Winterfylleth - The divination of antiquity

Genre : Folk black metal
Release : October 7th 2014 on Candlelight Records.

Winterfylleth became quite popular in the last few years, probably thanks to the frequency of their releases (one album every 2 years since 2008) but mostly thanks to their quality, I'd say. With this fourth full-length, this british atmospheric folk black metal band keeps its trademark but evolve into an even more melodic, less linear style. I loved the past two releases, yet I think that The divination of antiquity is even richer than the previous ones.

To explain this, I'd say that every track has more identity than before, because they're built on more different song structures, whereas The mercian sphere and The threnody of triumph had strong similarities from track to track. Even though I'd definitely admit that both those albums already were of a rare quality, what we've got here sounds more dynamic and intense than before. Maybe a couple listens to 'Whisper of the elements' on the bandcamp player just above will give you the same opinion. Also, this whole new release is probably more riff-driven than before, as heard on the aforementioned track, mostly towards its end. Drumming is more versatile too, and while it still strongly focuses on blastbeating, some songs successfully use a different approach such as  'A careworn heart'. However, it's good to hear that Winterfylleth made this more an evolution than a drastic change. The elements which made them great are still here, even the rich fully acoustic tracks such as 'The world ahead' or the deep male choirs it features... all this has been kept for that 2014 release. Of course, that's not all they were about already and if you don't know them yet, their sense of musical epicness and the quality of their dynamics will surely please you if you're into that kind of linear, atmospheric black metal with a hint of folk inside of it. Yeah, folk isn't a big part of their sound either, at least it isn't really used as frequent interludes inside tracks but more as stand-alones or intros for longest ones. But somehow, this helps Winterfylleth building their cold and solid atmosphere without any compromise for the listener.

I've always loved Winterfylleth's tunes and had faith in any of their new upcoming works, but for the first time, the result has been above my expectations. It still isn't much about impressively clever songwriting nor loads of traditional instrumentation building massive layers, but more about great musicians making great atmospheric black metal and putting this out with the perfect mixing for such sounds. Yet, incorporating much more melodic guitar lines was what those guys needed to make a step forward and join the most talented bands of the same genre. The divination of antiquity is their most intense release to date, and Winterfylleth demonstrates that complexity isn't a key element into making great tunes, when sincerity and skill can be just enough.

Personal highlights : A careworn heart, Over borderlands.

Links : Facebook, Bandcamp, Bigcartel.

Falls of Rauros - Believe in no coming shore

Genre : Folk black metal
Release : October 1st 2014 on Bindrune Recordings.

I'm sure this band name and album title hooked you in a second, am I right? Well, it was the same for me when I received the promo, and first of all I'd like to drop some sincere thanks to Marty and Bindrune Recordings for allowing me to review this pearl, as well as giving Ethereal Soundscapes more awesome material to speak about. Thank you! Believe in no coming shore, the 3rd full-length from mighty Falls of Rauros (Into the archaic being considered a demo) is set for release on November 1st and one track has already been released. It's called 'Ancestors of smoke', clocks for more than 10 minutes and is available for streaming right here.

After shifting to a much more professional and mature sound on their 3rd album, The light that dwells in rotten wood, Falls of Rauros released a split with Panopticon in which they kept the essence of the aforementioned release. No surprise if I tell you that Believe in no coming shore keeps exactly the same elements and production quality than those previous releases, and obviously, this is good news, as they both bright with awesomeness. It's actually impressive how the guys successfully kept the same setup in that new album. Rhythm guitars still have their somehow vintage almost rockish sound (I mean, like in 'Banished' intro on the previous album) while vocals uses exactly the same effects than they did before. Again, it's all good to know that Falls of Rauros didn't drop a bit of what made them awesome. Yet, once you dig the new album, there are a couple differences to mention. First, they moved away from some Agalloch-esque elements, such as the typical percussions on 'Silence' intro from The light that dwells in rotten wood. Comparisons are bad since Falls of Rauros really have they own identity and grew better than many of their masters, but that new album reminds me more of October falls' A collapse of faith mainly because of the riffing elements but also the nice bass mixing which makes it clear and loud at the same time. This is funny because this album is one of my favorite ever, why I think it's an honorable mention for Believe in no coming shore. 'Spectral eyes' is a good example of how riffs have been integrated, mostly towards the track's end, but the album as a whole is built around much more riffing than previous ones. Strangely enough, the only flaw I'd find in this album is the second track : 'Ancestors of shadow', which is not bad at all but a little too flat for my taste. Maybe because it's the shortest track apart from intro and outro, but I feel it takes little time to build up and play with magnificent interludes, whereas both the longest tracks, 'Ancestors of smoke' and 'Waxen voices' are incredibly rich pieces, showing once more how clever Falls of Rauros are when it comes to songwriting. They include nicely many kinds of moods on the melancholic range through different parts moving from fast paced black metal to long acoustic breaks. Also, both the instrumental tracks, 'Blue misshapen dusk' and self-titled one 'Believe in no coming shore' use catchy melodies and are great additions to the album. The second one reminds of previous full-length's outro in composition, being instrumental yet not fully acoustic either.

