Dornenreich - Freiheit (2014)

Dornenreich has always struck me as an act which puts such a tremendous amount of effort into its songwriting that I feel a few pangs of guilt that they've never left more of an impression with me. Despite immersing myself into a number of their past works, including 2011's Flammentriebe (one of their best), I simply don't find much of an allure to reach back once the initial listening period has passed. That said, I do not in general maintain an obsessive desire for such polished, folksy pastures upon which these Austrians graze. My preference was always for the dingier, more obscure sojourns of a Falkenbach or the Middle Earth majesties of the legendary Summoning, both of whom fill a comparable niche, while sounding very little like this band. At the end of the day, though, there is a massive audience for what Dornenreich commit to their albums, and Freiheit should continue to make new fans out of listeners within and without the folk metal genre, a nearly perfect 'period piece' band whose adherence to glinting traditional instrumentation should make the the toast of many faires and the emerging cultural awareness of younger European generations who were seemingly lost for decades.

This is more of a folk album than a metal album, to be sure, but not the sort of navel-gazing predictable stuff you'll find at a local coffeehouse open mic. They keep their writing engaging, narrative, weaving varied emotions through the rugged/smooth paradigm shifts of vocalist Eviga (Jochen Stock), who often seems just as much on the attack as he would during a more metallic shift in the band. Speaking of which, those only start to erupt around the mid point of the album's eight tracks, and usually just involve heavy chords to back up the violins and acoustic guitars, but Freiheit is so confident and invested in this neofolk side that you can honestly listen through without any expectations of metal content and not feel as if you're missing out. Bass lines are timid, drums as crystal and impacting as the more eloquent strings, and the production of this just sounds absolutely incredible at almost any volume. So accessible and involved are these guys that you have to wonder why they aren't booked for every Medieval/folk festival on the Eurasian continent, because they surpass most strictly folk/classical string-based ensembles I've experienced on record. But on the other hand, there is enough here for a rock fan to enjoy, what with the uptempo maneuvers and dreamy, ebullient melodies woven over the rambling rustic structures.

The only points at which the disc veers away from the accessible are the more tortured, gut-fed black metal vocals which arrive in a cut like "Das Licht vertraut der Nacht", which might turn off a few old timers but really just contribute to Eviga's overall charisma through these tales. Lighter than air, but eternally tormented, it clearly reminds you of Dornenreich's more aggressive roots without selling short the atmosphere and mainstream viability cultivated elsewhere through the instrumentation. The Austrian German lyrics might throw up a language barrier for those beyond the band's borders, but I think ultimately that anyone seeking out such a folksy purity on a recording wouldn't find this much of a hindrance. Their practice of packaging the music with a very common naturalistic image continues here, and yet strangely doesn't grow old since it jives with the authenticity and tradition implicit in the musical aims. I do feel that I got more out of the last album Flammentriebe than I did here, but this is certainly another of those records which has me pining for a past on the European mainland that I am far too removed to have ever experienced. With the appropriate lager and company, this is a pretty substantial trip into time, as Dornenreich persist in their evolution from some folk metal guys into a cultural artifact.

Verdict: Win [7.5/10]

http://www.flammentriebe.com/

Lönndom - Till Trevaren EP (2012)

The Lönndom sophomore Viddernas tolv kapitel was a definite example of 'what you see, what you get'. The natural landscapes photographed for the booklet, the two acoustic guitars at rest against a tree trunk; the idea of self-evaluation and realization through solitude in the wilderness that birthed our civilization providing the deeper level needed to provide an emotional resonance within the listener. A work of pure, overcast folk music with an appeal for those who could listen past its very basic aesthetics to the heart of its existence. Of course, as the members have repeatedly stated, this is not a project restricted by the boundaries of any one genre, and so it comes as no surprise that this latest EP, Till Trevaren, takes yet another spin in direction.

The acoustic guitars and numbing, deep vocals are still central to the sound of these three tracks, but in a way the band has taken a 90-degree (not a full 180) back to the first album, with a darker edge. You can hear a bit of minimal distortion on the picking of "Bårgå", and synthesizers have been added to create a brooding, solemn  backdrop of choirs, and there are many whispers and haunted, ghostlike personas adrift through the miasma of despair and darkness that they create. In addition, the band makes a use of simple, effective percussion through the first proper track, "I Fallet" which combined with the guitar patterns creates a similar atmosphere to some of the material Graav recorded as LIK. I must admit, though, that I rather prefer this approach to its predecessor, simply because there is more going on here.Viddernas tolv kapitel was quite effective in its drier audio clime and rustic meditations, but Till Trevaren might as well be the sound of a world ending, a forest ablaze at dawn as the nightscape is exiled by the waking sun. The music is spectral and involved, cascades of hypnotic guitars relished in a broth of both brazen and subtle effects and voices.

My only complaint would be that I didn't feel the need for the spoken intro and creaking door/spoken outro on the CD (the version I'm listening to). I'm not sure of their narrative value sandwiching the proper songs, but they felt a bit too empty, slice of life and useless. The three central compositions, though, are to date the best I've heard from Lönndom. Perhaps not as heavy as the debut Fälen Från Norr, and certainly not metallic, but truly they work at the back of your mind, creating sensations both lush and gnawing as if you were trapped in some evening forest, confused, the canopy revealing only faint hints of alien starlight. 15 minutes of the cold and eerie, without feeling barren like some of the pieces from the prior album. Well worth a listen if you're a fan of darker folk, atmospheric post-black metal or anything that involves a few points of glimmering light against the greater, all consuming blackness of the unknown.

