Stream is up HERE

Think Opeth blended with the more somber portions of Ensiferum. It plays out like a musical or opera with plenty of peaks and valleys, tracks flow together seemlessly. Folk instrumentation is incredible. Violins, fiddles, flutes, piano, acoustic guitar, etc. Crescendos get pretty epic when all of these elements come together. It is clear that a TON of care went into writing this album. *Enjoyability=9 Musicianship=9 Innovation=8 Overall=8.8* Full review HERE.

Written by flightoficarus on 07.04.2015 at 21:18

Folk instrumentation is incredible. Violins, fiddles, flutes, piano, acoustic guitar, etc.

The "fiddles" would be banjo and mandolin. The most distinctive folk instruments here, I find.

Written by Risto on 08.04.2015 at 00:28

The "fiddles" would be banjo and mandolin. The most distinctive folk instruments here, I find.

Looking at the list of their instruments in their profile is pretty impressive to say the least.

Yet another solid album from Wilderun! These guys really know how to make decent music!

Wooow, it's been quite sometime since I heard an album this great - really grew on me after 2/3 listens. Highly recommend to check this out.

Such a high rate.. I have never heard of this band. . I have to check it)

Eh, sounds like power-folk 101. Nothing to see here.

Damn this is some tasty prog folk! Gonna lap this up ASAP.

Written by LeKiwi on 12.04.2015 at 22:24

Damn this is some tasty prog folk! Gonna lap this up ASAP.

Where the hell is the prog in this?

Written by Guest on 12.04.2015 at 23:19

Written by LeKiwi on 12.04.2015 at 22:24

Damn this is some tasty prog folk! Gonna lap this up ASAP.

Where the hell is the prog in this?

We're talking about LeKiwi here...

Written by Karlabos on 12.04.2015 at 23:20

We're talking about LeKiwi here...

Oh yea, I forgot...

Sounds like they picked up where the previous album left off.

Written by Guest on 12.04.2015 at 23:19

Where the hell is the prog in this?

Changing time signatures, unconventional arrangements and a 20 minute song. No problem calling this record prog, really.

Written by Risto on 13.04.2015 at 11:12

Changing time signatures, unconventional arrangements and a 20 minute song. No problem calling this record prog, really.

Non prog albums do those as well.

Written by Guest on 13.04.2015 at 18:26

Written by Risto on 13.04.2015 at 11:12

Changing time signatures, unconventional arrangements and a 20 minute song. No problem calling this record prog, really.

Non prog albums do those as well.

Do you take the term 'progressive' literally?

Written by Risto on 13.04.2015 at 19:15

Do you take the term 'progressive' literally?

I haven't heard the album yet, but there is a well-defined sense for what can be called progressive. Googling Wilderun suggests other people have called it progressive as well, but most of the descriptions I read describe it as a "progressive twist". The dominant element, at least according to other reputable listeners, is symphonic folk metal. It's likely not as progressive as Lekiwi imagines it to be, but it does seem likely that there might progressive tinges here and there. But again, I'd have to listen to it before jumping to any kind of conclusions one way or the other.

Written by Risto on 13.04.2015 at 19:15

Do you take the term 'progressive' literally?

Yeah, progressive is a very specific definition IMO and, as far as the first track or two of this album goes, it fits. Although, as Diverge points out, it isn't the most prevalent element.

Written by Diverge on 14.04.2015 at 02:44

Googling Wilderun suggests other people have called it progressive as well, but most of the descriptions I read describe it as a "progressive twist". The dominant element, at least according to other reputable listeners, is symphonic folk metal. It's likely not as progressive as Lekiwi imagines it to be, but it does seem likely that there might progressive tinges here and there. But again, I'd have to listen to it before jumping to any kind of conclusions one way or the other.

I think Enslaved's RIITIIR is a worthy comparison here, structurally. No show-off technicality in either, but a lot of contrast between heavy and light that's at times arranged unexpectedly. Don't get me wrong, I still think symphonic folk is the foundation here, but there's enough prog to lift it as a supporting style.

Written by Guest on 12.04.2015 at 23:19

Written by LeKiwi on 12.04.2015 at 22:24

Damn this is some tasty prog folk! Gonna lap this up ASAP.

Where the hell is the prog in this?

There definitely is some element of prog metal in here, especially from a songwriting standpoint. It's not always that prevalent throughout the album, but when it's there, it's pretty damn clear. I mean, I'd even go as far as to call The Garden Of Fire a straight up progressive metal song in the same vain as Opeth.

I might need to revisit their previous, which I found okay from memory but which I didn't really return to; I would've possibly skipped listening to this album without the positive response on here. I'm glad I did though - it's a really interesting, slightly proggy mix of folk metal standards into something I'm struggling to directly compare with the genre staple bands. It does spend a fair amount of time in the mid-paced folky grandeur of Moonsorrow without really occupying the same sound, but then also offers up plenty of folk metal melodies and segments that sound pretty genre typical but don't instantly remind me of any one group in particular. Then it has its more extreme moments, which at times remind me of Enslaved, as do the clean vox sometimes, but also sometimes Turisas and sometimes no-one in particular. The acoustic/soft tracks are also more lush than some of the usual folk metal acoustic tracks, although parts almost bring to mind Agalloch, and Linger maybe has a slight Opeth hint to it in its softer moments.