This album is a real success, because it's typically what everybody expected from the band after their last efforts. After some demos and a first album which didn't convince me, Falls of Rauros are now building a coherent and strong discography. Be it their musicianship, the feelings their songs carry or the maturity of their whole work, they're surely one of the best american black metal acts we've got today. Let's just hope they'll keep making such material in the future, I'm pretty sure they can't really disappoint by now.

Personal highlights : Ancestors of smoke, Waxen voices.

Links : Facebook, Bandcamp, Bigcartel.

Fauna - Avifauna

Genre : Folk black metal

Release : December 21st 2012.

If you're like me, always digging more underground folk black metal bands, you probably already know about Fauna. Hopefully you don't yet, that would help Ethereal Soundscapes making more sense! Fauna is one of those american folk black metal acts which you can call "cascadian" if you feel like it, although this tag is less and less constructive as many bands outside from the Cascade Range are playing the same kind of sound, nowadays.

But enough said about tags, what's interesting here is music. If the elements used in Avifauna are nothing unusual, they're at least perfectly blended together. Songs are especially long and every part inside them is, too. Black metal parts are typically atmospheric, with guitars, drums and bass lines melting into each other to create a huge, unbreakable wall of sound. Add well-placed vocals into this and that's a successful craft of bleak, deep, somehow depressive black metal. Yet, Fauna is not a depressive black act, as their also long acoustic interludes wouldn't fit that genre. Bearing a strong american folk essence, they're mostly composed of clean guitars, cellos, and various kinds of percussions. What's striking me the most in those parts are actually the well-maintained level of gloominess and melancholy. It's definitely folk for the rainy days, minimalistic yet beautiful sounds. Minimalistic doesn't mean poor, however : with few elements, Fauna creates a rich, catchy and deep sound in any of those parts, be they short or long. Well, short isn't often the case here, but again, Avifauna isn't something you listen to in a hurry. For example, 'Soaring into Earth' start with such dark folk for 8 minutes, which is more than most songs in the genre. Yet there's nothing in this intro which makes you want to skip to the next part. It's well done as it is. I mean, technically, there's nothing to worry about : be it black metal or folk, both the guys behind these tunes know what they do, and they do it well. Not only black metal or folk, by the way, as some parts such as the end of 'The harpy' can't be categorized such quickly. Add a precise, clean enough production, and everything shines at its best.

Somehow, as it gets longer and longer in every song, this album is not your intense, straitforward, easy-listening black metal. Avifauna is all about despair and melancholy with a strong folk influence and nature-bound presence. However, the more you dig it, the more you realize it's a beautifully crafted piece, with no monotony else than wanted by the artists themselves. Also, if you're already into Fauna's side acts, such as Echtra or Fearthainne, this album will surely make sense, as it gathers many elements of them both while sublimating them with a coherent and clever songwriting.

Personal highlights : Soaring into Earth, The harpy.
Links : Bandcamp, Webshop.

Waldgeflüster - Meine Fesseln

Genre : Folk black metal
Release : January 4th 2014.

I feel a bit shameful for not adding that album here before. It's been a while since I support Waldgeflüster now. And Winterherz, mastermind behind this folk black metal project, recently released his third full-length. If you're familiar with what was on the first two, Herbstklagen and Femundsmarka : Eine Reise in drei Kapiteln, Meine Fesseln (german for My chains) is obviously a good pick. The very essence of Waldgeflüster is still here and even stronger than before, be it in terms of music, lyrics, thematics...