Verdict: Win [8.5/10]

http://www.lonndom.se/

Lönndom - Viddernas tolv kapitel (2010)

To qualify Lönndom's sophomore effort Viddernas tolv kapitel as merely ' mood music' would seem an understatement, for its appeal is restricted not only by its dark, emotional range, but also the psychological geography mapped out by its dreary, rustic arrangements. Members A. Petterson and S. Sandström (aka Graav) have distanced themselves not only from their black metallic alma mater Armagedda, or Sandström's great occult rock outfit LIK, but even from the debut of this very project, Fälen Från Norr, which had been molded in more of a black folk/doom environment. The desolate and nature-infused lyrical aesthetic has been retained, but this album is one of stripped down, brooding folk elements delivered through an extremely limited instrumental palette.

Fortunately, that is all Lönndom requires to create a dour, haunting and often hypnotic experience here. Their chosen implements of escapism: beautiful acoustic guitars, deep Swedish vocal harmonies and samples of winds and wilderness layered in to provide the feeling that you are truly outside listening to this. A bloody hour of this, with very little variation in theme or execution, but nonetheless it sinks its hooks into you by the second track "I vattnets flöde" and never really lets go. While it would be difficult to appraise the guitar patterns as unique for anyone into the darker side of folk, they are methodical in that they capture a rural, early 20th century flair that pairs well with the lower range of the vocals. Both members play, both members sing, and you can just imagine the duo wandering the lakeside and landscape of the cover image while they composed the 12 tracks and 60 minutes of pure, rhythmic meditation. Individual tracks vary in structure to the extend that the longer pieces like "Vindaflykt", at over 9 minutes, has more room to breathe and experiment with purely guitar sequences, but the tools of the trade never change: don't expect a symphony to burst forth, or a black metal riff to somewhere erupt, but you might be entreated to the sounds of birds chirping from the distant woodland eaves.

Like anything with the lyrics and vocals in Swedish, my oafish understanding is limited to only those words I've found familiar from other song titles, so naturally this created a bit of an obstacle in my ability to fully explore the album's subject matter, but would not prove the case for native speakers. Regardless, Viddernas tolv kapitel is effective enough that it transcends the linguistic barrier with its unmistakable atmosphere, a music of sadness and back roads and lost times and reflection. It's also just about as honest and 'minimalist' as one will find in the spectrum. The dry tones of the vocals and the plucking of the strings are sauteed in zero studio gimmickry, and aside from an obvious, fundamental appreciation of classical and folk guitar, there is zero technicality. The 'riffs' manifest one at a time, with minor variance between the two guitars. Favorites included "Höstdagar" with its vocal and sampled-shore swells alongside the mesmeric, melodic picking pattern, and "Skaldekonst om ljusets återkomst" which includes a rare percussive element (tambourine?), but all told this is a compelling, if conditional experience for one willing to put him or herself in the proper perspective for its consumption. I recommend late autumn or early winter, on a rustic stroll or in a cabin far from the world. The more Walden Pond, the better.

Verdict: Win [7.75/10] 

 http://www.lonndom.se/

Cormorant - Dwellings (2011)

Perhaps the most talked about independent metal release of 2011, or at least the second half of the year, Cormorant's Dwellings is the sophomore effort of a group of talented Californians slowly carving out their sound from a number of influences in the folk, progressive, and melodic black metal spaces. For something self-released, Dwellings is an impressive package, with intriguing artwork, evocative lyrics, fluid and highly proficient musicianship, and most importantly scads of riffs that clearly took some time and effort to conceive. Strangely enough, though, despite it's obvious array of weapons, this is one of those LPs that I must admit to shoving off after only a few spins. Cormorant are emotional, dynamic and pleasant to experience, but I did not find the songs to have nearly the profound impact that so many have raved over.

Perhaps an accurate comparison for the music here would be Opeth threaded with Agalloch melodies and percussive elements redolent of Mastodon's lighter, progressive writing and the swagger and gallantry of Slough Feg. Season with hints of folk metal flavoring and Scandinavian melodic black and death acts like Dissection or Insomnium and then stir. It's a wide range of influences, so many that the coherence of the music is often questionable, but some credit is due to these gentlemen for their flow and pacing in what might otherwise seem a marginally jarring clash of components. Their lyrics explore the worlds of the natural, the social and the personal, with a vivid poetic sensibility, and combined with the vocals that deliver them, comprise my sole favorite aspect of Dwellings. Harsh, charismatic rasps and barks stand out well above the incessant, streaming guitars, but there are also clips of thematic narrative, soothing and clean calms ("Funambulist"), and even some French (?) samples which admittedly seemed a touch pretentious.

The issue I took with the music is simply that the songs are so intent on providing gleaming, catchy melodies at every given second that the maximum emotional potential of the better note progressions is almost constantly trampled upon. They all vary in texture, tempo and length, but I never felt that the riffs all interlocked very well, merely ceding to one another in an endless procession of spent creativity. Peaks and valleys are wrought only through the decisions to swap to acoustic cools and then burst back into either tremolo picked sequences or the majestic canter of mid-paced, ale pounding crescendos reminiscent of Rotting Christ in its late 90s pageantry. The drums remain busy and varied, not unlike a Brann Dailor ("Confusion of Tongues)", and the guitars and bass engage one another in the antithesis of monotony, but several of the songs drift on a bit too long and never hit that climactic stride that you'd expect ("Unearthly Dreamings", "Junta" and "Funambulist" to be exact.)

