Romuvos - Spirits

 

Romuvos are a truly fascinating new pagan metal band emerging from Lithuania and now based in Berlin. Cutting through the noise of a crowded scene full of pretenders and those who seek to don traditional instruments and clothing in the hope of making a buck, Spirits is the sound of a band who are far beyond that. Their Baltic inspired sound fuses traditional folk music with metal in a way that feels elegant, natural and exciting. There is something wonderfully epic about what Romuvos have accomplished on Spirits, making the 4 year wait between albums worth it. 

Spirits impresses because of the breadth of the compositions. A song like "World Tree" feels powerful and larger than life in many ways. It's hard not to be entranced with the massive chants and gorgeous guitars that underpin the whole thing and leave listeners eager to hear more and delve ever deeper into what's been accomplished here. Romuvos have gone above and beyond to impress with the compositions that shape Spirits. It's the sort of thing where it feels like the bands growth really needed 4 albums to get here, but now that they've arrived they are unleashing something that is incredibly engrossing and compelling for fans of this scene. 

I went into this album thinking it would be another reflection of an overplayed scene. I come out in awe of a band who are clearly among the best songwriters in the genre and whose back catalog I really need ot spend more time with. Romuvos are masterful, from their multilayered vocal harmonies to the youth of a jaw harp, their work is entrancing and will ensconce you in sound. Dive into the magic and let yourself get carried away. It is more than worth it.

Pre-order the album!

https://hammerheart.bandcamp.com/album/spirits

Blodtar - Det Frtegna Forflutna

 

It's been a long time since I really dug into any folk metal. It feels like the scene has in many ways receded in ecent years. That being said, the latest offering from Blodtar, their debut full length, Det Fregna Forflutna is folk black metal done right, with a wonderful intensity and an epic side to the songwriting that makes for a wonderfully engaging listen. They've built on the promise of their debut EP to show that they are a one of a kind force in the underground and spearheading bold new twisted sounds from the abyss. 

Blodtar's work on this album is at best, magical. They capture the bombast of early Ensiferum and other Nordic bands who found a way to really present the glorious darkness of their music on a whole new level. The sense of tradition that rides throughout the record is entrancing and it's hard not to be impressed with the wonderful sense of adventure that helps to define many of these songs. Clearly Blodtar are drawing influence from the cultural high point of folk metal and have found a way to build on that legacy, namely by re-injecting many of the twisted black metal flourishes that helped to make the band so exciting in the first place. 

Det Fregna Forflutna sees Blodtar coming out boldly with a sound that is sure to keep them riding triumphantly into the future. This is folk black metal done with a great admiration for the old gods but also a clear vision that shows us that Blodtar understand what more can be done in this genre. It's a delightful record to get lost in and one that I think speaks to the multilayered nature of the band. What more could you want from a debut? Answer the call to adventure, press play and prepare for folk metal greatness to come.

Pre-order the album!

https://nordvis.com/blodtar-a-43 

Lumsk - Fremmede Toner

 

Lumsk have returned after a 16 year hiatus with a bombastic and powerful record that honors their folk metal heritage but promises so much more. This is a band who have delved deep in themselves to craft an album that is powerful and emotional, a record fully aware of its heritage and the incredible history that it represents. Fremmede Toner is a thrilling offering and a record that feels incredibly vast in scope. In other words, exactly the album you expect after 16 years of silence.

There are so many contributors and such a great vision here it's impossible to understand an album like this in just one or two spins. Just look at the band picture and you'll see seven members whose work interlocks on this album with interwoven male and female vocals, impressive instrumentation and progressive explorations that showcase the skill of the musicians included. It's a take on folk metal as it could have been, if the core 'metal' side wasn't inspired by black metal but instead lighter, proggier influences.  

Fremmede Toner is a charmer, an album that draws you in and rewards listeners who take the time to really wrap their heads around what's been crafted and put on display here. Lumsk understand the fundamental magic of both folk and progressive metal and their ability to fuse these ideas into a grander whole and speak to potent sonic highways is a ton of fun. Join me in getting lost in these dark Norwegian pastures that seem to highlight the beauty of nature and thousands of years of tradition, it's a magical journey.

