temnozor when "Evilgod's Ravens" starts after the intro. Ratibor's unmistakeable flute can be heard throughout that track, and later in the track you can hear the distinct clean vocals of long-time member Petr. I was a little worried after hearing samples from the live CD/DVD that Petr had been replaced as vocalist, but fortunately he is here and his vocals are used a lot over the course of the album.

"Sunwheels of Solstice" (or "Kolyada," more accurately) is a pretty decent song, though probably my least favorite track on the album. Lead vocals on this are handled by new member Rodoslav, probably best known as the frontman for pagan folk band Krynitza, though he's also shown up in Oprich and Vo Skorbyah. I like Rodoslav as a vocalist, but not so much as a part of Temnozor. One of my main criticisms of the live album was that they used Rodoslav to do a lot of the clean vocals on songs that should have had Petr's voice instead. That's just personal opinion, though. Petr does sing a little on "Sunwheels of Solstice," in what I guess I would call the chorus of the song. This is a pretty heavy song, like "Evilgod's Ravens," but after this the album gets a little more mellow (and, in my opinion, becomes better).

The title track is a gentle song, with what I would call "grim whispers" along with the sung vocals. This album restores the dreamlike quality established by the album's intro that had sort of disappeared with the second and third tracks. Light synths swirl around like fog in the background, and some beautiful voice-like synths complement the melody and atmosphere. The lyrics on this track reinforce this atmosphere, with talk of burial mounds, a wizard moon on a ship (portrayed in the artwork as well), and ancient oaks. The next track, "Chalice of Morrow," is a fairly typical Temnozor track, beginning with what may be some sort of bagpipes or zhaleika, as well as the flute. I don't mean "typical" to say that it isn't a standout track, though, because it's quite good.

However, the last two tracks on Haunted Dreamscapes are my clear favorites. "The Heart of Crane Distances" begins with soft synths and acoustic guitar, and Petr's excellent vocals. It's a relaxing and beautiful track, at least until about four and a half minutes in, when it suddenly turns into a metal song. But it doesn't stop being beautiful when that happens. Petr's voice becomes stronger and more forceful, and at this point I realize that the track this most reminds me of is my favorite Temnozor song, "When the Lazure Skies Tear the Hearts Apart," from Folkstorm. And it is also at this point that I realize that, lineup changes or no, Temnozor has managed to recapture the things I loved so much about the previous albums.

Haunted Dreamscapes finishes with "Silent Be the Wind," which starts softly again but doesn't take long to become a metal song. On this track, Petr is supported by Rodoslav on vocals. It is also on this track that the band veers closest to Nationalistic themes, with the lines: "For this ancient land, for these azure skies, For our freedom we would fight till the end, Till the rivers would run red with our blood, Death is all what awaits us." That's about as controversial as they get here. As the track winds down, the guitars fade and Petr finishes the song (and album) a capella, with words that translate to: "Silent be the winds in the fields of rye. Do not disturb our slumber. Soon, as the morning rises, I will go away. Forget me not, but don't await my return." Somber and a little sad, it's an appropriate end to an album that is dark but not oppressively so.

The 41 minute running time of Haunted Dreamscapes seems to go quickly each time I listen to it. Sometimes if I don't pay enough attention to it, it just sort of glides by in the background. I don't know if that's a fault of the album so much as it is a statement about how subtle it can be. The album is solid from beginning to end, but it may be too mellow for some fans, or perhaps too "gray," if that makes sense. It feels kind of low-key compared to the past two albums, but the songwriting is good and the production values are high. I doubt that it will be held up to the same level that Horizons or Folkstorm is held, but I feel that, since its release, more and more fans have been warming up to it. It's a great little album, a minor work I would say, but one I'm glad I have in my collection. Temnozor managed to surprise me a bit, but they didn't disappoint me with this one.

Album Review: Nokturnal Mortum - Голос Сталі

Artist: Nokturnal Mortum (Ukraine)
Album Title: Голос Сталі ("The Voice of Steel")
Record Label: Oriana Music (Ukraine)
Released: 2009 (December)
Purchased From: Ebay

Back in September 2007, I reviewed the album Mirovozzrenie by Ukraine's Nokturnal Mortum, and right at the beginning of the review I stated that it was quite possibly my favorite pagan metal album. Since then I've stated the same thing about Moonsorrow's V: Hävitetty, but I think I'm ready to give the title back to Nokturnal Mortum after giving myself sufficient time to absorb the absolutely monstrous piece of art that is The Voice of Steel.

Nokturnal Mortum went a bit quiet for a while, taking a long time to work on the album. I think the title was announced way back in 2007 or so, and it took so long to work on that, during the recording of it, they had two changes to their lineup. Their drummer Odalv was replaced, along with guitarist Alzeth. Their replacements, Bairoth on drums and Astargh on guitar, join Varggoth, Saturious and Vrolok. Odalv and Alzeth can still be heard on one or two tracks, but the majority of the album was recorded with the new lineup. While this is usually no big news, since Eastern European pagan metal bands seem to change lineups every other week, and Nokturnal Mortum has been pretty much a revolving door of band members since the beginning (with only Varggoth and Saturious being the "core" of the band since back in the demo days), in this case it seems to have actually made a difference in the sound of the band.

This "new sound" is not apparent at first. Following the typical instrumental introduction (with the now-familiar battle horn and nature sounds leading into an interesting folky tune), the band immediately turns the intensity level up to 10 with the first proper song, "The Voice of Steel." Nice clean vocals, war-like drums, Varggoth's aggressive black metal shout... yep, this is nice, this is familiar. It's like all the good things about Mirovozzrenie, except refined even further. In fact, the clean vocals are really, really good. There were some clean vocals towards the end of the previous album, but these are more like Moonsorrow's wordless background chants, like a chorus of warriors. Already, with barely 10 minutes under our belt, The Voice of Steel sounds fantastic. However, the song isn't really a departure from the sound of Mirovozzrenie, so people who didn't really care for that album may already dismiss it.

The next track, "Valkyrie," starts off sounding like pretty typical Nokturnal Mortum. It's a little faster, and the synths are a little more modern and less "symphonic" (ie: not sounding like strings and choirs), but the only real difference, at first, is that Varggoth's vocals sound a little more distant, not as up-front. But then, in an instrumental break about four minutes in, the funky guitar and bass start. I don't really know how else to describe it. Not being used to the band using anything more than distortion on their guitars, it's initially jarring to hear different effects being used, as well as the bluesy-jazzy style that is played. But then I start to dig it. I start to really dig it. This long instrumental part lasts for four minutes, and it may be enough to single-handedly cause even non-fans of Nokturnal Mortum to prick up their ears and start listening. The song gets back into a more typical mode, but the impression has already been made. Nokturnal Mortum has tinkered with their established style and have come up with something amazing.

