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The Best Pagan/Viking/Folk Metal Album
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The Russian mother of metal Masha and the company have again landed their ship on the shore of audiences with a strong and blasting album. The album, taking the title from a chant towards Rod, most ancient God of Slavic nations, offers a wonderful combination of a thunderstorm of metal and the poetry and beauty of the Slavonic and Baltic-Finnic cultures and nature.
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| While this album is probably not the best one to receive from your Grandmother for your birthday, if you do get a copy of First War Of The World you'll soon find that it contains some rather epic Folk/Black Metal. The story telling prologue and other such spoken word tracks might put some off but as soon as you hear those chilling Black Metal riffs, catchy violin and flute sections, strong harsh vocals and epic tracks you'd gladly listen to whilst going into battle, any minor shortcomings will be put aside. If you like that extra bit of Black Metal in your Folk albums, First War Of The World should be your first point of call in 2009. |
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Ensiferum's '07 release Victory Songs was good enough for the top position in the Folk/Pagan/Viking Metal category, despite heavy competition, and we're all wondering if they can pull that off again. From Afar surely won't be the problem as it is one hell of a strong record. Ensiferum have opted for a deeper record this time, one that doesn't rely on catchiness and keyboards alone, and while it may be a bit hard to swallow at first it proves to be a real grower time and time again.
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As if Finsterforst's first album wasn't good enough with some of the best accordion-work we'd heard in a metal album since I-don't-know-when, the band has topped itself in 2009 with their second album "...Zum Tode Hin". Finsterforst have come out with a somewhat more mature sounding album this time with its variations in pace and heaviness. It's track list of just the five songs may look more like something from an EP but all the songs are 10+ minutes long (even over 20 for "Untergang"). Not a second of any track will a listener find themselves bored however. With ...Zum Tode Hin's excellent accordion work, beautiful woodwind passages and breathtaking atmospheres, this is one of the most captivating albums of 2009.
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| These German progressive Folk metallers sure are an odd band, but a great one nonetheless. Jahreszeiten (Seasons) is their third full-length and a glorious one at that. It flows effortlessly through many genres and utilizes many different influences, all the while remaining one solid piece. From the theatrical "Auf Bald..." to the raging "Ich Bin Der Frost" Fjoergyn will have you bang your head and scream on the top of your lungs like a maniac. |
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Who cares about originality in folk metal if you can also have fast drumming racing it out with a shitload of speedy hyper-melodic guitar work? Sounds familiar? Then let me introduce Heathen Foray from Austria (not to be confused with the UK band of the same name) In a style filled to the rim with bands trying to do exactly the same thing, these guys' debut has managed to stand out from the masses through simply being better than the majority of their concurrence. Warmly recommended to fans of mead and campfires.
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| Irminsul are somewhat new on the Viking/Folk metal scene (what with this self-titled effort being their first full-length and everything). If their following career is anything of the quality of this release though, you'll being hearing again and again about this band. Despite their Swedish vocals, you can still jig along to their sounds and feel the aura of myths and legends. With their catchy violin-influenced music and delightful co-existing clean vocals and cold dark rasps, this is definitely an album to look into. |
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Crógacht ("Bravery" in Irish Gaelic) is the ninth album in Suidakra's long-running career. It once again is an album crammed with instrumental variety and fresh and catchy songwriting. There is of course the presence of the ghost of Melodeath giving this album the necessary beefed up attitude and coupled with beautiful tracks like "Feats Of War" Crógacht works like a charm.
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The Faeroese seafarers delight the audiences with another fine work of progressive folk metal with their own special characteristics and language. The charm of the Faeroese language and the Northern culture and nature make this album a remarkable one as all the other works of Týr.
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| For Folk Metal fans who like things a little more extreme but prefer a Death Metal sound rather than Black, Wolfchant's Determined Damnation is the 2009 album for you. The blend of Melodic Death and Folk comes off rather nicely as it is a gruff yet very melodic album. Brass style instruments give a nice "triumphant" feeling to the music and there are solos-a-plenty. Even general melodic metal fans should find a lot of enjoyment here, so for all the Folk and Pagan listeners; you shouldn't miss out on some Wolfchant! |
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