Pre-order the album!

https://lumsk.bandcamp.com/album/fremmede-toner

Vorna - Aamunkoi

Vorna have been on my radar for a few years now, and honestly, I'm not sure why I don't listen to them more. Their new record, Aamunkoi is a masterclass in pagan metal with ancient Finnish melodies, beautiful, multilayered songwriting and an overarching sense that we are all part of something greater and older than we could possibly imagine. As you might imagine based off that description, Aamunkoi is a deep listen and a record that rewards multiple listens, giving fans a reason to really lose themselves in what they've created.

Aamunkoi is a massive step forward for the band. It sees them crafting songs on a level that few of their peers can compare too. The tracks here are lush and spill out at times like a trickling brook and other times as a waterfall of black metal fury. Vorna are transcendent at best and visionaries. This album is an epic journey and one that listeners are going to find themselves consistently ever more enamored with. The important thing to realize about this album too is that even though it is very much in the folk/pagan world, this isn't a collection of drinking anthems. It's thoughtful and artfully produced pagan metal that is progressive and powerful. 

There are some records that are simply a joy to listen too, which speak to the potency of their creators and leave you in awe. Aamunkoi is one such record, an offering that soars from peak to peak and gives fans a reason to really let themselves get lost in the darkness. Vorna understand the triumph of pagan music and fuse it with progressive and blackened sounds that can't help but to thrill. Aamunkoi is a potent offering and one that I think fans of the underground are going to find themselves consistently coming back too, ever more enamored.

Pre-order the album!

https://vornalfr.bandcamp.com/album/aamunkoi

Felled - The Intimate Earth

 

I've always had a soft spot for blackened folk metal. It's especially interesting to hear some coming out on Transcending Obscurity, a label not exactly known for its involvement in the genre. This is really a niche music so it's interesting to hear it from a label like that one. Regardless, Felled have an interesting take on the genre, and though not all of their experiments succeed, The Intimate Earth does a good job in introducing the world to an excellent band. Of particular note is that half of this band was in the cult favorites Moss Of Moonlight. It helps to explain some of the top tier execution here. 

I'll come out and say it - the big issue that this record has is that the vocals just are not a fit. While I see what the group was going for here, and it certainly does work in some moments, as a general rule the growls are too low pitched. The approach just feels incongruous to what a lot of the rest of the record is doing. In fact, I find this fairly frustrating because there are so many other excellent elements to this record ranging from the stellar use of violin to add melody and the fierce black metal riffs. The mystique they craft though is hurt by the vocals that are not a great fit for the genre and frankly too high in the mix. 

All this being said - there are not a lot of American blackened folk bands and to hear a group doing it well is a head turner. Felled have found a distinct approach to the genre and it's exciting to listen as they slowly find their sound. That being said - I do get the feeling it's going to take another album or two to get the vocals to where they need to be. There are a lot of interesting ideas throughout, and a clear understanding of the record that makes for compelling listening. Hearing this band evolve will be a delight. 

Pre-order the album!

https://felledblackmetal.bandcamp.com/

Isenmor - Shieldbrother

The American folk metal scene is a really interesting one to me. As someone who managed one of the major bands in the scene for a few years, I am always confused by both how goo a lot of these bands are, how in demand they often are but also how few their seem to be. This is something Isenmor seek to fix. Their potent new record, Shieldbrother is done in their unique 'Gewyrdelic' (It means historical) folk metal sound replete with dual violinists is something that is certain to please the drinking horn bearing masses of the metal scene. 

This is a band who throughout exude a strong sense of fun. Their penchant to blend drinking songs ('Drink To Glory') with epics ('Sigurd's Song') is very much in line with the greats of the genre. In many cases you can see the healthy blend of influences that they feature. There is a wonderful elegance to the execution and the way that the band eagerly press forward makes for addictive listening. This is certainly something that fans of bands like Ensiferum and Eluveitie are going to get a lot out of. They avoid a lot of the sillier 'party band' tropes that largely undid the folk metal scene in the early 2010's and treat the genre with the respect it deserves - it's exciting to see. 