I'm getting ahead of myself, but the strange thing about this album is that it basically alternates between tracks that more closely resemble the previous two albums with tracks that utilize the funky guitar effects and more progressive, even psychedelic, elements. I don't know where these elements came from. Perhaps new guitarist Astargh?

At any rate, after "Valkyrie" the band continues with "Ukraine," a powerfully uplifting track with some nice violin and addicting clean vocal bridges and choruses. If ever a better track has ever been written about one's home country, I haven't heard it. Then again, I live in America, where those songs tend to be awful country-pop anthems. "Ukraine" doesn't have any of those new guitar effects, but it does have a nice solo. It seems like such a new experience to be paying so much attention to the instrumentation on a Nokturnal Mortum album. This has never been a band that has banked on their instrumental prowess. The guitars, drums, and bass have always just kind of been there. Sometimes, as in the case of the guitar on the classic Goat Horns album, they were so buried underneath the keyboards that they might as well have not even been there.

After the excellent "Ukraine," the band gets back into their mystical psychedelic mode with "My Dream Islands," with a long, beautiful intro. This song perhaps best blends the "old" with the "new," as there are some perfectly placed bagpipes to be heard on this track. It just has such a wonderful atmosphere that it manages to even top "Ukraine" in terms of pure musical splendor. It's at this point that I almost thought I was dreaming, because it seemed impossible to be listening to something this unexpected and awesome. But, indeed, repeated listens have confirmed that it really is that great, and its greatness has not diminished in the year and a half or so since I first heard it. Towards the end of this song, I can really detect how much fun the band is having on this album. The interplay of guitars, bass, keyboards, and drums seem so effortlessly playful and fun that I can hardly believe this is the same band that has stirred up so much controversy in the past.

The momentum of the album slows a bit with "Path of the Sun," which I believe may be the first song that was recorded for the album, since it features both the former guitarist and former drummer. It reminds me quite strongly of the material on Mirovozzrenie, especially the folky parts after the chorus and towards the end of the track. It's not a bad song, but it's a bit of a letdown after the last few songs.

Nokturnal Mortum throw it into folk rock mode with "Sky of Saddened Nights," which is as melancholy as its title would imply. It's a very nice track, though, with some beautiful flute and acoustic guitar. It also allows the listener to catch his or her breath before unleashing the final massive dose of awesome, "White Tower." Now, at this point it seems impossible for the band to top what they accomplished earlier, with tracks like "Valkyrie," "Ukraine," and "My Dream Islands," but they manage to do it with finesse and confidence with the album's final track.

On "White Tower," everyone gets a chance to shine. The drummer channels his inner funk early on, while the synths go sort of "ambient house" on us. It's amazing that this even works with Varggoth's aggressive vocals in the mix. As the song fades out, I tend to sit there with my jaw on the floor, trying to comprehend what I've just heard. This is Nokturnal Mortum? Where did this come from?

Wherever it comes from, I hope it continues. With the band's ever-changing lineup, I'm not sure it will (bassist Vrolok has apparently already left the band since the recording), but I suppose that even if the planets never align in the same way as to allow the band to recapture the creative spark that inspired The Voice of Steel, we will always have this, at least.

A perfect album? Maybe not quite, but it's about as close as I've heard. Absolutely essential. Worth checking out even if you don't generally like symphonic black metal or folk metal.

Live Album Review: Tumulus - Live Balkan Path

Artist: Tumulus (Russia)
Album Title: Live Balkan Path
Record Label: Wroth Emitter (Russia)
Released: 2006
Purchased From: Red Stream (I think)

I'm not that big on live albums, generally. There are a few I've enjoyed (Kroda's Live In Lemberg and Negură Bunget's Focul viu, for example), but for the most part I can take them or leave them. Originally I wasn't very interested in Live Balkan Path by Russian progressive folk metal band Tumulus, but then I actually heard some samples from the album and was impressed with both the sound quality of the recording and how well the talented band's magic works in a live setting.

Live Balkan Path was recorded in a club in Bulgaria. There's some stage banter, none of which I can understand, but the band doesn't waste much time tearing through its impressive 12-song (and 1 intro) setlist. There are classic Tumulus originals like "Kolo Opletaya," "Yavir," and "Sredokresie," a previous-unreleased track called "Vnegda" (which would later appear in studio form on the band's 2010 full-length Vedai, which I also plan to review sometime soon), and a few covers. The band's cover of Bathory's "Gods of Thunder of Wind and of Rain" is okay --I can take it or leave it-- but of particular interest is their cover of Scald's "In the Open Sea." Scald is, of course, the excellent cult doom metal band that released their sole album, The Will of the Gods Is Great Power, in the mid-90's, before the tragic death of their vocalist ended the band. Tumulus is what Scald became, and two members of Scald remain in Tumulus to this day. Anyway, it is great to hear "In the Open Sea," and even though vocalist Kuchma has a different sound than Agyl did, he still does a great job with the song. The third cover is "Within the Soul of Autumn," originally by Bulgarian band Korozy, and I thought it was nice that the band paid tribute to their hosts with this cover. They ended up later recording a studio version for their next EP.

I gained more respect for Tumulus after hearing this album because their music tends to be pretty progressive and, I would imagine, not easy to duplicate live. Yet every member of the band does an impressive job here. Kuchma doesn't attempt all the high notes from the studio versions of these songs, or else doesn't hold them like he does on the albums, but he exhibits great voice control. His voice is interesting... it's not a power metal voice. It's not quite a folk-style voice. I'm not sure who I can compare his voice to, but he sounds great. Then there's the lead guitarist, Kurbat, who started out as the drummer of the band before filling the guitarist spot after their debut, Winter Wood. He's a heck of a guitarist, and he works well with bassist Velingor, drummer Ottar (both previously of Scald), and now-departed keyboard player Vigdis. The band sounds like they're having a lot of fun sharing the stage together, and the recording quality is great because nobody drowns anyone else out. In some ways, the instruments have a better tone than they did on the previous full-length, Sredokresie, particularly the drums.

Normally, I would never recommend a person start with a live album when exploring the work of a band they don't have any previous exposure to, but I wouldn't hold that same caveat for Live Balkan Path. Though I prefer the studio versions for most of these songs, Tumulus does an impressive job replicating them in a live setting. Their upbeat style of progressive folk metal may not have as wide an appeal as, say, Arkona, but fans of the genre who are looking for something unique should give this highly talented and underrated group from Yaroslavl a try.