I felt that the rather raw and authentic production values of the album worked in its favor, and the vocals certainly stand out for their unchecked passion and versatility, much more so than the more guttural/brutal approach they took with their debut Metazoa. Yet in the end, I don't think I could point out a single song here that I felt the urge to cycle through repeatedly. For such dramatic use of melody, there seems a dearth of real tension in how the tracks are written. Riffs follow other riffs, occasionally circling around, but never all that inspiring as a quantified whole. In this way, the band very much recalls Opeth's dysfunction of occasionally conflating too many ideas onto a rhythmic skeleton not up to the task of supporting them, and I often found myself wondering just how much more compelling the album might have been if Cormorant had stuck to just a few per song and then played around with them.

That said, it'd be remiss of me not to mention just how much latent potential lies in the quartet. I might not have found the album quite so enduring and endearing as others have expressed, but there's enough pent up talent here to fuel a half dozen bands, so I expect that once the kinks are worked out we'll be dealing with some truly impressive songsmiths.

Verdict: Win [7/10]

http://cormorant.bandcamp.com/

Finnr's Cane - Wanderlust (2010)

The black & white photography selected for the booklet of this Canadian trio's debut portrays a certain sense of longing for desolate, natural environments that have only marginally been marred by the presence of Mankind, and when listening through their interesting mesh of black and doom metal with environmental folk and post-rock elements, you can certainly make the connection with what the band are both thinking and feeling as they travail through the album's slow, weighted moments of melancholy and hinted darkness. This is a dreamstate given the flesh of audio, an emptiness given the body of guitars and percussion, synthesizer and the occasional cello.

It is ever the task of a band like Finnr's Cane to draw the listener in through carefully metered cycles of repetition, and at this the band succeeds. "The Healer" inaugurates the procession in tranquil morning mystery, a vibration of awakening conducted through clean guitars, a steady and subtle drum beat, and small spikes of synthesizer. It's not so much an intro as an individual song, though, because it does not necessarily flow well into the second track "Snowfall", which is a desperate, graceful shoegaze metal piece with some vocals that hover at the edge of perdition, as the chords glisten with longing sadness and very little variation is uttered through the pacing.

This is the region in which most of the record thrives, so it's the band's skill at such psychological scarring that will make or break their hypnotic grasp upon the listener. I can say with confidence that the band ultimately please the palette since they differ the momentum just enough with each new track to never quite dull you. "A Winter for Shut-Ins" is enameled in a similar fabric of despair to "Snowfall", but the added pianos create a heightened enigma. "The Lost Traveller" explores an acoustic intro fully before segueing into a slower ramble of epic Northern atmospheres, while the instrumental "Glassice" remains ponderous throughout with its gently ringing, clean guitars and subtle vibrating organ that casts a cerebral shadow.

With "The Hope for Spring", Finnr's Cane transition from their stock, crawling desolation to a surge of driving, traditional black metal. , before spirals of clean folk guitars embrace some of the louder clean vocals on the album. Truth be told, throughout all of Wanderlust, I did feel like the clean vocals could have been a little louder in the mix. I realize their intention was probably to evoke this distant hovering to the listener, but they do occasionally feel mopey. "Eternal" and the closing "House of Memory" both entail a similar path as certain earlier songs on the record, but they're adequately lonesome and harrowing.

I found that I needed a certain frame of reference, a particular state of being to let this album take me to its long abandoned pathways and oceans of regret, but once arrived, I did feel it was successful enough to suck the emotions from me like all the most depressing, ambient metal does. This is not a 'riff' centered band, and I could not point out a single guitar line on the album that serves as anything more than a vehicle for the sum of a track's despair, but really, you don't listen to an act like Finnr's Cane for such metallic virtues. Comparatively, I'd put this in sync with Agalloch's Pale Folklore, although there is less of a black metal current running through its cold waters. If you appreciate anything by that band, though, or the more wistful, sparse, drifting moment's of Opeth's lighter fare, then Finnr's Cane might support you for a spell.

Verdict: Win [7/10]

http://www.myspace.com/finnrscane

Umbrtka - Kovový háj (2010)

The previous album of the prolific Umbrtka, Úplná Demontáž Lidstva was a journey through societal and urban decay, which made use of extra-traditional instrumentation and industrial noise to produce a curious and unique result. The sound was not entirely distanced from Lord Morbivad's better known sewer black band Stíny Plamenù, but it was more abstract and ruefully more interesting. So I am quite surprised, then, that the 15th Umbrtka album has arrived in the form of a mellower offering with a lot more emphasis on acoustic folk music...and not bad, at that. But when a band is releasing albums as often as this one, I guess it doesn't hurt to change up the formula every now and then, and Umbrtka have certainly made such rapid deviations in the past.

For those worried, fear not, because there are still plenty of metal passages on Kovový háj, and when they appear, they are likewise well furbished. With 7 tracks at 55 minutes, there are a few here which are quite hefty in length, and not always supportive of their vast borders, but all possessive of at least some degree of charm. I was immediately taken in with the opener "Chrám těla (Temple of Flesh)", an immersive, acoustic experience which plays out like an overcast day in some tranquil glade, near the flow of water or an edifice of rock, all hinting at deeper mysteries of the world below as you study them. I hate to use the term 'zen' to describe its effects, but that was the ultimate result. The 9 minute title track ("Metal Grove") benefits from layered, soothing vocals and spikes of electric notes that flow above the twinkle of the cleaner guitars and the fervent, infectious swells...this is simply an amazing song, one of the best on the album and wholly recommended for its natural, psychedelic interlacing. "Slovany" may deceive one into thinking its another folk track, but it erupts into an amazing, atmospheric black metal laden in dense melodies and vibrous atmosphere.