Shieldbrother is a lot of fun to listen too. The big open throated choruses, the gnarly black metal rasps and of course the oodles of melody make for something that is compelling and interesting. Yes - this is a nerd record, but it's pretty obvious that the folks in Isenmor know that. They are playing to their market, giving us metal that hearkens to the glory days of the genre and is really a blast to sink your teeth into. For those of us who want tales of yore, fun and flashy melodies, big choruses and something to swig beers too - it's a veritable blast. 

Find them on Facebook!

https://www.facebook.com/isenmor/

Aether Realm - Redneck Vikings From Hell

It's been a pleasure watching Aether Realm evolve over the last few years. Not that long ago they were just another local band, an Alestorm-wannabe even. Now they've leveraged their immense talent into being one of America's premier melodic death metal acts. They bring a VERY Napalm Records influenced sound to the fore that has been refined by several European festival seasons. What you wind up with is one of the most European-sounding bands in America today. Their latest offering - Redneck Vikings From Hell is far too fun - an exciting step forward for the band.

The overall compositional excellence of this record is really something to be reckoned with. The bands attack on songs like 'Hunger' is really exciting. Beyond that though they do an excellent job of crafting massive singalong choruses and fusing disparate sounds. While there are certainly party tracks like 'Goodbye' the band has also managed to capture some of their most introspective moments to date. The obvious standout in this regard is of course 'Cycle' which starts with a monologue questioning the speakers satisfaction with their lives. It makes for some compelling listening and has me eagerly coming back for more.

In brief - this is the first record where it feels like Aether Realm have really overcome their humble beginnings to become one of the premier bands of their generation. This is music that is fun and over the top. It's extremely silly but also self aware of that fact. The band are clearly incredibly talented and gave us a record resplendent with flashy solos. It's hard not to be enamored with Redneck Vikings From Hell - sure it sticks to tropes, but those tropes are fun and we all need a little more joy right now.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/AetherRealm/

Eluveitie - Ategnatos

This Eluveitie record has no business being this good. I thin that a lot of Americans kind of dismiss all folk metal these days. We look at the way the genre peaked and then slid into obscurity with a little bit of disdain even. I think any time you try to pitch folk metal to someone based on in the US it's a challenge and coming to terms with this whole situation can be a struggle especially when given a record as good as this one. With Ategnatos Eluveitie prove that they've still got it and that they have no thoughts of going away any time soon.

I think that it's important to remember that Eluveitie put out some of what are arguably the most important folk metal records ever. Their influence has been massive and every new offering from them seems to be another step towards folk metal dominance. The use of dynamics on this record is very impressive and overall the songwriting is such that it almost makes up for the fact that Ategnatos drags on for just over an hour. While there certainly are moments of cheese, they are fairly self aware and that corniness makes for some really fun parts. I don't view the silliness as a con as much as I view it as a fundamental part of what this band can be.

Through it all there are some truly impressive moments of At the Gates inspired riffage and addictive odes to mosh worthy madness. This is a band who have always represented a vast web of sound and Ategnatos seeks to represent as much of it as possible. While they are only partly successful on that front, it still makes for some compelling listening. This is a record that can't help but to fascinate and which is going to keep you coming back for more the deeper you delve into their heavy hitting pagan metal world.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/eluveitie/

Trollfest - Norwegian Fairytales

It's been a while since I thought about Trollfest, so I was pleased to see that the Norwegian party folk masters are still out there killing it. The bands unique brand of power-folk metal has always capture my imagination with its over the top choruses and driving rhythms. The band has had quite the evolution over the years and now as we sit on the eve of their seventh albums release, it's fun to dig back in and admire the power that is captured within Norwegian Fairytales and what it has come to represent.

Hard grooving and tight hitting, Trollfest have crafted a thrilling listen, full of the dynamism and bombast that has made so many people love this band for so long. A distinctly European act, there is something incredibly fun about the lighthearted jig pitting madness of a song like Espen Bin Askeladden. The groups songwriting prowess has only grown in recent years and this album sees them at the height of their powers. A big part of this is the diversity of elements, there are eight guys in the latest promo shot of the band and they aren't afraid to experiment with a bevy of saxophones and banjos.