Album Review: Aiumeen Basoa - Iraganeko Bide Malkartsutik

Artist: Aiumeen Basoa (Basque Country, Spain)
Album Title: Iraganeko Bide Malkartsutik
Record Label: Erzsebet Records (Spain)
Released: 2010 (May)
Purchased From: The Omega Order

I had never heard of Aiumeen Basoa before the release of their debut full-length Iraganeko Bide Malkartsutik in 2010, but they've actually been around since 1994. Their only previous release was a 2001 split with related bands Adhur and Ilbeltz. I'm not sure why it took so long for them to release a full-length, but Iraganeko Bide Malkartsutik is evidence that they were not wasting their time.

Aiumeen Basoa is a seven-piece band that features multiple vocalists as well as an accordion player and violinist. There are additional instruments, such as flute and oboe, played by session musicians. It's a pretty big cast of players, reminiscent of such lineups as appeared on Lumsk's Åsmund Frægdegjevar and Ásmegin's Hin Vordende Sod & Sø. And, actually, those two albums aren't a bad jumping off point when attempting to describe the style of Aiumeen Basoa. Nor would be comparisons with ...In The Woods' Omnio or Odroerir's Götterlieder I & II. Think epic, sweeping folk metal with accomplished musicians and great, sometimes layered and harmonized vocals, and you've got an idea of what Aiumeen Basoa sounds like. Additionally, there are some black metal vocals, which sound quite a bit like those of fellow Basque band Numen.

Iraganeko Bide Malkartsutik consists of six tracks that range from six to eleven minutes long. Each track is multifaceted and interesting, with many changes in mood and tempo. I also seem to detect some neoclassical and progressive elements. Despite the presence of black metal vocals, there are few sections of this album that appear to be influenced by black metal, which is something that, by itself, is pretty refreshing in the folk metal genre. The overall atmosphere is pretty calm and reverent, more like a folk album than a metal album. Yet the band excels in each facet of their sound. They don't sound angry or warlike, though there are certainly some aggressive moments scattered throughout.

It is certainly a beautiful album, and one that avoids the accusation of "shallow" that is often hurled at folk metal bands. I have listened to this many times over the last several months and I notice new details each time. The way the band fits so many great ideas into each song is staggering. Take, for example, "Akelarrearen Sua," the fourth track on the album. It begins as a very calm folk song with accordion, flute, and beautiful, layered female vocals. It then erupts into a brief black metal-influenced section, which then turns into mid-paced, folkish sections that feature more great, sung vocals. Then things get a bit proggy while maintaining that folkish atmosphere. Towards the end of the track, there's a jazzy section that was unexpected the first time I listened to it, but even in that jazzy section they're able to throw in these folky guitar and violin parts. My head spins trying to make sense of it all, but it somehow works.

My only real complaint about Iraganeko Bide Malkartsutik is the quality of the production. When there are a lot of elements present at one time, the production seems a little "squashed," like everything melts together a bit too much to easily make out all the individual elements. It's not poor production by any means, but it falls short a bit considering how ambitious the band is. Then again, I listen to music almost exclusively on cheap equipment, so others may not have the same experience. A second, more minor complaint I have is that the black metal vocals are kind of weak. I guess they're not meant to be as imposing or "evil" as typical black metal vocals, but I think they would work better if they were delivered with a bit more force and perhaps a lower register. Deeper growls appear on "Ekaitzaren Begitik,"
but most of the harsh vocals are high-pitched and shrieky.

But, man, the sung vocals are so good. I'm a sucker for good vocal harmonies, and Aiumeen Basoa doesn't have any lack of those. There are both male and female vocals on this album, and they are all delivered with confidence and conviction.

I think Aiumeen Basoa has the kind of sound that would appeal to a wide spectrum of metal fans. There's such a variety of influences in their sound, and they accomplish everything in such a satisfying manner, that it makes Iraganeko Bide Malkartsutik one of those albums I would really like to get the word out about. If I were a better music writer, I think I'd be better able to communicate just how awesome this album is. The band's logo may be incomprehensible, and their language impenetrable to an American such as I, but their music is deeply appealing to me and I have no doubt that this is an album that will always be a treasure among my CD collection.

Album Review: Янтарные Слезы - Ключ к Декабрю

Artist: Янтарные Слезы (Amber Tears) [Russia]
Album Title: Ключ к Декабрю ("The Key To December")
Record Label: BadMoodMan Music (Russia)
Released: 2010 (December)
Purchased From: The Omega Order

If you're a fan of Slavic pagan metal, you should probably familiarize yourself with the Belarusian doom metal band Gods Tower if you haven't already. Some consider them to be the first metal band to use themes of Slavic mythology, which would make them one of the early pagan metal bands. Gods Tower, although not as well-known as they should be, are highly respected among Belarusian, Ukrainian, and Russian pagan metal fans and artists, and one of the bands that paid respect to them on a 2005 tribute CD is Amber Tears, a pagan doom metal band from Russia.

In 2006, the debut album of Amber Tears, entitled Revelations of Renounced, was released by the Stygian Crypt label, apparently before that label began cranking out endless CD's of Folkearth and their spin-offs. Revelations of Renounced is a great debut, and I discovered it at the perfect time, just as I was immersing myself in the music of Gods Tower. I could hear the influence of the late Alexander Urakoff's distinct style of lead guitar in this young Russian band; however, upon repeated listens, Amber Tears began to establish their own identity in my mind, and I became hooked on their gorgeously melodic doom metal. It was a bit of a wait before their sophomore album, The Key To December, arrived at the end of 2010, but happily they delivered a great follow-up, this time on BadMoodMan and Solitude Records.

First of all, let me thank The End Records/The Omega Order for stocking The Key To December. Sometime in January, I was surprised to find that the album had been released just a month or so earlier, but I had no idea how I was going to purchase it, since it can sometimes be difficult to track down specific Russian releases here in the U.S. Therefore, I'm grateful to them, because otherwise I'd probably still be trying to find it.