For other aggressive fare, seek "Rodina" with its primal black/doom leanings that work in tandem with its flowing streams of acoustic guitar and sombering melodies. "Onen večer (That Evening)" is perhaps the most bizarre of the compositions, with a myriad of vocals that range from eerie black rasping depths to a freaky folk side. Granted, it's almost 15 minutes long, and could very well have been a number of separate tracks, but there just might be enough here to compel the listener without raining tedium upon him. Also included are the elegaic, sombering "Na lásku (For Love)" with its ringing, excellent guitars that feel like a funeral march in a still photo, and the rambling, twangy "Vrby (Family)" with a memorable pattern of guitars.

I was a little taken aback by the album, not expecting much more than another odd cityscape, but Umbrtka successfully translate themselves into a more rustic environment, and write some killer folk/ambient/black metal that should appeal to any with an open mind who can stomach the native Czech tongue. Hardly a stumbling block when the reward is as worthwhile as this. Impressive.

Highlights: Kovový háj, Na lásku, Vrby

Verdict: Win [8.5/10]

http://www.umbrtka.com/

In Vain - Mantra (2010)

Norway's In Vain are another band that grow quite harder to pin down, and there is really no need for such tagging, as it is obvious from their compositional style that they are not in search of any such labels, just to provide a complete and atmospheric listening experience that should, ideally, leave a scar upon the soul of the listener. But to get as close as I might, think of Mantra, the band's second album, as a hybrid of black, doom and progressive metal. It moves slowly for the most part, powerfully, like a river passing by various epochs of history, both bloodied and mellow, on its course to a sea of dreams. On the first listen, I admit I found much of the material quite dull, but only because I was not taking it at its face level. My next impression was that there is simply more to In Vain than the very simplistic, bruising rhythms and glimmering melodies of its surface...which might conjure memories of Katatonia's middle years save for the different vocal style and the more airy production values, and overall diversity of sound.

"Captivating Solitude" starts with a light acoustic flavor which seems like something a 90s alternative/grunge rock band might have written for a hit, but before a Kurt Cobain or Chris Cornell can emerge here, it swiftly transforms into thundering melodic black/doom, with layered snarl/growl vocals that deliver emotional power almost instantly. I'd also note the organs, and the drums of Stig Reinhardtsen which get interesting as he builds a march rhythm into the bridge. "Ain't No Lovin" takes more of a subdued, death/doom approach, with a creeping rhythm reminiscent of something from Morbid Angel's Domination, ala "Where the Slime Live", only not so murky. "Mannefall" seems to come out of nowhere, a bluegrass/folk song which sounds like it belongs on a Mississippi front porch as the sky darkens for a coming storm. I guess that makes "On the Banks of Mississippi" no real shocker...a fairly catchy, choppy melodic doom track which really excels at the spaces between its plowing rhythms, where the drums breathe into the nothing. Hearing a Norwegian band focus on the South is...well, invigorating!

"Dark Prophets, Black Hearts" veers into more of a traditional doom/death, ala Candlemass meets Opeth meets Paradise Lost, with a weavy plucking rhythm through its gargantuan chords. However, this is only the beginning, because it takes on an upbeat melodic death visage after a moment or so. "Wayakin" is a 9+ minute tribute to the Native peoples of the Pacific Northwest US, and the vocals here are a mix of tribal chanting and then soaring chorus vocals with manly, mantric backups. It's a pretty fascinating track that stands out even among its varied neighbors, and once again, I reiterate: hearing a Norwegian band that sings about the ancient past of my own country, rather than the other way around, is very refreshing! "Circle of Agony" has a nice, melodic descent in its opening moments, and the dual growl/snarl vocals appear once more to add a strong effect of gloom. This is perhaps one of the finer tracks on the entire album, almost irresistable as it snakes about its central themes and frolics through one conquest to the next.

"Sombre Fall, Burdened Winter" is over 11 minutes of melodic, doomed angst, in which the vocals once again take on a minor shift towards a cleaner, barking tone. The acoustic/piano breaks in the track are nicely laid out like a snowy plain, and the whole atmosphere past 4 minutes when the song becomes a somber environmental folk piece is really nice. The bonus track "Wayphearing Stranger" is a cover of the traditional folk tune, with dual male/female vocals, and it is of the quality that In Vain should probably try and get it on the soundtrack to some independent film, because it could stir up some real buzz (though the audience would be shocked when they hear the metal tracks).

Despite the pristine production standards and killer concepts behind the album, not all the music is equally engrossing. Some of it sounds like the garden variety, big budget death/doom that a lot of Scandinavian bands produce, but then some of it is quite fetching and memorable. What I was most impressed with was the sheer diversity and the lyrical matter, which I simply would not ever expect from a Norse band. In the end, In Vain have something just different enough to offer that I feel they are a compelling band, even when the music itself isn't the type you'll be looping again and again in your head.

Highlights: On the Banks of Mississippi, Wayakin, Circle of Agony, Wayphearing Stranger

Verdict: Win [7.75/10]

http://www.myspace.com/invainno

Sjenovik - Zephaniah (2009)

Arizona's Sjenovik are a difficult band to categorize, with a name taken out of Slavic lore and a style that really only begins with black metal, and proceeds to journey into a bleak nether realm of noise and structure. Zephaniah follows the interesting Jouissance from last year, and contains another monolithic implication for the future of US black metal. For, like any of my countrymen to better perform this style, they do so by thinking outside the proverbial box, by initiating a wanderlust that captures the flaking decay of their environment, the corroding heart of our culture as we lose further touch with our roots in the name of glorious, crass commercialization, diversity, and the American Way According to MTV™. Sjenovik offers a release from this, at least for 37+ minutes and six tracks of pensive, brooding indulgence.