Yeah, music follows the same patterns as his previous works : no huge walls of sound here, rather a incredibly melodic guitar backline. Melodic for sure, sometimes too much on first listen : guitar solo at the beginning of 'Der Nebel' on top of the riffing background guitars gives a strange feeling. But once you get used to this non-stop use of melodies, Meine Fesseln shines with its guitars. They're also the main piece of the acoustic parts, even though not the only one, as the guestlist counts Austin Lunn from Panopticon playing mandolin or Janne Väätäinen of Haïve for some kantele, among others... Probably because of the gear used and Winterherz's playing style, I deeply love his acoustic parts. I actually love his guitar use, be it the melodic backgrounds, the crying guitars heard on 'Wie eine Weide im Wind' chorus, the acoustic magnificence of any track introduction, as they mostly start softly, which I consider a good thing. I don't like to feel harmed by the beginning of a track, even as a black metal lover. Well, Meine Fesseln definitely is a guitar-oriented album. But alone, they wouldn't be enough to create the whole stuff of course, so what about the other elements? Drums are a little quiet in the mix, but carry the music well, moving along the mood with slower and faster tempos when needed. And that's what the album needs, as it often switches between slow melancholy and raging black metal. As for vocals, they're equally split between powerful black metal ones and somehow wild, honest cleans, which are often used as male duets. Well, clean and unclean vocals are actually used together most of the time singing the same part, and that's one hell of a success too, as it feels so intense and natural. Vocals are definitely a strength of Waldgeflüster too, as their rawness surely fits the album atmosphere. Honest, yeah. In my opinion, that's the best word to describe them.

Once again, all those elements will be quite familiar for who already knows Waldgeflüster's own style. Yeah, instead of playing your usual black metal, Winterherz created a project with a strong personal identity. Through its music, because non-happy/pagan folk black metal may have become more popular, yet Meine Fesseln gives it a different approach, definitely. Through its lyrics too, although my german would need one hell of a boost to get it completely (which I'd love, for that case). Even though not getting the whole thing precisely, the recurrent use of nature themes and its own melancholy is strong enough to be obvious, and the amazing cover art which perfectly fits the album title. Winterherz recently asked on his Facebook page what were our own chains to this world. At least, Waldgeflüster is one of mine, it seriously makes my time on Earth a little better.

Personal highlights : Wie eine Weide im Wind, Trauerweide (Teile I & II).
Links : Facebook, Bandcamp.

Falls of Rauros / Panopticon - Split

Genre : Folk black metal / Black metal
Release : April 19th 2014 on Bindrune Recordings.

Usually, I'm not much into splits. But when you see two of the finest american black metal bands making a collaborative album, you know you've got to check it. And so I did. More Falls of Rauros tracks were especially welcome as I completely love their last full-length. Same for Panopticon actually : Kentucky is one of those releases I keep coming back to. However, if Falls of Rauros kept the direction heard in The light that dwells in rotten wood, Panopticon returns to its basics with much rawer and somehow old school norwegian black metal, which is obviously a big influence for Austin Lunn, who spent some years in Norway. Let's dig this a little more.

There are two Falls of Rauros tracks, which open that split for roughly 19 minutes. Quickly enough, their trademark kicks in with those somehow vintage, almost rock sounding guitars. Oh sir, how good those are! Right from the beginning, the welcoming riff of 'Unavailing' grasps you and doesn't let go, as you can hear just above. Clever songwriting shines throughout both their tracks, with powerful riffs sharing the place along many acoustic parts, mostly using clean guitars. Vocals are raging, powerful, never intrusive either. And when they get clean, you really know it's american folk. Drums are balanced, moving from slow tempos to smooth, yet powerful blastbeating. Folk black metal the way it should be. If you ask me, there's not a second to throw away on their work for the split, and it probably makes me even more eager for their next full-length Believe in no coming shore, due for release in the next months.

