Grai - Our Native Land (О Земле Родной) review
| Band: | Grai |
| Album: | Our Native Land (О Земле Родной) |
| Style: | Pagan folk metal |
| Release date: | September 2011 |
01. The Song About The Native Land
02. The Wheaten Song
03. Winter Tale
04. Spring
05. Through The Forests
06. Leshak
07. Go Away, Sorrow (Leave Us, Sorrow)
08. Lament About The Lot
09. Brave Warrior
10. Get Up From Your Knees!
I'm starting to feel like folk metal is becoming more and more of a niche market. These days most of the new bands making waves are playing some variant, usually pagan black metal with folk elements, or (at the other end of the spectrum) hyper-shallow drinking-songs. Is anyone out there still looking for just some straight up melodic folk?
I hadn't really considered this until Grai's new album Our Native Land came across my desk. It's been a while since I heard something like this, something that wasn't folk based in or around black, death, melo-death, symphonic, prog, Vikings, cheap drinking songs, or some other variant. No matter how much I love some of those variants it's nice to hear just folk metal sometimes. And this is it.
Grai is playing some of the most solid music I've heard in a long time in this genre, and if that's something that has been lacking in your life, look no further than Our Native Land. If you need aggressive elements to enjoy folk metal, then this album probably won't satisfy you. The tempos vary from danceable to soothing, with moods from elated to contemplative. You'll find female vocals by not one but three ladies: the flutist and keyboardist accompany the primary vocalist for some subtly dynamic harmonies and nice variety when they alternate leads. You also have growls added by the bass player to further flesh out this already well-rounded sound.
One big feeling I get from this band is that there are no stars, just an ensemble that loves creating music together. According to the press release, " Grai" is Russian for "the bird's cry" and these Russians certainly exhibit a connection to nature in their music. Flute-driven melodies are supported by the guitar (it's still metal, after all), making you feel like you stumbled upon a late afternoon gathering of some mountain- and forest-dwelling beings, who happily invite you into their circle.
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Written on 17.01.2012 by
Susan appreciates quality metal regardless of sub-genre. Metal Storm Staff since 2006. Twitter: @HeavyMetalSusan |
Comments
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Comments: 32
Visited by: 224 users
| Boxcar Willy yr a kook Posts: 8972 From: Canada  |
Never really listened to folk... Might give this a try. Nice review!
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| Valentin B Iconoclast Posts: 10084 From: Czech Republic  |
 the cover looks like a communist propaganda poster
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| Øyvind Grave Digger Posts: 671 From: Serbia  |
Written by Valentin B on 17.01.2012 at 10:23 Yeah, or a communist coat of arms 
---- 
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| PocketMetal Posts: 750 From: Iran |
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| Draugen Posts: 499 From: Sweden  |
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| Troy Killjoy perfunctionist Posts: 21306 From: Canada  |
Have no interest in the music, just came to post this: 
---- "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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| X-Ray Rod Skandino Posts: 18274 From: Sweden  |
Written by Troy Killjoy on 17.01.2012 at 16:48 Wheat metal is really catching on dude.
---- Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29 Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
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| Troy Killjoy perfunctionist Posts: 21306 From: Canada |
Written by X-Ray Rod on 17.01.2012 at 17:09 Farmercore?
---- "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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| Nightfall Posts: 103 From: Chile  |
Written by Valentin B on 17.01.2012 at 10:23 This really made me laugh. Thanks for pointing that out.
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| Edmund Fogg Posts: 1752 From: Canada  |
Really interesting. Listened to a couple of tracks on youtube, but I feel like a whole album of this would bore me. It seems that just like alcoohol, Pure Folk is good only in moderation. (to my ears)
---- You cannot sedate all the things you hate - MM The Observer is the source of reality - Bloom God damn it!! What did Diddy didn't do? - Satan
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| Hendrikse Account deleted |
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| Troy Killjoy perfunctionist Posts: 21306 From: Canada |
Written by Guest on 17.01.2012 at 19:16 Legit? I was turned off by the mention of pure folk, but if these guys are similar to Drudkh then maybe I should check 'em out. Post YouTube video to help a lazy brother out?
