Istapp : "Sól Tér Sortna"

 

This Swedish band's first album has remained my favorite, so let's see how their fourth album holds up against it. It's melodic black metal with a thrashing intensity so true to who they are as a band when things kick off with the harmonized buzz of guitars. Synths and sung vocals play a marginally larger role in the song's overall feel. In 2010 when their first album was released fewer bands did this sort of thing The buzz of the guitar while melodic begins to feel formulaic as they go back to the well again.  There is more of TYR feel to the sung vocals. The break in the second song works really well and I would like to hear more of that brand of experimentation work its way into their songwriting here.

"Gryla" finds things thankfully switching up to a darker throb. This takes things in a much more black-metal direction. "Storm Av Is" finds more of a traditional metal gallop coming into play with more folk metal elements coloring the song. This works for me, as it takes the emphasis of the typical black metal buzz of racing guitars. It is brighter in sound, but in the interest of having a more dynamic overall experience with this album, I prefer it to just the same thing being hammered at you to the point of numbing your ears out. "Frostdraken" brings back the more blackened buzz, and rapid-fire attack, for those who are fans of that sort of thing. The title track is also off to the races with a similar vibe though marginally more melodic, though still workings off their formula for this sort of thing. 

Of course, a song called "Ragnarok" has to have the folky feel of a biking drinking song, though when it kicks in despite dialing the bpms back a little it does have more of a black metal slant. The last two songs sit solidly within the blackened thrash realm of what this band does consistently. They are solid enough songs, that work for what they are doing for here. I will give this album an 8.5, it's a refinement in what you expect this band to do. It drops March 6th on Trollzorn records.  

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Cruachan: "Nine Years of Blood"

I think my thoughts on the folk metal have made a few things clear to most readers. Most of them can be summed up by saying I want to like it , but most of the time it's not dark enough for me. Last week we were going to the Renaissance Festival and folk metal was obviously needed for the trip down. So I downloaded this album and the new one by Heidevolk. The Heidevolk album was too happy. This one made the cut. The folk elements are blended into this Irish band's sound in a very fluid manner. Like most folk metal album their are a few little instrumental interludes that you have to sort through. These guys use harsher vocals and sung vocals. There guitar tone has balls to it and there is aggression that is not just LARPing. They do fall into a little more of a jig on "Blood & Victory" than I might prefer , though make up for it on the melodic break to some extent.

Lyrically these guys are pulling from the history books, makes the songs rather bardic. Lots of Irish pride going on here. When the fiddles are busting out more of a minor key melody, it works better for me though sometimes this is undone when they go into something that sounds more like a drinking song. "the Battle Of the Yellow Ford" has more scathing vocals on the verses , but doesn't strike me as inspired as the first few songs. While it has a commanding thrash gallop the folk melodies laid over  "Cath Na Brioscai" fall a little flat on me. "The Harp, the Lion, the Dragon and the Sword" has enough of thrashing energy to keeps it's momentum despite the happier touches of folk. Some songs grab me harder than others as it heads into the album's third act. The bands harder moments leaning closer to thrash than black metal. It is some of the more melodic touches that have the most impact.

"Back Home in Derry" closes the album. An odd choice considering how compact the song. It does show the two sides of the band and show the extremes of these two dynamics working together. It actually pretty catchy. This album runs into some of the genre's pitfalls , but is generally aggressive enough to thrash past them. I'll give this album an 8.