"Part I: That Which is Above..." is an extended intro with some haunting and harsh swells of synthesizer, laden in beautiful acoustics, an eerie bow sweeping across the background. It's a gorgeous piece of music, and immediately raised my hopes for the album. Of course, this is only one small part of the portrait that is Sjenovik, as the "Eclipse of Perpetual Loss" immediately corrects any assumption that this will be tranquil, easy listening. A slowly sliding black metal track, with vocals in such torment that I'm surprised the singer was not in the process of killing himself during the track. I guess not, or I would never have heard it. The track does veer into some melodic moments, with penetrating whispers, and flows very well into the acoustics and ambience of the next piece "Flesh of Man: Martyrdom" which eventually transforms into the most vicious and 'pure' black metal writing on the album. More whispers, but they arrive over a thundering melodic wall of soaring rhythm and the painful vocals of James Johnson strike some of their most desperate tones. "Part II: ...is Like That Which is Below" once again delves into some lush acoustics and shrill dark ambient soundscapes, before the short and sharp title track emits another blackened hue of introspective witchery.

But the foundation of this album is really laid late, on the final track "Day of Wrath", an 18 minute excursion which comprises half of the album. Wholly terrible and awesome noise transforms into some killer riffing and drum collapse. Yet, instead of just bursting into another black metal track, the band keeps the noise going over the top, and it becomes a truly disturbing work, by far the apex of Zephania and really engaging. These guys even add some choir samples later in the track. I would pay to listen to an entire album of just this style, but I do appreciate the band's desire to mix it up. Sjenovik capture quite the range of dark emotion on their sophomore effort, and while the intricacies of "Day of Wrath" might reach beyond the average listener, who has no interested in well constructed noise like my drugged (yet sober) self, I have to recommend it. Some of the tracks are not quite so experimental as others, but it is their unusual combination which enthralls, and I daresay we have another artist here who knows how to walk the 'art' side, without the implied pretensions.

Highlights: Day of Wrath is perfection, the rest are just, you know, good.

Verdict: Epic Win [9/10]

http://www.sjenovik.com/

Wongraven - Fjelltronen (1995)

Similar to how Storm was a collaboration between Fenriz of Darkthrone and Satyr of Satyricon (with Kari Rueslåtten adding her vocals), Wongraven was the collaboration of Satyr and Ihsahn (Emperor), with additional percussion from Hans K. K. Sřrensen. However, the difference here is that Wongraven is not a metal band in the slightest, but an epic, medeival ambient folk project featuring an expressive array of vocals and synths, seasoned in acoustic guitars, bass, timpani, mouth harp and other instruments. This is the sole full-length release from Wongraven, but it does possess some staying power, especially if you enjoy this brand of dark, period ambience.

Half of Fjelltronen consists of a single, 16 minute track called "Det Var En Gang Et Menneske", which meanders endlessly from the rolling, sparse percussion and whispered vocals of its opening moments through a long stretch of keyboard that sluggishly dominates the faint, sparkling acoustics. The drums crash in and out as if to accent moments of authority, and the final few moments of the track become quite haunted...with the repetitious acoustic and darker, somber keyboard tones, and Satyr's vocals growing into an eerie crescent. Once you are through this behemoth and into the clear, you are met with "Over Ødemark", a doomed piano dirge with Ihsahn's fingers all over it, and Satyr joining in for the final half. "Opp Under Fjellet Toner En Sang" is under two minutes of grace carried through synthesized woodwinds and an ambient backdrop, before the other substantial track on the album, "Tiden Er En Stenlagt Grav" kicks in for a slowly building, instrumental. The bass here is hypnotic as it flows below the subtle synths in a folk lick. The track fades out and returns with some more of the project's, haunting atmosphere, though there is a swagger to the piece which should rouse the historic traveler within all of us. Another instrumental, "Fra Fjelltronen" offers closure, with over 3 minutes of bells, haunted castle environments and dying medieval thunder.

As with many such offerings, the appeal will be limited to those who do not mind a largely instrumental slice of atmosphere that can haunt your dreams and suck your thoughts into a dark mirror of the past...half real, half idealized into a grim, impossible portrait. Though there are words, and vocals, they truly merge in with the landscape of the instruments, soaring forth only to bait you with stark, glorious contrasts. I would definitely recommend this album to any fan of Summoning, Vinterriket, or early Mortiis. In fact, add some black metal to this and you would have the first few releases of Summoning, so I'm guessing it was a possible influence to their Tolkien-inspired path. Fjelltronen is not an absolute classic, and I thought Storm was a more successful side-project, but it shows a great deal of depth to the imagination of Satyr, and might make for a good companion piece to the first two Satyricon albums.

Verdict: Win [8/10]

Lord Wind - Rites of the Valkyries (2001)

People can say a lot of things about Rob Darken: that he's controversial, that he's conservative, that his convictions place him well outside the hellride that is the modern world. But there is no denying the man's ambition, or passion for his works, and his ability to keep separate the politics and art in his endless tribute to his heritage, and the lost pagan culture and arts of Europe. Lord Wind is one of his most interesting projects, in which the raw black metal of Graveland is waylaid for the pomp and circumstance of glorious medieval folk, which he creates through synthesized atmospheres. You could think of it as an extension to some of the intros he has done for Graveland songs/albums, with each album centered around a specific concept. In the case of the third Lord Wind album, Rites of the Valkyries, the focus is the winged warmaidens of Norse legend.

Darken's writing here is far from the minimalism one might expect from a great many of the side projects you hear from many of the 'old guard' in black metal. These songs could very well score a video game or film, though they are performed on a tight budget. This album felt a little rougher around the edges than Heralds of Fight, but the style is largely the same. Synthesized vocal choirs, the crashing of programmed drums, and other keyboard simulations provide the melodies and atmosphere. This would be best compared to Mortiis' earlier work (before he got gothed up) or Summoning (sans the black metal and vocals). It's lo-fi, it's cheesy, and it's also really fun...and engaging.