Long story short - Trollfest are unleashing pure aural madness on Norwegian Fairytales and it's wonderfully easy to fall in love with their over the top anthems. Still singing in their trademark 'Trollsprak' (Roughly translated to 'the language of trolls') the band continues their exciting quest for ever crazier parties. Norwegian Fairytales is a veritable adventure and a pleasure to the senses. Dive on in and fall in love once again with a band that understand the truly ridiculous and over the top magic this genre can have.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/trollfestofficial/

Heidevolk - Vuur Van Verzet

Heidevolk have long been one of my favorite viking metal bands, largely because there chanted vocal style is so unique, the sort of thing that you would never expect to see from this type of music but which feels so right. The power of the songwriting has always been a cut above their peers and this latest offering Vuur Van Verzet is a testament to how great the band has become and all that they have grown to embrace. Featuring everything that made you fall in love with the band in the first place, but taking significant steps forward it's easy to get lost here.

What fascinates me about Vuur Van Verzet is that it focuses more on the big choruses and payoffs than the band ever has before. While the band has of course always had their fair share of big group chant epics it feels like Vuur Van Verzet is a step up which makes it extra compelling. Toss in a few English language tracks, as opposed to the bands traditional Dutch and you start to get a sense that this is one of their most accessible records to date. Hell, the second track, A Wolf In My Heart is one of their poppiest offerings to date. Of course the layers of production and excellent execution mean that this is no lame cop out but another potent release.

I honestly think that I will never tire of Heidevolk's music. It's so unique and it brings so much to the table, even when they push to more conventional sounds. That being said die hard fans will find plenty of good stuff to sink their teeth into here and it's easy to see why Heidevolk made the compositional choices that they did on Vuur Van Verzet. It's a true pleasure to join Heidevolk on their journey across Germanic shores guiding us into true heavy metal absolution, strap on your helmet and join me in battle!

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/heidevolkofficial/

Orphaned Land - Unsung Prophets & Dead Messiahs

I've long championed Orphaned Land as one of the most unique and best bands in metal. They are a group with a distinct vision and their fusion of sounds and ideas is one that is full of peace and love without ever feeling hackneyed. In a climate where more and more bands are coming out with staid and political opinions Orphaned Land manage to remain extremely smart and relevant, using powerful imagery to force us to come to terms with the power of Unsung Prophets & Dead Messiahs. This album is unique and beautiful and we can't help but to fall in love. 

The beauty of Orphaned Land is simply that there is so much to unpack in any given song because the compositions are so perfectly put together and authentically done. Unsung Prophets & Dead Messiahs is a masterful take on metal songwriting with disparate elements brought in to songs that are polished and in a strange way beautiful. This is heavy metal anyone can get into because it has a potent sheen and an intelligence about it that is simply undeniable. This is the sort of metal that kids dream of being able to make one day. It's important to the world at large and miles ahead of so many of the bands folk metal peers. 

Digging into the rich symbolism and articulate lyrics of this band has always been engaging, but this album, perhaps the bands most important to date given the political climate is more relevant than ever. These guys have obviously grown in leaps and bounds in the quarter century that they have been around, but this is a record that I see myself coming back too time and time again. There is a lot to pick apart and if you can't help but to fall in love with it then you need to step back and reevaluate your priorities. 

Find them on Facebook! 

https://www.facebook.com/OrphanedLandOfficial/

Arallu - Six

There's been an surprising amount of Middle Eastern oriented metal coming out in recent years. In some ways it makes sense due to the tensions endemic to the region, but it's also a little bit surprising anytime a new breed of folk metal starts to claw its way to the top. Arallu are Israel's latest contribution to the game and their new record Six hints at all that this music could be. There is a certain intensity here driven by the power of the desert and the depth of the culture making for some fascinating listening.

