Artiste: Folkearth
Nationality: Multi
Album: Balder's Lament
Year: 2014
Label: Stygian Crypt Productions
Genre: Folk/Viking Metal
Chronological position: Twelfth album
Familiarity: Zero
Interesting factoid: Oh yeah, interesting is the word! Folkearth is a multinational, multi-musician project that takes in players from the likes of Spain, Australia, Russia, Belgium, Croatia, Italy, USA and more. There are currently twelve band members from eight separate countries, including Greece, Monaco, Argentina, France, Italy, Germany, Russia and USA, and that's only less than half of the members and countries who have participated over this extraordinary band's so-far eleven year existence. They play a mixture of folk music and Viking Metal, and include musicians from bands in both spheres. Hey! I see both Athestan and Wulfstan from Forefather and Autumn and Winter from Hordak all played in this project at one time.
Tracks:
1. Beliskner: Big power metal style guitar attack with that dark growly voice so familiar to those who known Viking Metal. Hammers (sorry) along like a good thing, with a great warrior's chorus. Sad to say, it seems the vocalist, Metfolvik, of Folkodia and Ravenclaw, died shortly before the release of the album, which is dedicated to his memory (see “Comments” section). Some great female backing vocals here too, and it's a great start to the album, wasting no time and getting right down to it. Definitely more on the Viking Metal side than the folk, though. Certainly stirs the blood.
2. Balder's lament: Somewhat slightly slower but still very powerful with some great guitar work.
3. From Volga to Bosphrus: Kicks the tempo back up again in the vein of the opener, with a real folk reel type thing going on with the guitar. Some powerful and passionate vocal work from Metfolvik too.
4. Farewell to the north: This kind of sounds to me, when it starts, like something by Panopticon, which is no bad thing. Another romping rocker, female vocals added this time from the HOT Hildr Valkyrie (see below), also of Folkodia as well as doing her own solo thing. If I have a complaint so far, it's that this is mostly Viking Metal whereas it's supposed also to contain “normal” folk music, and I see cello, violin and accordion credited, none of which I've yet heard.
5. The crimson wine of battle: Nice flute intro (I think it may be recorder, as one is credited, not that I'd know the difference!) with acoustic guitar, then it kicks up again on the electric, Hildr adding her voice to this one too, sharing vocal duties with Metfolvik. Slightly lower-key to a degree, doesn't charge along like some of the other tracks. Oh, there's the violin now. Very nice. Soft passage here in the middle where Hildr takes the vocal solo before Metfolvik comes back in as the song heads towards its end, which is played out on a great acoustic strummed guitar.
6. Eyes of the volva: Back to the full frontal assault now with a big thundering rush as we hear about demons conjured up by Odin, maybe. Powerful, expressive guitar solo halfway through.
7. Donar's hammer: There's a big ringing powerful guitar to start this off, though it rockets along whereas I thought with a title like that it might be more of a cruncher, a grinder. Some very effective female vocals coming in too
8. The silent warrior: Not as silent as you would think!
Big powerful snarling guitars, with attendant cello, this is a slower song, punching along moodily with again a sort of duet between Metfolvik and Hildr.
9. The wine-sacks of the emperor: Serious folk jam going on here for the first few seconds with violin, accordion and guitar before it takes off, but remains in the same kind of jig/reel rhythm just now with electric guitar and harsh vocals. Great performance from Hildr.
10. Anvil of storms: Again more celtic/folk influence in the music here. A good fast rocker to close, and to, I would assume, serve as the swansong for Metfolvik. Some lovely violin here too.
Comments: A touching tribute to the late Metfolvik is on the Metal Archives under his page. It reads
”Thus our hearts and eyes are weepping (sic) for you, our friend forever shall be, in our minds forever shall be, Immortal! You enter the Hall of Brazen Shields as a True Warrior, Who fought brave till the last breath...” The album cover reflects this too, showing a Viking funeral which ties in also with the title of the album. Overall a pretty satisfying album, though given the description of Folkearth I would have liked to have seen a better mix of metal and actual folk music, rather than just snippets before each song tore off into a Viking Metal headbang. Good album, though, even if it didn't quite deliver on the original promise as I understood it.