"Winged Helmets" is the sorrow-sworn opening track, and the 'horns' announce the heraldry of the sky, while cymbals crash and the low percussion thunders, soon eclipsed in male vocal choirs. Immediately I was brought back to the sound programming for 16-bit video games, and how they had to make use of purely synthesized instrumentation to set mood and effect. "The Ancient Beginning" has beautiful percussion which rolls into huge horns which could have easily scored a Conan sequel, and again the booming male vocal choirs sound endearing in their digitized form. This is quite an excellent track, one of the better here. "Prophecy of the Norns" is more laid back and ancient feeling, as the keyboards vibrate off in the distance, the percussion rolling beneath like the kingdoms of clouds that must have one supported these battle angels. "Father of Wisdom" is like a creeping frost that arrives to envelop an ancient, staring statue. The track is amazingly evocative, one need only close his eyes while listening to see Odin's single eye staring at you, in both curiosity and judgment.

The next track, "Atlantean Monument", would coincidentally be used as the title of the Lord Wind album to succeed this. The song itself has synthesized horns and violins which write across the percussion. It wasn't my favorite here, the selection of notes does not inspire much attention, and even the subtle shifts of the track do not heighten its value. "Rhinemaiden's Lamentation" is a slow, sad piece with the male choirs buzzing directly through the center, and angelic female choirs joining them for a glorious cathedral-like atmosphere. Pipes enter into the middle of the track, just enough to hold interest as they wind back into the 'vocal' melody. "Dance of War" has the most uncouth, soundtrack feel here, it literally sounds like an orchestra being synthesized, with brooding, deep drums and horns which call out the brazen madness of warfare.
It's easily one of the more memorable tracks on the album. "Horn of the Summoning" ends the original album (the 2006 re-issue has a 17 minute bonus track, but I don't have that) with some more brazen, Conan-like momentum.

Rites of the Valkyries, like most of Lord Wind's material, is perfect for several occasions. Table top gaming with your friends, reading something epic, or playing on the computer are all suitable, or when strolling outdoors in a temperate clime. I suggest these not to trivialize the effort, but to give examples of experiences the music can enrich. As I mentioned above, the lo-fi recording of the tracks does give it a cheesy flair, but it can't be helped. For what it's worth, it is a fine album to listen through, and one of his better efforts outside Graveland.

Highlights: The Ancient Beginning, Prophecy of the Norns, Father of Wisdom, Dance of War

Verdict: Win [8/10]

http://www.lordwind.com/

The Moon and the Nightspirit - Ösforrás (2009)

Ösforrás is the third album from Hungary's The Moon and the Nightspirit, and, while not technically a metal band, are the perfect compliment to fans of the pagan and folk elements commonly found in metal. This one is a solid follow-up to 2007s Regõ Rejtem: a must for fans of that album.

Comparatively I found this album to be stronger overall than the previous album; however, it lacks the bombastic intro track featured in Regõ Rejtem. This one starts slowly and doesn't start to pick up until the third song and title track. It's a bit more subdued though. The strong male vocals from Mihaly Szabo are less common. Ösforrás is the Agnes Toth show. Not that this is a bad thing. Her voice is just as captivating here as it was on the last album.

There is a lot of compelling instrumental work here. The plucky intro to "Fenybe Tero" for example is the perfect thing to establish an album whose lyrics are rooted in the mystical qualities of the great forests of old. The last song (not counting the bonus track) "Foldanya Sohaja" is a little weak. However the two tracks that lead up to that, "Hetvilag and Alkonyvarazs" suitably evoke the image of let's get around a campfire and bitch about civilization. I find it to be all in good fun.

Bottom line: if you liked the last one get this. If you've never heard it, then get them both!

Verdict: Win [8/10]

http://www.themoon.equilibriummusic.com/tmnews.php3

L'Acephale - Malefeasance (2009)

Formed for the Reason of Unleashing Sonic Destruction & Corruption through Epistemic Terrorism and Bibliophilistic Atavism.

The quote was taken from the band's MySpace page and better sums up their chaotic and wondrous mix of elements than I ever could. Malefeasance is the other L'Acephale debut album, and it's even longer and more experimental than Stahlhartes Gehäuse. What black metal you'll find on this release is the exception rather than the rule, but it makes for no less fascinating a listen (at least for half of the record).

The 80 minutes of escape begins with the chilling "Väinämöinen Nacht" (10:06), with its swelling ambient electronics and samples of chanting and shouting that create undullating rhythms against the backdrop. "Hitori Bon Odori" (8:45) begins with a long passage of rambling acoustics, gentle militant percussion, and haunting ambience, with a dash of black metal in the background during the latter half. "A Burned Village" (4:50) has some thundering drums, light synths and wailing bleeding black guitar line and snarls. "From a Miserable Abode (Alt Mix)" (18:09) is an epic ballast of screaming tones and filtered noise vocals, though the last few minutes of pipes create a stark contrast and clarity. It was interesting, but also the most annoying track on either of their full-lengths. The band has also included an extensive cover of Current 93's "Sleep Has His House", with droning electronics and mixed black/gothic vocals. "Nothing is True, Everything is Permitted" (22:59) brings an end to the album with some hypnotic acoustics, ambient and noise.

Malefeasance is rather mesmerizing for about half it's playtime, but the noise mix and cover song lost me, as neither is up to the standards of the remainder. Stahlhartes Gehäuse is a more focused overall experience, but if you have listened to that and enjoyed it, this is well worth the time for it's first three tracks and the epic length finale.