Throughout this record you feel the influence of other Middle Eastern folk metal bands, perhaps most notably Orphaned Land. The bands politically oriented lyrics, oftentimes focusing on the religious conflict in the Middle East is aimed at finding a peaceful future, but the music seems largely driven by folks frustration. It's got to be insane to be a band like Arallu, you are in a place where every day can be a struggle just because of which side of town you were born on. The rage found within the tracks is inherently fascinating because of this. It makes up for the fact that the production and songwriting isn't as good as it could be and instead makes me curious for the future of the band.

The groups execution is frequently solid you just periodically get the impression they don't have the resources needed to really achieve their vision. That being said there is something completely entrancing about a song like Adonay, one of the strongest on the record, which seamlessly fuses ancient music from the region with more modern ideas. It reminds me, in some ways, of their peers in Acyl. It's going to be fun to watch Arallu grow, and they already have come so far, Six is a major milestone for the band and the evolution will only be bolder.

Find them on Facebook!

https://www.facebook.com/ARALLU666

Arstidir Lifsins - Heljarkvida

Arstidir Lifsins is one of the most fascinating bands in all of extreme metal. Using traditional pagan instruments in addition to more par for the course black metal fare the band has been abel to craft a sound that is epic and over the top, something that tastefully reminds us of days of yore as the band chant at you in old Norse. Heljarkvida may be less ambitious and dense than 2015's Aldafodr Ok Munka Drottin but in many ways that works to the bands credit, reminding us time and time again how good Arstidir Lifsins really is.

The eerie opening with big full throated chants and strange otherworldly melodies is the perfect prelude to this two track master piece. Each side of this record is around twenty minutes long and allows the listener to really dig in to what Arstidir Lifsins have to offer, with fully fleshed out songs that entrance the listener and go through logical, beautiful movements. Heljarkvida is a transcendent piece of art, an album that rages forward but isn't afraid to step back, nodding at groups like Enslaved and Ensiferum whilst simultaneously proving that they are part of something far different and perhaps closer to Wardruna than anything else.

Heljarkvida was the next logical step for Arstidir Lifsins. Though their music will always be dense and hard to pick apart I feel like this album opens up the sound a bit more and allows the listener to really reflect in the magic of what the band does. The flawless shifts from chanted Norse vocals and folk instruments to tormented blazing black metal is wonderfully executed and reminds us time and time again that Arstidir Lifsins are going to take over the folk metal world, it just might take a little while.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/arstidirlifsins

Drescher - Erntezeit

Man - folk metal sure takes some weird turns here and there. Drescher is the latest example of this - a band who understand 90s alt metal but infuse it with a healthy amount of German folk they end up with a sound that is... surprisingly enjoyable. Rather than mulling over trope they take traditional ideas from various parts of the musical world and fuse them together into something that is truly enjoyable, lighthearted and strangely passionate. Erntezeit is a metal record that hints the band could do much more.

There is something strangely underwhelming about Erntezeit. That doesn't mean I don't genuinely enjoy it, I just feel like the basic concept could go further - they have a fucking accordion for crying out loud! That being said, there are parts of this album that blow me away and I'm legitimately in love with. Many of their choruses hit the spot, and the overall development of a song like Der Gscheitling is rad. Furthermore, the four covers at the end including a highly unexpected but very welcome version of Falco's Amadeus couldn't help but to put a smile on my face. Drescher understand what makes them fun.

I just wish they would develop on the lighthearted elements of it. When Drescher try to be erious it feels weird, but when they embrace the inherent dorkiness of the accordion and show that they know how to have a good time Erntezeit is an absolute stunner. I'm curious to see this band evolve becuase there is a lot to love. They certainly have the compositional chops and I could easily see them evolving into a far greater entity. There are a lot of solid ideas here, now it's just a question of having Drecher develop on them.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/diedrescher

Arkona - Vozrozhdenie

There are few folk metal bands that remain truly vibrant in 2016. It's one of those genres that kind of blew up and then faded out, and I kind of like it better where it's at now, a potent niche of the metal market but not the juggernaut it was a few years ago. It means that when moments of greatness happen I am far more likely to poke my head out and notice, and, as is the case with the latest from Arkona, Vozrozhdenie fall in love. With one of the most brilliantly composed records of the last few years, Arkona come out on top once again.