Anyway, on to the music. Amber Tears (they go by both Янтарные Слезы and Amber Tears, which is a bit unconventional, I think) plays a richly melodic brand of doom metal. The guitar leads are slow and drawn-out, like those of Gods Tower, and are, quite honestly, the biggest draw of this band for me. For the most part, the other instruments provide a lovely musical bed for the lead guitar to weave its way around. And it's not as if this is complicated, fast guitar work here. It's emotional and absolutely gorgeous. It's difficult for me, with my limited ability to describe music, to be able to express how much I enjoy Dmitry Tschukin's work on this album, but it's really the central appeal of the band for me. That is not to take all the attention from the rest of the band, as they are certainly a group of musicians whose talents complement each other quite nicely. The rhythm guitar maintains the melody while the lead guitar soars into the stratosphere, while the rhythm section of bass and drums provide the backbone. The lovely synths, which are almost always present, provide a ton of atmosphere and also complement the lead guitar very well.

The vocals, which consist of death metal-like growls and spoken words, don't really stand out much, but that seems to fit with the laid-back vibe of the band. I suppose they're appropriate for what I'm guessing are melancholic lyrics, though the lyrics are all in Russian so I'm not sure. English translations of the song titles indicate that the prevailing themes here are winter, cold, and sadness. Despite the sound of shuffling snow and wind in the intro, there's a warmth to the lush arrangements that makes me feel happy rather than sad when I listen to the album. I guess it could just be the effect of listening to such beautiful music that few others have heard.

The album consists of 8 tracks, of which three are mainly instrumental. The synth intro is okay but nothing really special, though it does set the tranquil, wintry mood. Things get moving with "Gray Days Eternity," though they don't get moving very quickly. The pace of this song, like the other songs to follow, is pretty slow. The band never exceeds mid-pace on any part of The Key To December, but that's just fine with me. "Gray Days Eternity" features a few softer sections where the lead guitar is accompanied by the gusli, a Russian stringed instrument that provides much of the "folkiness" found on the CD. Dmitry Tschukin plays this as well. The next few tracks continue much in the same way as "Gray Days Eternity." There's a consistency among the songs that some listeners may call "sameness." The debut album seemed to have more of a variety in pacing and mood, but I like the atmosphere that The Key To December creates. It's an album I can listen to from beginning to end without ever feeling tempted to skip ahead a track. It's nice to sit back and just take it all in.

Towards the end of the CD (track six to be exact) lies the album's only true surprise. This gentle song, mostly instrumental except for some softly spoken words towards the beginning, features acoustic guitar, synths, and then the gusli and some hand percussion. It sounds almost like an instrumental you'd hear on an Orphaned Land CD, and it's quite lovely. That song is followed by "Gray Hill's Sadness," which is a favorite of mine. Several months before the album's release, I found a great Youtube clip of Amber Tears performing this song in a live setting, and I watched the clip over and over again because I found the song so entrancing. I'm glad to finally have it on disc, even though there are some differences between the two versions. Finally, the album closes with another gentle instrumental, this time featuring acoustic guitar and gusli with some soft textures in the background.

If you can't tell, I really, really like The Key To December. Amber Tears has not messed with the formula that was so successful on Revelations of Renounced, which will come as a relief to some but possibly will disappoint those hoping for a progression. Because this is doom metal, the album moves at a pretty relaxed pace, so if you don't normally enjoy doom metal, it's very possible that the pace of this album will irritate you. I only listen to a limited amount of doom metal, but, in my opinion, this is an album to be savored. My only complaints would be that I wish there were more songs on the album, and perhaps some more variety in the vocals. There was a moment of clean vocals on the first album, but on here it's just growls and spoken words. They're not bad, and certainly not distracting, but I think it's an area where the band could improve for what I hope is an eventual third album.

Fans of Gods Tower, melodic doom metal, and Slavic folk metal are encouraged to open their minds and ears to a wonderful ensemble known as Amber Tears (or Янтарные Слезы/Yantarnie Slezy, if you prefer). If music this beautiful doesn't make your heart swell, I feel bad for you.

Video Clip: Dalriada - Hajdútánc

Hmm, since I'm stuck in the old style of Blogger, I can't seem to post a decent embedded version of the Youtube clip.

But, anyway, here is the new video clip for Hajdútánc, from the brand new (I don't even have it yet, but hopefully will within the next few days!) CD, Ígéret, from Hungarian folk metal band, Dalriada.

Sounds awesome! And sometime between Arany-album and Ígéret, Laura learned how to do some wicked black metal shrieks! Nice job!

Album Review: Dråpsnatt - Hymner till undergången

Artist: Dråpsnatt (Sweden)
Album Title: Hymner till undergången
Record Label: Frostscald Records (Russia)
Released: 2010 (July)
Purchased From: Red Stream

One might raise an eyebrow upon discovering that a band has released their sophomore album a mere nine months after the release of their debut, but in Dråpsnatt's case it has turned out surprisingly well. Many of us wanted to hear more from this band after the 2009 release of I Denna Skog, and our impatience was quickly placated with the very solid Hymner till undergången.

The style --the formula, if you will-- of Dråpsnatt has not changed since I Denna Skog. Take elements of old-school black metal, add some touches of atmospheric black metal and folk metal, and throw in some excellent harsh and clean vocals, and you start to have an idea of what's in store. That's not to say that nothing has changed here; Hymner till undergången sounds a little less melancholic than the debut, while the folk touches are more prevalent this time around. There are no folk instruments, but it can be heard in the piano and occasionally in the synths (like on the song "Dråpsnatt"), as well as in moments of clean guitar throughout the CD. The opening track, "En Ensam Sol Går Ner," is perhaps the folkiest-sounding track on the album (though we're not talking Korpiklaani or Finntroll here), so it starts things off in a different manner than the aggressive opening track of I Denna Skog did.

However, things get more aggressive with the opening minute or so of the second track, "Arvssynd," which starts off with some blastbeats and Vinterfader's unhinged screaming before settling into a more melodic vibe. The second half of this song contains one of the most epic and glorious moments of the CD, both fierce and life-affirming at the same time. In my review of I Denna Skog, I talked about the juxtaposition of beauty and aggression, and that holds true here as well. It's not always a matter of following a dark, aggressive section with a beautiful, melodic one. They're often happening at the same time, and you might get a different "feeling" depending on which you focus upon during a particular listen.

So basically Hymner till undergången is, not surprisingly, very similar to the band's debut, but it's not as if the band has cynically churned out a second album made up of leftovers and sound-alikes. Hymner till undergången is strong enough to stand on its own feet, and the songs are well-crafted, varied, and interesting, just as they were on I Denna Skog. If I were to compare the two albums side by side, I would say that I Denna Skog is the superior one, but I feel that both are well worth buying, and, if you enjoy one, you will certainly enjoy the other as well. I think that the songs on Hymner till undergången take a little more to grow on you, partly because, on this album, the songs tend to unfold differently. The best stuff (the most epic) tends to be on the second half of each song, rather than towards the beginning, as was often the case on I Denna Skog.