As said before, Panopticon's side is definitely not in the same vein. Forget about the clean guitars, forget about the new trend of folk/post black metal and let's go back to the basics : Norway in the 90's. Much rawer, the last four tracks, clocking for around 24 minutes are nonetheless clever and well-executed. However, knowing Panopticon's work, and having two american folk black metal bands, I think it would have been a more coherent split if Austin tried to make something closer to his recent works and to Falls of Rauros' one. Not that the tracks are bad, even though they're not my typical kind of metal. Actually, they're even pretty good as I quickly enjoyed them while not a fan of the genre! Don't expect any kind of acoustic parts here, drums are much more blastbeating and clean vocals are not part of the deal. Yet, guitars shine with musicality all along the tracks, which actually quickly get catchy. Vocals are way more aggressive, less despaired than in the first two tracks, yet perfectly balanced in the mix. Rhythm breaks prevents from any monotony and successfully keep tracks incredibly intense.

This split is something not to miss if you enjoy both the bands, which is probably the case considering the quality of their works and the solid popularity they keep gaining. Every side is a success, but somehow sadly, it keeps the trend of many other splits with both bands making excellent works individually but probably too different ones. As it's meant to be listened to as a whole album, two different atmospheres makes you wonder about the right mood to listen to it. If it's just about listening to awesome black metal, then you're going in the right direction. However, if you're more into folkish stuff, second half may not be your cup of tea, as well as the first one if you're instead looking for something darker and punchier. Considering how fine Panopticon is when coming to american folk parts, it's with some regret that I welcome this nonetheless excellent split, yet not featuring any acoustic elements from Austin.

Personal highlight : Unavailing.
Falls of Rauros links : Facebook, Bandcamp, Bigcartel.
Panopticon links : Facebook, Bandcamp, Bigcartel.

Encircling sea - A forgotten land

Genre : Folk black metal / Sludge
Release : December 21th 2012 on Natural World Records.

Although not a new record, A forgotten land didn't get the recognition it deserves, neither did it express all its musicality and melancholy to enough ears. As such, it appears like I need to make a quick turn back in late December 2012 to speak about this phenomenal record. But first, let's drop a quick word about the whole band : this time it's not a one-man project but a four-piece one, often playing live around their hometown, Melbourne (Australia). Australian's black metal has been quickly growing with impressive acts lately, be it Austere, Woods of desolation, Germ, Midnight odyssey... and Encircling sea definitely belongs to that list. A forgotten land is the last release from the band, who started with sludgier sounds, slowly moving towards black metal with every release.

Being the third on the list, A forgotten land equally mixes black metal and sludge but doesn't stick to those two genres only. Roughly said, it would be better described as sludge's loudness and power added to black metal's intensity with some neofolk melancholy. Wait, loudness, power, intensity, melancholy? Those are the keys of one hell of a record if you ask me. And this one definitely is. Yet there's one big word to add to that already impressive list : maturity. Moving with rage, sincere pain and a huge lot of melancholy, A forgotten land appears like a very cohesive concept album, dealing with the meaning of home all over its four tracks, and how it feels to be taken apart from where you belong. Lyrics make a lot of sense, but wouldn't be enough if the rest didn't. Yet it definitely does. Vocals are powerful and emotional enough to blast any dedicated listener away for a full hour, rhythm elements (be it bass, guitars or drums) contribute together and are better heard as a whole, huge wall of sound. Last but not least, acoustic parts are solid and catchy while sticking to the basics (clean guitars, a couple violin lines), and incredibly well integrated. On the four tracks, the shorter one, 'Become' (still clocking more than 10 minutes) is almost straight neofolk, with only a couple plugged-in guitars kicking in around the end of the song. Also, this most welcomed break is a very nice duet of male and female clean vocals cleverly speaking with each other, giving even more sense to lyrics. Yes, there are clean vocals, and so it is on the three more aggressive tracks. But they're definitely well-integrated as they add to the overall melancholy, being ethereal and deep all the time. Female cleans on the second half of 'Transcend' really illustrate that success, so does male cleans in the middle of 'Return' : they constructively build something deeper and more intense. Be sure to use the player above to check the awesomeness out.

Nearing 70 minutes of playing time, A forgotten land was often seen a long and repetitive record. Probably it is, but what would be melancholy if not long and repetitive? Drawing its songwriting from its very essence, this record is definitely among the ones which make most sense to my ears, and has a special places in my all-time favorites. Even it's repetitive side has to be well-considered, as it's cleverly crafted : I can't help but thinking that every part, even if more than a couple minutes long, is strong enough to be listened to with pleasure. In the end, there's no album that could replace this one in my heart, and that's probably why I keep going back to it, loving it more and more with every listen. Of course, its theme may or may not speak to you, but musically speaking, it will still be a gem.