Verdict: Win [7.5/10]

http://www.myspace.com/lacephale

L'Acephale - Stahlhartes Gehäuse (2009)

Oregon's L'Acephale is perhaps the most impressive, eclectic black metal artist I've heard since Blood of the Black Owl, Leviathan and Xasthur. The band's use of sampling, ambience and folk puts them in quite a unique position, but all is not experimentation, for the core of the band is slathered in snarling, disgusting black metal which works well in tandem with the more worldly elements. The band is named for the pre-WWII French secret society 'Headless'. Stahlhartes Gehäuse is one of two albums the band has debuted this year, the other being Malefeasance (also worth checking out, and more experimental than this).

This album is somewhat of a journey, being 71 minutes in length with only four tracks. "Stahlhartes Gehäuse" (18:43) itself opens with the sound of train tracks and women singing alongside woodwinds. Then the band builds up some tribal percussion, ambience and chanting before a blast of grim and repressed black metal. Yet, even when the band exposes its true colors, you'll hear samples of chanting, added percussion, etc. Later the track shifts into some blackish doom, and an acoustic folk segment. "Psalm of Misery" (12:05) has sampled dirge-like opera vocals which relapse into a melodic, mid-paced stream of chords that gradually accelerates. Though not as aggressive, I preferred the metal in this track to the previous, it's majestic and catchy, and the strings commit to it a grandeur expression. "Perdition" (24:42) is the album's longest piece, opening with stark, thriving ambience that progresses into smashing black metal, pianos and acoustics, and eventually silence. "The Book of Lies/Seventh Gate" (16:21) has an intense, martial appeal created through its sampled choirs and horns and charging pace, it's got some of the more tumultous metal parts on the album and draws to a rousing conclusion. It's also the band's original EP from 2005.

The album is raw but intense, and the tones mesh well with the extensive use of outside elements to flavor the band's concepts. The vocals are painful and straight from the gut, the guitars broil and sear in their own venom, while the drums are crashy and unflinching. Despite the band's talent at black metal sickness, I actually found the metal a mite inferior to their ability to conjure these amazing sample-scapes which cast a shadowed mood over the listener. This is sublime, thinking man's black metal which stands alongside the American elite.

Verdict: Epic Win [9/10]

http://www.myspace.com/lacephale

Patrick Wolf - Lycanthropy (2003)

Ok, it's time for me to focus my misty fanboy eyes long enough to write about Patrick. What's so interesting about him, you say? Well, besides his gorgeous, British looks, this solo multi-instrumentalist is a huge inspiration for me, both for having left home at the age of 16 to live as a travelling violinist with various groups and for his ambiguous, free sexuality. Previous generations had Bowie - I had Patrick. Lycanthropy is his solo debut, produced after a Maison Crimineaux show garnered label attention and support for his work.

Lycanthropy stands as the most youthful of Patrick's albums, showing a wild roughness that embodies the formative calamity of his teenage years. Indeed, the songs to be found within were written over a large period of his youth and feature, more than the following two releases, a clearer look into the elements that inspired and shaped Patrick as he is today. Patrick's main expertise lies in the violin, but the piano and ukulele also play large parts in his style. Whether you look at the stirring hope to be found in "To the Lighthouse's" violin and oboe undercurrents, or the thoughtful play of "London's" simple piano accents, there is a masterful use of very different elements to create a powerful whole. Heavy bass beats and chopped snare violence culled from the changing UK electronica scene drive the songs here with a foot-stomping pulse and a youthful delight in destruction. If there was ever a good argument for the use of folktronica as a genre, this is it.

Patrick's voice and lyrics are fantastic as well. Ranging from introspection to rebellion, his distinctly British singing never hits a weak note. Backing it up are some rather refreshing themes. As Lycanthropy was his teenage album, the lyrics are suitably youthful, brash and confident, yet still vulnerable. Songs like "Wolf Song" and "A Boy Like Me" take the expected direction about standing up for one's self and enjoying life, while others are more personal. "Paris" is a recounting of how he was expelled from a school for kissing a boy, won a lawsuit against them, and bought his piano with the money he received. There's also a touch of darkness in "The Childcatcher," a song about being tied to a bed and molested as a young boy. Patrick is refreshingly personal in his content and delivery, which makes his style all the more amazing.

While I don't hold this to be his best work, Lycanthropy is still a fucking great album that anyone interested in unique indie music should look into.

Verdict: Epic Win (9/10)

http://www.myspace.com/officialpatrickwolf

Irrbloss - Bloodline (2009)

This is the full-length debut of Sweden's Irrbloss, a folk/black metal hybrid who are riding off a pair of decent demos in the past few years. Bloodline is a solid offering with a professional sound and some well-written tracks, sure to please fans of the pagan black style.

"Norse Horde" opens with a glorious, churning riff interspersed in blast beats. The chords used mirror the title well, and there is an excellent riff at around the 2:48 mark which will have you pounding your mead horn. "Keep on Walking" builds upon its opening chords as it weaves a melodic tapestry of Viking-like metal that should do any fan of Moonsorrow proud. "As We Lived" has a great lead-in riff with an air of mystique, and gets even better during the fetching verses. "Gaze Upon Me" is largely a slower piece with some truly majestic melodies amidst its faster bursts. Other excellent tracks are "Heresy" with its brief acoustic opening; the rocking "Midwinters Eve", and the dense title track which ends the debut.