---- "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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| Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Posts: 40071 From: The Netherlands  |
Written by Troy Killjoy on 17.01.2012 at 19:20 where does he say the music sound Drudkh-ish?  
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996 
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| Troy Killjoy perfunctionist Posts: 21306 From: Canada |
Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 17.01.2012 at 19:21 Just re-read the post. TITLE. D<
---- "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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| vezzy Stallmanite Posts: 3493 From: Bulgaria  |
Pwned. By the way, who are these no good commies?
---- Licensed under the GPLv3. Relinquish proprietary software for a greater GNU/America.
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| X-Ray Rod Skandino Posts: 18274 From: Sweden |
Written by Troy Killjoy on 17.01.2012 at 19:20 I heard NO Drudkh on this album AT ALL. I'm honestly thinking this guy is making you a trap.
---- Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29 Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
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| Marcus Doit Like Bernie Posts: 642 From: USA  |
Since you liked this, you should also check out Żywiołak if you haven't already.
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| OtherDoor Posts: 57 |
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| Troy Killjoy perfunctionist Posts: 21306 From: Canada |
Written by X-Ray Rod on 17.01.2012 at 20:28 Re-read the posts above (re: Marcel correcting me).
---- "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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| X-Ray Rod Skandino Posts: 18274 From: Sweden |
Written by Troy Killjoy on 18.01.2012 at 00:42 I don't read other people's mistakes, I make my own mistakes like a boss. Therefore I shall ignore history and start killing people from a certain race only to prove that I was wrong.
---- Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29 Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
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| K✞ulu Seeker of Truth Posts: 2570 From: Czech Republic  |
Written by Øyvind on 17.01.2012 at 10:50 Actually the band name is written as a Ukrainian coat of arms, so I could not believe these guys were from Russia. Also the cover: wheat field and the blue skye --> Ukrainian symbols reflected on our flag... what a coincidence!
---- Savor what you feel and what you see Things that may not seem important now But may be tomorrow R.I.P. Chuck Schuldiner Satan was a Backstreet Boy
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| Øyvind Grave Digger Posts: 671 From: Serbia |
Written by K✞ulu on 18.01.2012 at 13:15 The point was about the wheat branches, Romanian, Yugoslavian, USSR, DPR Korea, all used or still use some sort of grain on their coats of arms. And good job on seeing the Ukrainian connection 
----
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| K✞ulu Seeker of Truth Posts: 2570 From: Czech Republic |
Written by Øyvind on 18.01.2012 at 13:37 I see what you mean now  . I Ukrainian, so I caught those similarities immediately.
---- Savor what you feel and what you see Things that may not seem important now But may be tomorrow R.I.P. Chuck Schuldiner Satan was a Backstreet Boy
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| Raizer Posts: 5 From: Russia |
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| Raizer Posts: 5 From: Russia |
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| Troy Killjoy perfunctionist Posts: 21306 From: Canada |
Written by Raizer on 19.01.2012 at 20:23 Mostly because when you rate a review, 90% of the comments are set on debating said score. N/A means users comment on the content of the review and respond to what the reviewer had to say.
---- "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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| metalwolf Posts: 103 From: Belgium  |
To be honest: I kinda like it....both the music and the review. It doesn't always have to be doom and gloom and those guys (and gails) seem to be having fun and it reflects on their music.
---- ---------------------------------------------------------- Cthulhu for President! Why settle for the lesser evil?
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| Mindheist No Longer Human Posts: 618 From: Tunisia  |
A magical journey into the heart of Folk. Folk metal is the genre I love the most but I don't even recall the last time I chanced upon something this pure, this authentic, this true. What can I say, I kind of envy you because I have always wanted to review something in the vein of Grai and except for Skiltron I never got the chance to. Thank you for introducing them to me
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| Raizer Posts: 5 From: Russia |
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