Highlights: the second halves of "Arvssynd," "Mannen I Min Spegel," and "Tonerna De Klinga," as well as all of closing track "Gasten." But it's all pretty great.

Album Review: Dråpsnatt - I Denna Skog

Artist: Dråpsnatt (Sweden)
Album Title: I Denna Skog
Record Label: Frostscald Records (Russia)
Released: 2009 (September)
Purchased From: Morbid Winter / The Old Outpost

Frostscald Records has become imprinted in my mind as a pretty dependable label for quality metal. Towards the end of 2009 they released two very solid albums by somewhat similar Swedish bands, Skogen and Dråpsnatt. Although I didn't discover Skogen's debut album Vittra until late 2010, I was fortunate enough to find Dråpsnatt's debut, I Denna Skog, on sale towards the end of 2009, and it became one of my favorite metal surprises of the year.

Dråpsnatt has a style that owes a debt to various members of the early Norwegian black metal scene, but they manage to not sound too close to anything else I've heard. I can hear the fuzzy, thick guitars of atmospheric black metal, the beautiful, layered synths of ambient black metal, and the clean guitars and nature samples of folkish black metal. The vocals, performed by each of the two members of Dråpsnatt, range from throat-searing screams and creepy croaked/whispered harsh vocals (courtesy of Vinterfader, who also plays keyboards) to passionate, almost Ulver-like clean vocals (courtesy of Narstrand, who also plays guitars, bass, and drums). The vocals were the first element that caught my attention. I've heard the harsh vocals compared to those of Varg Vikernes, though I don't agree with that comparison. These sound less like the howls of an insane man than the shrieks of a very angry man. With every line screamed, Vinterfader sounds like he's not holding anything back. Narstrand's well-performed clean vocals provide a nice balance to the harsh shrieks, and overall the vocal performance is one of the great strengths of this band.

Another of Dråpsnatt's strengths is the fact that each song has enjoyable melodies. There are moments of stunning beauty to be found on I Denna Skog, despite the aggression of the vocals. Despite any pretenses otherwise, what my ears crave when I listen to music is a catchy melody or a moment of beauty, and I Denna Skog has these in every track. Highlights on the album for me include the melodic section just after the first ambient part of lead-off track "I Denna Skog," the layers of clean vocals (followed by a nice section of clean guitar) on "Orostider," and the entirety of album closer "Ett Sista Andetag." These moments, among others, are the type that give me goosebumps when I listen to the album, especially if it's been a while since I'd last heard it.

I enjoy the juxtaposition of beauty and aggression on this album, and I'm impressed with the fact that Dråpsnatt is able to turn these disparate influences and moods into a cohesive and immensely enjoyable whole. Wrap it all up in great production and you have a timeless nature- and folklore-themed black metal album that hopefully will not go unnoticed by fans. Actually, I'm rather surprised that Dråpsnatt has not made a bigger impact on the scene yet, as this is essentially everything I want in a black metal album. Hopefully word of mouth will spread and this band will find the dedicated following they deserve. Already since the album's late 2009 release, they have released another album (which I will also review), and there is a third on the way as I write this. Give this band a listen; you may find yourself hooked.

Album Review: Чур - Лихо

Artist: Чур (Chur) [Ukraine]
Album Title: Лихо (Lykho) ["Evil"]
Record Label: Casus Belli Musica {Russia)
Released: 2009 (December)
Purchased From: Negative Existence

After some delays due to label problems, Chur's second album, Lykho, was finally released at the end of 2009. Originally it was supposed to released on German label Hammermark Art (to which Kroda and Ancestors Blood, among others, are signed), but, due to the presence of ancient symbolism in the artwork and the worries about a reaction from German listeners and authorities, the label didn't want to put out the album with the artwork intact. Therefore, the contract was dissolved and Lykho's fate was in limbo. Then the rising label Casus Belli Musica (which is amassing quite a strong stable of pagan/folk bands) came to the rescue and released this great and unique work to the world.

For those who have not heard Chur, it is difficult to draw any direct comparisons with other bands. It has a strong "Slavic" feel, which means you will not mistake it for a Scandinavian or German project. It does not sound like black metal with folk instruments added. In fact, on this album, the vocals are all sung, and there is a distinct folk style to them rather than a metal style. The male vocals are by band founder Evgen Kucherov, while the female vocals are sung by Viktoriya Kumanovskaya, a professional folk singer. There are a variety of flute and perhaps bagpipe sounds (it sounds like either bagpipes or zhaleika), but I think many of them are sampled or synthesized. Being as this is metal, there of course electric guitars and bass, while the drums in this case are programmed.

If you have heard the first Chur album, Брате вітре (Brother Wind), the overall sound of Lykho is similar, but strengthened in many ways. The vocals are much better on this release, and the songwriting is stronger. Despite the overall computerized sound of the production (along with the drum machine and sampled folk instruments), this sounds like authentic Ukrainian folk music that happens to feature electric guitars and modern percussion. In other words, the songs are not really constructed like metal songs, but like folk songs. Some listeners may be turned off by the style, or by the production, but Chur's sincerity is difficult to deny. Even the artwork itself is very much "folk art." The artwork seems to tell the story of a culture that is compromised by modern evils (narcotics, cigarettes, and alcohol are all represented, as well as industrial pollution and foreign religions). Yet, it goes on to show, the ancestral traditions live on, and will one day defeat the modern evils. This sense of hope and pride are reflected in the upbeat arrangements.

There are some oddities present on this CD. First of all, the tracklisting on the inside of the CD tray suggests that there is a cover version of Temnozor's "Did-Dub-Snop" beginning the album, but I did not find it anywhere on the CD. I thought that maybe it was in the gap before the first track (as some albums have done), but attempting to reverse the CD didn't do anything. The second oddity is that track 11 is supposed to be a radio version of "The Spring", but included at the end of this track is an alternate version of "Mother", which is unlisted. The third oddity is that the final track on the CD is some sort of multi-channel DTS version of the title track, but I guess I don't have the right setup to play it because all I get is digital static. I can't think of much in the way of negatives about this album, except for the weak drum machine and the overall sterile nature of the production. It is nice to be able to hear everything so clearly, as the recording is pitch-perfect, but it may be a little too perfect for this style of music. A little analogue warmth would have brought out the "folkiness" of the album, I think. But these are minor complaints for an otherwise excellent pagan metal album.