Bloodline sounds fantastic, like the work of a far more experienced band. All instruments are balanced below the vocals of Irrbloss (yep, oddly he uses the same stage name as the band, which is Swedish for 'will-o-wisp'), which are well delivered snarls. The album has enough texture and depth to it that fans of other pagan black bands of quality would probably find it worthwhile. So if you're a sucker for Moonsorrow, Enslaved and the like, give them a listen.

Verdict: Win [8.5/10]

http://www.myspace.com/irrblossband

Lake of Tears - A Crimson Cosmos (1997)

Sometimes an album will come along that is just so damned unique and wonderful that you will find yourself screaming from the rafters on the injustice of its obscurity. How could this have come and gone with nary a whisper? Lake of Tears' 3rd album A Crimson Cosmos is such a piece, a beautiful effort of doom metal with folk and 70s influences, and psychedelic and fantastical themes to many of the lyrics. Their previous album Headstones was a strong one, but this takes the cake and remains my favorite of the band's career.

Although it doesn't lack for heaviness where it counts, a light heart is mandatory to appreciate the band's whimsical lyrics and flights of fantasy. "Boogie Bubble" begins the album with the slow pace you will come to expect on most of the band's tunes, with a catchy doom rock riff complemented with organs, softly tolling bells, and sweet little leads. "Cosmic Weed" rocks harder, with an unforgettable chorus and a perfect chugging gait. The simple and repetitious lyrics to this song exemplify the band's sad but beautiful perspective. "When My Sun Comes Down" is a sorrow-filled, slow moving folk rock epic, enveloped in glorious atmosphere. "Devil's Diner" is a pure rocker, with sweeping pianos. Try and imagine Elton John or Jerry Lee Lewis playing Swedish stoner rock. The lyrics are menacing in the sweetest possible way:

Oh devil dire, save a chair for me
Oh devil dire, for me and my lily
A table set for three, my lily, him and me and a chandelier, and a chandelier
All seven candles lit it scares a little bit oh little lily dear
As the bell strikes twelve, he speaks the evil spell
he speaks the evil spell as the bell strikes twelve

"The Four Strings of Morning" picks up with a pumping bass line, sparse but excellent use of rocking chords, more of the graceful pipe organ sounds in the distance, and an excellent chorus hook. Brennare's vocals sound particularly vulnerable and powerful here. "To Die is to Wake" is a beautiful and inspiring instrumental. Seriously, wake up some morning, look over the arctic wastes of winter New England as the sun breaks the horizon to this. Some of you might not live there, but try and imagine. Because imagination is what this album is all about, as evidenced by the next two tracks. "Lady Rosenred" is a catchy folk jig duo with Brennare and a female guest. The lyrics are beautiful as they recall times of olde and time of fantasy. Any song that talks about 'bards singing in the shadows' and 'jamming with angry mages' is alright with me. "Raistlin & the Rose" is an amazing track which recalls 80s radio rock in its use of synthesizers, yet the doomy chords are still plugging away beneath. Dragonlance fans should get a kick out of its very somber but catchy lyrics, but it's a vague enough romantic interlude that all should apply.

As they dance under the moon
they bring doom
he calls her friend
and says he'll change
she calls him friend
and he deceives again

The album ends with the very folksy and psychedelic title track, recalling Pink Floyd. It's a chill and fitting end to such an amazing experience. And I mean that; this was the first album of its type that I had heard, and a rousing success at mixing its various elements. If Tiamat, Iron Butterfly and Pink Floyd hung out, tripped their balls off, and wrote a record, it may sound like this. This is the also the turning point for Lake of Tears, as it departed from the more straightforward folk/doom of its predecessors. The band continues along this route even on their latest, the excellent Moons and Mushrooms (second only to A Crimson Cosmos).

Brilliant and under appreciated.

Verdict: Epic Win [10/10] (close my heart, hold on to evil)

http://www.lakeoftears.net/

Blood of the Black Owl - A Feral Spirit (2008)

The s/t debut from this Chet W. Scott project was a bleak and wonderfully (or should I say horrifically) realized effort of blackened Northwestern doom, drone, ambient, and a dash of folk. A breath of fresh air, regardless of how much carrion is carried on the scent.

A Feral Spirit is another meditative journey into the grim face of nature, as wholly American as it is disturbing. "Spell of the Elk" is an opening chant set to percussion and subtle ambient synths, with a few droning noises. "Crippling of Age" brings tortured black vocals, paced acoustic drums and a hypnotic wall of fuzzy distorted guitars. A terrifying track, yet it breaks for some scintillating guitars after the halfway point. "He Who Walked Away from the Fire & Laughed as He Bled" is a more psychedelic journey combining all the elements of the first two tracks. "Void" is a black cycle with some clever pipe organ segments dispersed within. "The Melancholy Article" is almost like a super minimal trip hop piece with flutes, horrid poetry and loads of atmosphere. "Unattainable Vistas of Our Remembrance" is a desolate, driven track with a great crescendo of sadly melodic guitars. "Forest of Decrepitude" and "Inter-Weaving the Beyond" are more typical of funeral doom/drone pieces, yet far more interesting than the majority of music in this sub-sub-genre. "Journey of the Plague Year" ends the album, just as hauntingly as it began.

In the end I enjoyed this more than the debut. While that was a pretty colossal effort, this feels slightly more fleshed out and I truly enjoyed the diversity within. It's a beautiful record from start to finish, a hypnotism that is guaranteed to steer your mind to places of longing, into the empty wilderness of both the physical and cerebral world. There is not much else out there like this, it's very much worth owning if you are a fan of any of its musical components. One of the most unique and entrancing 'metal' entities in the US today.

Verdict: Epic Win (9/10)

http://www.myspace.com/bloodoftheblackowl