Vozrozhdenie has thoroughly captured my imagination to the point that I've listened to the album three times just today. Arkona understand exactly why people love them and make their unique brand of Russian folk metal strangely poppy. When you consider the sheer majesty of the arrangements it becomes increasingly difficult to deny the enduring power of this band. With Vozrozhdenie prove that they are creating enduring art that doesn't just rely on gimmicky folk instruments to succeed. Instead Arkona take their rightful place as veritable heavy metal saviors who can make you think, but also kick up a hell of a jig pit.

The balance of folk and metal is perfect on this record, the powerful gutturals accentuating top notch folk melodies. Arkona has been a flag bearer for this scene for years and for good reason. This latest release is an extension on all that they have been known to do, with more brutal songs than ever before, but also tracks that really emphasize the more light hearted side of the band. Vozrozhdenie is a functional tour de force for Arkona and hints that the greatest is yet to come from a band who represent some of the best their scene has to offer.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/arkonarussia/?fref=ts

Scythia - Lineage

Scythia have been doing cool stuff in the folk metal polemic for a few years now. There is something wonderfully exciting about their balls out assault and strong songwriting. Sure, the execution isn't fully there yet, but Scythia are certainly on to something greater. Lineage is an album that is going to capture your imagination and allow you to traverse hyperborean landscapes. After all - with angular riffs, and a tight mix of cleans and growls, Scythia understand what heavy metal is really supposed to be about.

Lineage is at its best at its most grandiose. When the band embraces the otherworldly aspects of their music and proves definitively how goddamn good they are you can't help but embrace the sounds. The dudes are clearly talented and the bombast of their compositions is far too fun. Toss in a few flashy guitar solos here and there and you get a sense for who Scythia are and what they are trying to do. In terms of Blind Guardian/old school power metal worship the band is practically without peer. In a world where there are far too few good power metal bands, Scythia are keeping the genre alive in all of its folky magic.

Scythia understand the symphonic magic that this kind of music needs to have, and there is something kind of charming about the way they storm forward. Lineage is powerful because it reflects on the bands heritage and all that they stand for. Four albums into their career and with perhaps more buzz than ever before the band has been able to refine something that takes their sound to the next level. And yet I get the impression this is only the beginning - who knows where this band can grow next?

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/scythiametal/?fref=ts

Ivar Bjornson & Einer Selvik - Skuggsa

When I first found out that Ivar Bjornson of Enslaved and Einar Selvik of Wardruna where coming together to create a project I thought it must be some kind of joke. It couldn't possibly be that two of my favorite Nordic musicians of all time had been able to find the time to work together on something. And yet they have, their debut release Skuggsa is a masterful album that covers a breadth of exciting soundscapes and hints at great things to come from a duo who have made a massive mark on Scandinavian music.

Skuggsa leans more heavily on the folk side of things - which is really more or less what I had expected all along. That being said, the record is not without its more black metal moments, with the track Makta og Vaneara (I All Tid) featuring riffs that wouldn't feel out of place on an Enslaved record. That being said - the fusion of ideas here is very tastefully done, and represents both musicians bodies of work nicely. Suffice to say - Skuggsa is really everything I could have wanted from these guys. It's epic in scale and paints clear sonic images of a world that many have forgotten. It allows you to get lost in hyperborean soundscapes and realize that there is absolution even in neverending winter.

As you delve into this record it is hard not to be continually impressed by the level of musicianship represented here. There is so much to pick apart here and the deeper you go the more you find. Skuggsa is a sort of triumph for both of these artists, showing them both at their finest and creating music that reflects the harsh beauty of their homeland. Overwhelming and oftentimes sublime the darkness found within Skuggsa is a blessing in and of itself. Rarely do I find records that are as nicely articulated as this one, ultimately reminding us that the old gods still hold power.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/SkuggsjaNO

SIG:AR:TYR - Northen

I have no problem admitting that yes I'm a huge nerd and have been waiting for this record for six years. SIG:AR:TYR was one of the first pagan metal acts I really got into and this new record, Northen, is something I have wanted for years. the crushing soundscapes and Bathory-esque dedication to true viking metal has always captured my imagination and represents everything that makes this band so great. Simply put - this is a band who expand their sound consistently and brought the world of pagan metal to a whole new level.