Personal highlights : Transcend, Return.

Links : Facebook, Bandcamp, Bigcartel.

Other reviews from Encircling sea:

   - Écru

Saor - Aura

Genre : Folk black metal
Release : June 6th 2014 on Northern Silence Productions.

Hi everybody out there, it's been a while! You may probably wonder why the blog was put to rest but also why things are moving again around here. And the reason is precisely this : Saor - Aura. It's with incredible honor that I've been allowed to review, two months before its release, the successor of my "album of the year 2013". Roots was an impressive debut album from Saor, called Àrsaidh by that time. Andy, the mastermind and sole member behind this project, took profit of being alone to deliver his personal vision of scottish influenced atmospheric black metal without any interference, making it both true and coherent. It was a blast, and quickly enough, he returns for the second step of what is becoming a reference in the genre.

Aura comes in with a couple changes, the main one being Austin Lunn from Panopticon placing himself behind the drums. If you weren't told about it, you would quickly guess if you know about him, as his trademark is definitely part of that new record. As such, you can expect some impressive drumming, and not only technically : drums really follow the mood of the songs in Aura, being crushing and dynamic with riffs, mostly blastbeating behind vocals, and lighter along atmospheric parts. Riffs? They hold a big part of the record, which could in the end be summed up by a rough half of scottish elements, and an other half of dynamic guitars. Of course, Aura cannot be well described such a quick way, what I mean is there's no letdown in any track : Andy keeps things melodic all the time, be it on the atmospheric side or on the metal one. A good example of this trend would be the title track, 'Aura', which has little vocals over its 13 minutes, and successfully stays catchy with riffs and flutes sharing the place all along. Atmospheric parts really got the scottish trademark here, with flutes being the main instrument used all along the record for that job, but not the only one : pianos, bagpipes or violins are fairly present and help building the incredible atmosphere of the record. On top of that, vocals deserve consideration : not only Andy's growls really make sense by being atmospheric, desperate and aggressive at once (yeah, all that!), but he added various kinds of pretty cleans along that, and they do make sense too! Such choirs were definitely unexpected even though there were a couple hints on Roots, especially on 'The awakening' where they're really church-like if taken on their own. I know this "church" word may bug some of you, but stay confident into Andy's songwriting skills, they fit the record absolutely well. Other choirs are used throughout the record, on 'Farewell' for example, which remind more of what was on Roots.

Aura shines with coherence, dynamism, and incredible songwriting. Musically, for what has been said before and many other reasons which are only meant to be listened to, but also conceptually, as there's an obvious feeling of nature, despair and scottish traditions all along the five tracks. Where Roots was an awesome record, Aura is nothing less. Although appreciations may vary on first listens, it's definitely the follower Roots was calling for, and Saor is quickly building a coherent and impressive discography. Let's just hope there's more to come from Andy, who definitely holds a place among the best atmospheric/folk black metal composers of today.

Personal highlights : Aura, Farewell.

Links : Facebook, Bandcamp, Bigcartel.

Nokturnal Mortum - Голос Сталі

Genre : Folk black metal

I still can't get over how awesome this release is. And still, I had hard times digging it, because of the somehow dissonant sound of some folkish parts in the beginning of the album. Once you get over (and past) this part, everything is impressive here. Not only for the actual folk parts, but the black metal elements featured here are totally stunning. Huge guitar playing, impressive riffs and solos, powerful drumming, strong vocals (even clean ones which are amazing), and on top of all this, such clever songwriting... Moving from song to song is discovering a new masterpiece, or a new all-time classic. Don't believe me, heh? Well, enough words then.

Personal highlights : Україна, Валькирия, Біла Вежа.

Follow Nokturnal Mortum on Facebook.
Buy merch on their website.