Lykho is a great follow-up to the already-solid Brother Wind, and is far, far superior to Chur's side of the split with Oprich, which was instrumental and did not appeal to me at all. The album clocks in at just under an hour, if you don't include the bonus stuff, which may be a little excessive for an album with such a consistent sound. Still, the presence of two different vocalists gives it some variety, and, taken in track-by-track, one can appreciate how well-written and catchy each of these songs are (though I tend to skip the ambient track "The Sky," which sits right in the middle of the CD). The highlights of the album for me are "Mother," "Zagovir," and "The Spring." It's no wonder that two of them ("Mother" and "The Spring," both of which feature Viktoriya Kumanovskaya handling the lead vocals) were chosen for the radio edits in the bonus audio track.

Fans of Slavic folk metal are encouraged to track down Lykho, though that may eventually get more difficult as it is limited to 1,000 hand-numbered copies. Chur is currently at work on new material, so the future is looking bright for this shining light in the Ukrainian pagan/folk scene.

EP Review: Graveland - Cold Winter Blades

Artist: Graveland (Poland)
EP Title: Cold Winter Blades
Record Label: No Colours Records (Germany)
Released: 2010
Purchased From: Ebay

I'm a pretty big Graveland fan, a fact that I've made clear in the past. Although I was somewhat disappointed in the last full-length, Spears of Heaven, his 2010 EP Cold Winter Blades has given me renewed faith in Rob Darken.

The five-track EP starts off with the first of two brand-new songs, "In the Morning Mist." The choir sound is the same as what we heard on the last album, but then the (synthesized) voices are joined by a nice brass section, well-played (or perhaps programmed) drums, and a guitar that sounds a little meatier than what we heard on Spears of Heaven. Now more than ever, Graveland seems to draw inspiration from the soundtrack to the movie Conan the Barbarian. I don't know the last time I've heard something so warlike that didn't come from a movie soundtrack. Though, sound-wise, this is not really a departure from Spears of Heaven, the overall atmosphere is much more satisfying and powerful. And this is barely a minute into the first track.

The second track, "From the Beginning of Time," isn't quite as good as the first, but it's still pretty good. The most pleasant surprise on the album is the third track, "White Winged Hussary." The track starts off sounding a bit like "Return to the Northern Carpathian," the song that closed Spears of Heaven. It begins with a clean guitar, which changes to a distorted one as the synthesized female vocals join in. The melody that begins is pretty awesome, like nothing I've heard from Graveland before. Soon the song begins to sound like normal Graveland, but that melody continues to show its face in variations throughout the song. It's beautiful. "White Winged Hussary" is probably in my top 5 Graveland songs of all time. Even if I hadn't enjoyed the rest of the EP, I would have felt it to be worth it simply because of the inclusion of this track.

The next song, "Spear of Wotan," sounds a lot like something from Will Stronger Than Death, except with better recording quality. This song, like "White Winged Hussary," is a new version of a song that appeared on a previous compilation. I really like the way Darken uses brass instruments (even though they're synthesized/sampled) to create a majestic atmosphere. They're used to good effect on "Spear of Wotan," as are the synthesized female vocals. The final track on the EP, "Dance of Axes and Swords," is a remix of a song that appeared on my favorite Graveland album, Fire Chariot of Destruction. All that has really changed here is a better recording quality and better drum sound. Still, it's a good song, and I think he managed to improve on it.

Graveland is sort of a "love it or hate it" kind of artist, but if you're already a fan, Cold Winter Blades is a great EP and worth checking out. If, like me, you are a fan but were disappointed in Spears of Heaven, this EP may restore your faith in Graveland as it did for me. He's working on the next album at the time of this writing, and if it sounds anything like this, it will definitely be something special.

Album Review: Drudkh - Handful of Stars

Artist: Drudkh (Ukraine)
Album Title: Handful of Stars
Record Label: Season of Mist (France / U.S.)
Released: 2010 (September)
Purchased From: Ebay

If you ever want to stir up conflict among metal fans, the subject of Drudkh is sure to do it. Whether the discussion is about their alleged politics, the overrated/underrated-ness of the band, which of their albums is the strongest, and at which point in their career the band began to drop in quality (or whether or not that point has happened), there are tons of different opinions out there. For a band that has shunned publicity throughout their career, Drudkh sure seems to stir up controversy, and their latest album, Handful of Stars, will do nothing to stop that trend.

Fans are sharply divided in their opinions of this album. Even before any album tracks "appeared" to fans, the album artwork was a source of contention. The cover is a departure from their previous albums, which tended to draw from nature scenes or old paintings. In the artwork department, this time the band employed the help of Fursy Teyssier, the frontman of French rock band Les Discrets, and a part of the circle that includes Alcest. Already some fans were declaring Drudkh to be "sell outs." And then when tracks from the album started to appear online, well, it really began to hit the fan.

You see, the artwork isn't the only departure for Drudkh on this album. The biggest change from previous albums, and the one that has, not surprisingly, stirred up the most controversy, is the use of a cleaner guitar tone on Handful of Stars. While previous Drudkh albums (not including the folk album) had a thick, very distorted guitar tone, on this album it's very clean and mellow, sounding somewhat like the tone used by Alcest or Agalloch. Normally, guitar tone isn't such a big issue, but Drudkh has always relied heavily on the thicker tone in order to facilitate the atmospheric, hypnotic atmosphere their previous albums have had. Since they don't give interviews, it's anyone's guess as to why they made the switch, but everyone seems to have an opinion on it.

I don't mind the clean tone so much. It does make it easier to hear the lovely guitar harmonies, which were previously somewhat buried beneath a blanket of distortion. However, accompanying this change is a shift in songwriting. It has grown more complex (by Drudkh standards), perhaps to accomodate for the loss of sheer atmosphere. While this isn't bad, in theory, it does redefine what we have always thought of as "the Drudkh sound." Maybe that's why they did it. Were they tired of being stereotyped and pigeonholed, and decided to do something that would shake people up?

Despite the changes, this is still distinctively Drudkh. Melodically, it still sounds like them. The gruff, unique vocals of Thurios haven't changed. There are still those nice and appropriate solos. The musicianship is as solid as always, and I think the drumming has further improved over Microcosmos. However, I don't feel that the songwriting on this album is as strong as we've seen on previous efforts. "Downfall of the Epoch" is, in my opinion, the strongest track on the album, and the one where all the elements seem to come together the best, and "Towards the Light" is also solid. But I feel like things drop off a bit with "Twilight Aureole" and "The Day Will Come." This is not to say that they're bad songs, but sometimes I find my interest flagging by this point in the album. I feel like sometimes the cleaner guitar tone may work against the band because it places a greater burden on the songwriting itself, and while they've proven themselves to be great songwriters, not every track is as strong as the last.