The way that SIG:AR:TYR mainman Daemonskald is able to invoke beautiful pagan images with his distinct lyrical sensibility has always excited me and on Northen he reigns proud, more triumphant than ever before. He paints pictures of a time forgot and mystical worlds - making each song almost a tone poem in and of itself. Beyond that, Northen demonstrates a clear step forward in Daemonskald's songwriting - the guitar solos in particular on this record are spectacular and fit into his distinct marching riff style. It makes for a gentle pulse that eases the listener in to bold sonic pastures that resonate for years.

Northen is an easy record to fall in love with - especially for those of us who have a passion for the Gods and legends of the north. It's an album that devotees have waited more than half a decade for but that delivers on ever level. SIG:AR:TYR is one of those bands who get the fundamental forces behind pagan metal and when they hit the studio something greater than themselves is invoked. Northen is a valid candidate for top ten albums of the year, and though the hype train hasn't kicked off yet, I get the impression it will be only a matter of time.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/SIGARTYR/

Varg - Das Ender Aller Lugen

Varg captured my imagination with Rottkapchen, their recent Little Red Riding Hood themed EP so it seemed appropriate that I take the time to go in and check out their upcoming full length, the fiery Das Ender Aller Lugen a folk metal record that sees the band doing what they do best. With powerful choruses and moments of unadulterated black metal fury this album sees the band at their best, delivering the kind of music that I almost feel like they were destined to release. Intelligent, ferocious, and dangerous but also kind of fun.

There is something wonderfully natural about the music of Varg that makes you feel like they were almost destined to be folk metal musicians. The way that the melodies seem to flow so naturally and the riffs pump forth so gracefully is impressive and reminds me why I fell so deeply in love with this kind of music in the first place. I think the most important thing to note about this record though is that it feels distinctly angrier than other Varg releases, and perhaps now more than ever the band seems to be driven by a rage borne of old. Of course, ratcheting up the intensity has only made the blasting magic of Varg more potent than ever – as if the band is finally becoming who they were destined to be.

The wolf pack that is Varg are wholly aware of their own devastation. The chaos found within and the atavistic magic of the melodies is only going to make people like me want to raise our fists and cry out to the old gods. Varg get the fundamental power of folk metal and why it matters so much, even in our high speed chrome world. This is a band who bring it back to the basics and have been bale to use their fundamental emotions to put out, what I at least think, is some of the very best music of their careers, hinting at much more greatness to come.

Find them on Facebook!

https://www.facebook.com/VargOfficial/?fref=ts 

Manegarm - S/T

Longtime fans know that I'm kind of a folk metal dork - I love everything with galloping rhythms and a triumphant dedication to the gods of the north. That's why I was pretty stoked when I lucked into getting the new release from Swedish stalwarts Manegarm. Wonderfully brutal but also full of sublime and light moments Manegarm have simply added to the legend with this latest piece, yet another gem in the bands crown. Soaring loud and proud Manegarm speaks to the magic of the north and rings forth in our hearts.

The duality of this record is a huge part of what makes it so gosh darn enjoyable for me. The moments of acoustic and melodic magic are perfectly balanced against warlike riffs and epic vocal lines. Beyond that - Manegarm are fully aware of their own bombast - which only makes this album all the better. There has always been an inherent drama in folk metal but it is only the truly excellent bands who capitalize on it, Manegarm is one of those bands. Riding forth with Manegarm is a pleasure, not just because you get a sense of times forgot, but also because it gives us a chance to escape from this reality and fall in love with one that Manegarm paint with ease.

Manegarm have always impressed me with their years of evolution, every album ends up stronger than the last. Very few bands have been doing this for as long as Manegarm and they are lords in their own right. This new record is ridiculously enjoyable and devilishly addictive - both hallmarks of what makes folk metal so special. Manegarm have created a record that is cinematic in scale and easy to fall in love with. If you, like me, have always been in love with the magical songs of the north then you too might find yourself unable to escape Manegarms grasp.

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