Panopticon - Kentucky

Genre : Folk black metal

To tell you the very truth, I wasn't really fond of Panopticon before. Sure I enjoyed the last opus, Social disservices, yet... there was something too blackish and not enough atmospheric for me. And that wasn't really "folk black" before, you'd agree. However, Kentucky is a big surprise. A good one. An excellent one! This album is just a masterpiece, because it's so complete. Full of folk, traditional american melodies with a nordic touch, with some top-notch black metal, each sharing its place with the other perfectly. No seriously, aside from any skill, it's just perfectly balanced in every possible way. But skill is there too. Melodies are catchy and awesome, vocals are deep and rich, well... And did I told you about the thematic? Songs just fit so much with each other, and... Please, allow me to stop. I could congratulate this all night long and it'd be pointless, since you're going to listen to it, and love it.

Check out Black soot and red blood and Bodies under the falls, yet be sure you will enjoy the awesome fully folkish interludes in the album. You won't regret. And follow Panopticon on Facebook.

Kroda - Schwarzpfad

Genre : Folk black metal

Kroda is quite popular in the black metal scene, and I would agree to describe it as pagan black. Here, let's consider it as rawer folk metal, just because it doesn't have the melancholic, poetic touch observed in some of the bands I've been talking about here, yet it has some intensity which shouldn't be missed, successfully merged with folky melodies played a great way. Schwarzpfad features both beautiful folk melodies and aggressive black metal, and for a very positive note, those are perfectly arranged together! To me, it's the best aspect in this album, since many pagan black metal tend to play folk and metal quite separately. Hope I make sense. Technically, Schwarzpfad is very nice too! Vocals sure lack some emotion, but they're strong and well-balanced in the mix, melodies are great and avoid the usual "dissonant-pagan-chords" flaw. Pagan choirs are good enough, metal arrangements are totally black metal, and sometimes, it's a real pleasure! Least we can say, is that this is a rich and intense album, which definitely deserves being digged.

Come on, give it a shot. Schwarzpfad I (First snow) or Schwarzpfad II (Heil Ragnarok!) are good picks to start with.

Dråpsnatt - Skelepht

Genre : Folk black metal

Do you remember about Dråpsnatt? Although seriously underground, the guys still shine in the folk black scene, and definitely deserve more attention. They're back with Skelepht, a piece of agressive, grim folk metal, and a serious challenger for "album of the year 2012" if you ask me. Compared to their previous efforts, I'd say that this release features more melancholic, sometimes kinda depressive sides. Vocals are once again mostly despaired and agressive shrieks placed in the foreground, but I mean... those ones are really expressive, more than many black metal bands, where it's just about "hey, let's shriek because black metal goes that way". No, it's seriously honest, there's no happy boozing or trolls, it's all about sincerity.  It's even easy to feel it among the few clean vocals, which are definitely sincere and deep too. Technically, it's even a bit wrong to tag this "folk", even though there are some great acoustic parts, mainly consisting in pianos and cold, echoing clean guitars, more melodic than actually folky. Musically speaking, it's just what black metal should be. No blastbeat spamming, no boring repetitions, Skelepht just comes and go, moving, sometimes slower, deeper, darker, sometimes faster. Sometimes meditative, sometimes crushing. Some real atmosphere in the end, with every single element shining with quality. And an impressive maturity.

Some awesome previews? Here you go with Klardrömmar and Intigheten. And follow Dråpsnatt on Facebook.

Other reviews from Dråpsnatt:
   - Hymner till undergången

Winterfylleth - The mercian sphere

Genre : Folk black metal

I'm sure you know me enough by now. If I speak about some good pagan stuff, you can expect some serious epicness, and not cheesy happy melodies like in those hyped bands I won't talk about here. The mercian sphere is one of those pure, respectful pagan/folk black metal albums. Everything is perfectly balanced here, be it the instrumentation, featuring a real, honest black metal with enough blastbeating, crushing rhythm and melodic guitars, and sincere vocals, or the album arrangements, with some very nice acoustic breaks, melodic folk parts, or clean male choirs which perfectly suit the atmosphere. Songtitles may sound a little pretentious at first, and I was quite worried about that before I gave this album a spin. Then, all this was forgiven, because The mercian sphere is a jewel in the sincere pagan metal scene.

By scary songtitle and amazing sound, I meant this: The honour of good men on the path to eternal glory. Check out The ruin too, with its very nice acoustic part. And follow Winterfylleth on Facebook.