Also, I have a criticism to make about the bonus CD, "Slavonic Chronicles," that only appears with the very expensive limited edition box set of the album (ie: the Ebay Profiteer Edition). I don't mind the idea of having a limited edition of the album, but for those of us who want to get all the tracks but don't want an expensive limited edition, it seems like a kick in the teeth to demand that (in order to get this bonus EP) we shell out for this edition (before it sells out, which happens quickly) or pay huge Ebay prices to those scoundrels that bought multiple copies just to profit on the "limitedness" of it. I legally acquire all the music in my collection because I respect artists and labels. Why turn around and punish me by denying me exclusive Drudkh tracks simply because I don't feel like $100 or so is a reasonable price for a CD and a bunch of extras I don't have any use for (or, perhaps, can't afford it)? Well, at least the songs included on that CD are covers, and I can live without those. I suppose I'm still upset that I couldn't get the Anti-Urban EP on CD because I didn't jump at the chance to buy the previous overpriced box set.

Anyway, Drudkh continues to be one of my favorite pagan metal bands, and I admire the fact that they aren't afraid to confound their listeners now and then. Handful of Stars certainly isn't their strongest album, but, in the end, it's still a good CD and most fans will enjoy it, despite a very vocal group of people that continue to accuse the band of selling out to appease the Alcest crowd. I hope that either the band will find more solid footing in this new style or that they will dust off the old distortion pedals for the next full-length.

Album Review: Maras - Raskol

Artist: Maras (Macedonia)
Album Title: Raskol
Record Label: Alatir Promotion / Terror Blast (Macedonia)
Released: 2008
Purchased From: Paragon Records / The Metal Underground

When it comes to the metal scene in the small Balkan nation of Macedonia (formerly a part of Yugoslavia, which was still a country when I learned geography in school), I can count all the bands I know on one finger. Fortunately, that band happens to be Maras, a great pagan-themed black metal band that has been around since 2003. I tend to be cautious when it comes to black metal these days, because a lot of "pagan black metal" bands I've heard lately have been of the "Norsecore" variety, with lots of blasting and tremolo picking (or underproduced, unlistenable noise). Some people like that kind of music, but I like something with a little more "groove" to it; something I can bang my head to. I hadn't heard of Maras until a few months ago, but I bought their album Raskol based pretty much entirely on the album artwork. It has a style that screams "Slavic pagan metal" and I decided to take a chance on it.

Maras doesn't belong to the "Norsecore" style of black metal. Instead, they strike me as being more of an "old school" black metal band. There's a strong (and welcome) influence of thrash in the riffing and drumming, so that rather than just endless blasting and tremolo picking, we get a variety of tempos and moods. There are some fast moments on the album, but also mid-paced and slow tempos. There's even a breakdown at one point. Similarly, there is variety in the vocals, which range from clean chants (think Ulver's Bergtatt) to strong black metal shrieks and mid-range death growls. Finally, there's a bit of Macedonian folk music that shows up towards the end of the album. I'm not an expert on Macedonian music, but the little that I've heard uses hand percussion and scales that sound Middle Eastern, and that's true here, too. There's not much of it, to reassure those who are scared away by the term "folk metal," but just enough to give it a little "exotic" flavor.

I really enjoy listening to this album. It's not too polished, but not too raw, either. The sound quality is very good. The album is rather short (just over 32 minutes long) but it leaves me wanting more, and there really aren't any low points or wasted time on the album. Musically, Maras is quite talented, and the vocals are particularly good for this kind of music. In short, this one is a winner! I certainly hope there's more to come from this accomplished band.

Album Review: Odroerir - Götterlieder II

Artist: Odroerir (Germany)
Album Title: Götterlieder II
Record Label: Einheit Produktionen (Germany)
Released: 2010
Purchased From: The Omega Order

Götterlieder II was my most anticipated CD of 2010, in any genre. As it neared release I was excited but also a bit nervous. I couldn't imagine how Odroerir could top their 2005 masterpiece Götterlieder. I was worried that the band might drop the rich vocal harmonies that was my favorite element of their sound, or that they would make some other large change to their sound that would cause them to lose their identity in the sea of folk metal bands that had emerged since 2005. Fortunately, my nervousness was unwarranted. Odroerir has returned with an excellent follow-up to Götterlieder and has managed to improve and progress in many ways.

First of all, the harmonized, layered vocals are back, and they're even more prominent than before. The layers don't seem to be quite as thick as they were at certain points on Götterlieder, but they sound more confident and polished than before. Maybe all the touring they did between 2005 and 2010 helped in that area. The vocals tend to be the focal point of the songs, especially on tracks like "Idunas Äpfel."

That is not to say that the instruments have been given any less attention. Band leader Fix not only sings and plays electric and acoustic guitars, but this time he also plays various percussion instruments, mandolin, mandola, zister, flute, tin whistle, and Jews harp. Stickel returns on vocals and guitar, Manuel and Philipp return on bass and drums, respectively, and Veit plays violin and cello and also contributes vocals this time around. The new addition to the band is vocalist Natalie, who has a very nice voice and will likely be seen as superior to previous vocalist Yvonne (though I enjoyed Yvonne's vocals as well). The band uses mandolin and the other stringed instruments in the place of the acoustic guitar during many parts of the album, which gives them a somewhat less accessible sound than before, in my opinion.

The lyrics on Götterlieder II, again, are adapted from the Edda, and are all in German. As I said in my review of the previous album, I don't usually think of German as a beautiful-sounding language, but bands like Odroerir and Carved In Stone have been able to convince me otherwise, at least for a while. Anyone who doubts should give "Idunas Äpfel" a listen, because it's a staggeringly beautiful song and the highlight of the album for me.

The songs alternate between more metal-oriented and softer acoustic songs, with four "metal" tracks and three "acoustic" tracks, though even the metal songs have softer elements to them. The first track, "Heimdall," begins with the sound of someone walking, followed by a horn sound (played by Manuel, it appears) and a nice little instrumental folk section. At this point new listeners might think they picked up the wrong album, but after about two minutes the metal elements appear. Not that, even once that happens, anyone will mistake Odroerir for being any other band. The sound of mandolin (or mandola?) and flute continues even after the electric guitars appear, and then you hear the vocals, which are not quite like anything I've heard in folk metal. They are not "flashy" or modern-sounding (these are not power metal vocals). They are what I would describe as the vocals that could be found in traditional folk music, except perhaps for the harmonizing, and perfectly complement the atmosphere that Odroerir is creating. The listener will get a good idea of what this band is all about after listening to the first track, and will probably decide at this point whether or not Odroerir is for them. Some will not enjoy it, but I think many will if they give it a chance.