Probably if I listened to the European folk bands in my collection again I might be more able to make more apt comparisons, but regardless it offers up a lot of different things anyway - the more extreme edge to it works well, as do the symphonic parts alongside the usual folk instruments on display. A really impressive effort, one of the better folk metal albums of recent years, especially in the traditional European-style sound (yes I know they're American).

Written by Guest on 12.04.2015 at 08:21

Eh, sounds like power-folk 101. Nothing to see here.

Where on earth did you get power from? I'm three songs into the album and there hasn't been a single power metal element yet, but several prog elements.

Written by SoUnDs LiKe PoP on 15.04.2015 at 02:53

Where on earth did you get power from? I'm three songs into the album and there hasn't been a single power metal element yet, but several prog elements.

It was just a term that I made up to describe those 'folk metal' like Ensiferum, Equilibrium and the like. Power-folk might not be the right word but it was what I came up with.

Of course, I might have labeled it be too generic than what it really is but if you strip away all of the nice acoustic parts and leave the metal behind, then it really doesn't have that much going for it.

Written by Guest on 15.04.2015 at 03:44

Written by SoUnDs LiKe PoP on 15.04.2015 at 02:53

Where on earth did you get power from? I'm three songs into the album and there hasn't been a single power metal element yet, but several prog elements.

but if you strip away all of the nice acoustic parts and leave the metal behind, then it really doesn't have that much going for it.

But isn't that the whole point of MS, to find and listen to metal?

Written by Guest on 15.04.2015 at 03:44

Written by SoUnDs LiKe PoP on 15.04.2015 at 02:53

Where on earth did you get power from? I'm three songs into the album and there hasn't been a single power metal element yet, but several prog elements.

It was just a term that I made up to describe those 'folk metal' like Ensiferum, Equilibrium and the like. Power-folk might not be the right word but it was what I came up with.

Of course, I might have labeled it be too generic than what it really is but if you strip away all of the nice acoustic parts and leave the metal behind, then it really doesn't have that much going for it.

Hmm... gonna have to majorly disagree with you. I didn't think it sounded like those bands at all - especially Equilibrium. Yes, they share similar genres, but there is obviously a large amount of variance within genres.

Written by SoUnDs LiKe PoP on 15.04.2015 at 23:00

Hmm... gonna have to majorly disagree with you. I didn't think it sounded like those bands at all - especially Equilibrium. Yes, they share similar genres, but there is obviously a large amount of variance within genres.

On the whole yes, they are very different. I was merely talking about the riff patterns.

Written by Guest on 16.04.2015 at 02:31

Written by SoUnDs LiKe PoP on 15.04.2015 at 23:00

Hmm... gonna have to majorly disagree with you. I didn't think it sounded like those bands at all - especially Equilibrium. Yes, they share similar genres, but there is obviously a large amount of variance within genres.

On the whole yes, they are very different. I was merely talking about the riff patterns.

Well, in your defense, most of the heavier parts bored me the first listen through. I think the only heavy song that really impressed me was the second track (if you count the intro). The acoustic and other soft parts of the album were fantastic, but the actual "metal" parts were underwhelming to my ears.

Written by SoUnDs LiKe PoP on 16.04.2015 at 02:58

Well, in your defense, most of the heavier parts bored me the first listen through. I think the only heavy song that really impressed me was the second track (if you count the intro). The acoustic and other soft parts of the album were fantastic, but the actual "metal" parts were underwhelming to my ears.

Which is kinda the point that I was trying to make

Written by SoUnDs LiKe PoP on 15.04.2015 at 23:00

Written by Guest on 15.04.2015 at 03:44

Written by SoUnDs LiKe PoP on 15.04.2015 at 02:53

Where on earth did you get power from? I'm three songs into the album and there hasn't been a single power metal element yet, but several prog elements.

It was just a term that I made up to describe those 'folk metal' like Ensiferum, Equilibrium and the like. Power-folk might not be the right word but it was what I came up with.

Of course, I might have labeled it be too generic than what it really is but if you strip away all of the nice acoustic parts and leave the metal behind, then it really doesn't have that much going for it.

Hmm... gonna have to majorly disagree with you. I didn't think it sounded like those bands at all - especially Equilibrium. Yes, they share similar genres, but there is obviously a large amount of variance within genres.

I definitely hear a power metal / Ensiferum / Equilibrium-ish sound, but I don't feel that takes anything away from the album. This is probably one of the best folk albums i've heard in a while.

Written by SoUnDs LiKe PoP on 16.04.2015 at 02:58

Well, in your defense, most of the heavier parts bored me the first listen through. I think the only heavy song that really impressed me was the second track (if you count the intro). The acoustic and other soft parts of the album were fantastic, but the actual "metal" parts were underwhelming to my ears.

Technically the second track is only one part of a 20 minute song. Same musical themes are all over the four parts, except part III. This album is an extremely rewarding listen thanks to how effortlessly just a few central themes work across the whole thing.