Dark forest - Land of the evening star

Genre : Folk black metal

Sometimes, I think I should be able to enjoy so-called pagan metal. But those unbearable wind instruments or poor garage male choirs often ruin it. Well, at first I was not so sure about Land of the evening star. Intro song sounds glorious and cheesy just like many bad pagan bands. But I decided to dig it despite of that. And that wasn't a waste of time, at all. Dark forest cast a mature pagan metal, filled with positive energy, and without any letdown. First strength which strikes here, is how powerful guitar riffs are. Not going overspeed, not sounding like a childish video game either, I think that the guys found the perfect balance here. Drumming and black metal shrieks are perfectly executed and the long songs don't fall into monotony, thanks to the huge amount of various melodies used around here. No real folk instruments, it's more a matter of atmosphere if this is folk and pagan, as everything relies more on black metal arrangements, mainly guitar-focused and some synths fillers, which are, let's be honest, not the best elements in the album. However, if you're looking for mature, deep and epic pagan metal, you should definitely check this. Did I say epic? I did.

Listen to Árborg / Bjarne Herjúlfsson ca. 985CE, which gets magnificient towards its end, and Vesperia. And follow Dark forest on Facebook.

Svafnir - The heathen chapters

Genre : Folk black metal / Neofolk

Genius and magnificience. The heathen chapters is not strict folk black metal. Instead, it's almost a whole neofolk release. And what a neofolk my friends, this is perfectly executed, rich and deep. As opposed to many neofolk bands, vocals, even if they're a minor part, are not a letdown at all, here being melancholic and perfectly executed. Folk black only appears in a couple parts from time to time. It's quite impressive to notice that it's just as good as the neofolk parts. Riffs are impressive, catchy, some chords have an unexpected old-school hard rock feel, and the result of those harsh parts is a really positive, enjoyable, quite enlightened folk black metal, especially since the folk guitars often stay alongside distorted ones, keeping this feeling of nature and beauty anytime. Some other unexpected things sometimes surface, such as a melancholic distorted guitar solo on top of a full neofolk song. Well, this album is something without musical limits or restrictions, it's just pure artistic expression, and you've got to check it out, because it would be far too long to express everything that lies between those deep musical layers.

Two songs only, that's what I said? Well, check out Zweige sich im Winde wiegen and Death of the sun, which should be good examples of the various musical sides of this release. Then check the whole album.

Skogen - Vittra

Genre : Folk black metal

What makes Vittra a wonderful album is obviously Skogen's ability to merge folk sounds, pagan influences and black metal shapes into a solid and consistent release. I already said this before, but I don't think that northern mythology and viking tales are meant to be associated with happy sonorities. Therefore, I tend to promote mostly melancholic folk black metal, which is the case here. One could call it dark, too. Whatever. Skogen found a brillant recipe, associating perfectly-mixed black vocals along with distant male choirs which definitely throw in some melancholic touch, as well as catchy riffs and melodies. Some of them can tend to repetitions from time to time, but it's not a serious flaw since they're all mostly enjoyable. This album also successfully merges dark folk with pagan feelings, too, and most of the songs feature real epic parts. That's what is brillantly done with their melodies actually, the way they carry melancholy and epicness at the same time is incredible.

Please, check out a couple masterpieces, like Skuggorna kallar and Under fullmånens sken. And follow Skogen on Facebook.

Other reviews from Skogen:
   - Svitjod

Syven - Aikaintaite

Genre : Folk black metal / Neofolk

A side project from kantele-based neofolk band Nest, Syven is for sure reminiscent of that kind of sound... Yet, there are some new elements around, and besides the kantele and the shamanic drumming, a couple black metal elements have appeared, with deep, distant shrieks and heavy chords in the background. That doesn't imply all of the usual black metal elements however, as you cannot hear a single blastbeat or any really aggressive part in here. Call it softened black metal with deep, dark traditional neofolk, for a more precise description. Vocals feature a really wide range of atmospheres, switching from clean, inspired solo vocals, yet somehow reminiscent of nordic traditions, alongside with some deep male choirs and distant shrieks, those ones being a minor part to be really honest, as black metal is only kept as a little influence here. And that's not so bad, because melodies are totally stunning and worth shining, easily taking the listener to a state of contemplation and meditation when clean, and easily giving you shiver when switching to distorted riffs. An incredible, chilling and emotional release, without any doubt.