"Heimdall" is followed by the short but sweet acoustic track "Bifröst." As the next track, "Des Thors Hammer Heimholung," begins, I finally hear the familiar baritone vocals (Stickel?) that remind me of the lead male vocals on the first two albums. For whatever reason, they're not as prominent on Götterlieder II as a whole. Again, a mandolin plays throughout the song even when the electric guitars are present, which I think gives the album an all-encompassing "folk" sound that gives me the impression of Odroerir being a folk band that happens to incorporate metal into their music, rather than the other way around.

The long acoustic track "Idunas Äpfel" follows, and on this track Natalie is given a chance to shine. This is a very vocal-centric song, and a very powerful one, despite not being metal in any way. "Skadis Rache," for the first time since Odroerir's 2002 debut, has some shrieked black metal vocals, but only a little. The violin plays a prominent role in this track, and there's a nice guitar solo as well. The next all-acoustic track, "Der Riesenbaumeister" contains what I think is the mandola, and there's also some nice hand percussion. The final track, the nineteen-minute long hymn to Odin, "Allvater," reminds me quite a bit of "Skirnirs Fahrt" from the first Götterlieder, though not quite as satisfying, in my opinion. It is a very good song and an epic and reverent way to close the album, however. It contains probably the most technical lead guitar work on the album (though this of course is relatively speaking), as well as some great violin and cello work.

It's difficult for me to do justice to a band like Odroerir, and an album like Götterlieder II, by using words. There are some very talented writers that might be able to, but I'm not one of them. It's simply a beautiful album. I don't expect that it will get a lot of praise from metal critics, mainly because it's such a different album that is difficult to describe or categorize, and may not contain enough "metal" elements to satisfy some fans, even fans of pagan/folk metal. But that's part of the appeal of Odroerir. They're in a category of their own. They are Odroerir. And they're one of my favorite bands in the genre, for what it's worth.

Album Review: Odroerir - Götterlieder

Artist: Odroerir (Germany)
Album Title: Götterlieder
Record Label: Einheit Produktionen (Germany)
Released: 2005
Purchased From: CM Distro

There's no way I can be unbiased in this review of Odroerir's second album, Götterlieder, because this is the CD that got me hooked on folk metal. Way back in the days of 2006, when I was expanding my "Viking metal" horizons, I came across the name of a band called Menhir, and, during my exhaustive research of this band (which mainly consisted of consulting the Metal Archives), I discovered that one of the members had a second band called Odroerir. CM Distro had an album by each band in stock and I ordered them at the same time. The one that made the biggest immediate impact on me was the CD by Odroerir, because I hadn't heard anything like it before.

The brief intro, "Ginungagap," which consists of the sound of waves and wind, fades into an acoustic piece called "Weltenanfang." I was already intrigued by the the lovely acoustic guitar and female soprano vocals (something I wasn't quite used to yet, having been listening to a lot of black metal up until this point), which are soon joined by a chorus of male vocals, but then the band ups the ante by richly layering several tracks of vocals in beautiful harmony. I've always been drawn to harmonized vocals, but I had never heard anything quite like this on a metal CD. Actually, to be honest, I still haven't heard another metal band with such immensely satisfying harmonized vocals. Sometimes, after dozens or perhaps hundreds of listens later, I can still get goosebumps when listening to "Weltenanfang," and that's only the second of seven mostly-long tracks. The only reference point I could ever find for the vocals is the Irish folk-turned-New Age band Clannad.

"Weltenanfang" seamlessly shifts into track three, "Wanenkrieg," which introduces metal elements into the album for the first time. The electric guitars are pretty high in the mix. There's some melody there, but they kind of just roughly chug along, except during the tasteful guitar solos. The guitar solos always exist for the greater good of the song. They never sound like someone showing off what they can do. The nicely sung and blended vocals introduced on "Weltenanfang" don't go away when the metal elements are introduced. That is actually what Odroerir's vocals sound like. Sometimes there's a solitary voice singing, but it's never too long before another voice or a chorus of voices joins in. Lyrics are all in German, which is not a language I've ever considered "beautiful" when sung, but they make it work. The lyrics on Götterlieder are all adapted from the Edda, specifically the parts that deal with the earlier days of the universe.

The band is led by Fix, who sings, plays acoustic and electric guitar, and plays flute. Stickel sings and plays acoustic and electric guitar. Philipp returns on drums, Yvonne returns as the soprano vocalist, and Manuel (of fellow Thuringians XIV Dark Centuries) joins the band on bass. Another fine addition to the band is Veit, who plays violin and cello. Violin already played a part on the first Odroerir album, but the band felt it was an important enough element in their sound that they added Veit as a full-time member. And, indeed, I think it adds a lot to the sound.

Even in its metal moments, Odroerir is not a particularly heavy band. Nor do they play very fast. The songs move on at a comfortable, leisurely pace, with the lovely ballad "Ask Und Embla" and much of fifteen-minute closer "Skirnirs Fahrt" giving the album some quieter moments. This is an album that I think even non-metal fans could enjoy, because it lacks so many of the elements that annoy many people about metal. However, these qualities could also limit the enjoyment that some metal fans would get from it. Odroerir has to be approached on their own terms, because there are no other bands, to my knowledge, that sound like them.

Despite my love for this album, I acknowledge that there are still some rough edges that could be smoothed out. The vocals, while mostly well done, are not always perfect. There's a vocal line or two on "Zwergenschmiede" that sounds completely flat to me, and the electric guitars are so loud in the mix that they give many parts on the album a "muddy" sound that I think obscures the softer and more beautiful elements at times. Still, depending on my mood, sometimes I think of the guitars as being "rough hewn" and that it adds to the rural charm of the CD. I don't know. I'm conflicted about them. Still, I absolutely adore Götterlieder, four and a half years after first hearing it. I can't get enough of the violin, the flute, and especially the vocals... man, the vocals!

If there is any downside to this album, it's that, with the exception of Odroerir's 2010 follow-up Götterlieder II, there's nothing quite like it. I spent a lot of time after its release trying to find something else that sounded like it, to no avail. Fortunately Götterlieder stands up to repeat listens, because otherwise it would have worn out its welcome many spins ago. I still enjoy it just as much now as I did when I first discovered it, and I would still recommend it to any fan of true pagan/folk metal who is looking for a serious and mature album that is also a lot of fun.