Songs are quite long, and listening to both Ne, jotka selviävät talvestamme and Tuulenvire should give you a nice overview through a mere half of the album. And follow Syven on Facebook.

Desiderium - An image of solitude

Genre : Folk black metal

Despite being newcomers in the genre, Desiderium set themselves as challengers quite efficiently! Using melodic and catchy riffs most of the playtime, first thing that strikes is the guitar work, done well enough not to get boring any time. Acoustic parts successfully break any possible monotony, too, and they add rich layers to the sound. Add, on top of that, vocals that fit the genre, being perfect for an atmospheric black metal, distant and not agressive in the end. Clean vocals fit the music, which is worth a special mention since it isn't the case in most black metal bands. Sure those are not the biggest part, yet welcomed. With all those positive features, the result is deep atmospheres, energic parts and calming ones, without being repetitve at all. A clever composition, moreover perfectly executed. A real surprise, and a good one!

You should check out Pale cloak of dawn and Waldeinsamkeit. And follow Desiderium on Facebook. An image of solitude is available as a free listen and download on bandcamp.

Rauhnacht - Vorweltschweigen

Genre : Folk black metal

For a somewhat underground band, Rauhnacht are able to create well-produced music, with a skillful black metal and nice folk elements. However, it seems that black metal and folk elements are not enough merged together. Some black parts are driving overlong even with background acoustics, and if looking for an atmospheric release, we're a bit disappointed sometimes. And those folk melodies are great most of the time, so we would surely enjoy if those were shining a little more in the mix, as stand-alones. Still, this album creates interesting, cold and dark atmospheres quite successfully. And Vorweltschweigen is nonetheless intense, avoiding clichés that roam around folk black metal. Instruments shine with great quality and mastery, vocals seem a bit unpersonal at times, lack some passion in a way, but are still done correctly. A fine release, with some excellent parts, that gets better after a couple listens.

Check it out with Vorweltschweigen and Das letzte Licht. And follow Rauhnacht on Facebook.

Nechochwen - Azimuths to the otherworld

Genre : Folk black metal / Neofolk

Such rich music is unusual, let's be honest. Azimuths to the otherworld draws influences from many musical genres, most obvious ones being neofolk elements, clean and death metal vocals, black metal drums, but also some power metal chords (yeah, I know it could sound scary), and most impressive thing is that the result is amazing. Also, it's not just a matter of influences but real genres merging, as there is as much neofolk as metal in this album. Only flaw, due to this, is that you never know what to expect from such a release, if you're looking for some intense, blastering metal, it's not the perfect deal because there are many calm tracks, and if looking for calm neofolk, metal parts can get annoying. But still, one can only admit that this is uncommon, experimental, yet skillful. and for those who complain about bands ripping off each other, just dig this album, for it has a real identity.

Allumhammochwen - The crossing shows a good part of that versatility and as a good part of the album consist in strict neofolk, you may want to check out acoustic Gissis Mikana. And follow Nechochwen on Facebook.

Other reviews from Nechochwen:
   - Algonkian mythos

Vindensång - Terminus: Rebirth in eight parts...

Genre : Folk black metal / Neofolk / Drone

Terminus: Rebirth in eight parts... is a very complex and rich album, merging different genres of music (which makes it hard to tag properly), not just as "influences" but as real entities. What I mean, is that this release moves from neofolk, to black metal, to drone, from song to song, with coherence and mastery, but this is also what makes it difficult to get into it. Let's say it, you've got to pay attention and really listen to Vindensång's album, it's not something you can play as a background, for you really need to get into the music to truly get its meaning. In musical terms, this album is mostly neofolk and drone played as some kind of dark ambient, with unusual structures. However, this isn't limited to this, as there are some non-ambient songs, mostly in a black metal vein, still folk-influenced. Vocals are often whispers or quietly spoken words, kept as backgrounds, but there also are some black vocals from time to time. Still, black metal elements are a minor part here, and it's definitely not agressive music. An album that's hard to describe, and difficult to listen to, but definitely one of the most mature releases ever.

In order to hear those different genres, you can check out Ashes and memories for some drone-esque neofolk, and The origin: The point of return for more black metal elements, but be aware that this album has other kind of sounds. And follow Vindensång on Facebook.