Forefather - Last of the Line (2011)

Forefather

Last of the Line

Seven Kingdoms

2011

Forefather is a viking... I mean anglo-saxon metal band, founded in Leatherhead (England) by two brothers - Athelstan and Wulfstan. In brief the play black metal mixed with heavy metal with an epic attitude and lyrics about anglo-saxon period of english history. 

The music is not very complicated, but it has it's own spirit. What surprised me is an almost merry beginning of the album, played in the vain of traditional heavy metal. Later the music is darker, but I must admit that pure heavy metal now dominates in Forefather's music. There are loads of great melodies here, but played in a way that it doesn't sounds like some crappy Gamma Gay or other shit like that. The riffs are being played with very folkish attitude, yet don't expect any folk-metals or a music from the sign of Tyr. Athelstan and Wulfstan are heavily soaked in old school heavy metal and of course Bathory. The only reminiscences of old black metal style are harsh vocals (but even them are less common than clear, sublime ones) and some guitar pitches, and very quick tempos at the end that can be associated with BM.  

The album, even if as I said is not very complicated , is constructed cleverly. There are more epic, slow tracks like for example "Up High" with dignified vocals of Wulfstan. The song remind me a bit some hymn or thing like that - but anyway it's a very enjoyable piece of art. There are also wilder, faster and darker tracks like the next one on the list - "Wolves of Prayer" or "Shadows of Dead" with an intensive tempo (blast-beats). I have also a feeling that the music is getting heavier since "Wolves...", but still don't expect some complete sonic massacre. 

I am writing and writing, but you still don't know is "Last of the Line" good or is it not. Well, it's good. It's almost completely unoriginal, but from the other side it's composed with taste. The music is not getting boring even after many replays, and you can remember some melodies already after a first time with this album. A fine piece of anglo-saxon music :)

Rate: 7+/10

Vladyka

Tracklist:

1. Cometh the King

2. Last of the Line

3. Chorus of Steel

4. By Thy Deeds

5. Up High

6. Wolves of Prayer

7. Wyrda Gesceaft

8. Doomsday Dawns

9. Shadows of the Dead

10. Spears of Faith

11. The Downfallen

12. Into the rising sun

Solstafir - "Svartir Sandar" (2011)

Solstafir

"Svartir Sandar"

Season of Mist

2011

For those who don't know this band - Solstafir is hailing from Iceland. They are playing a psychedelic/progressive metal (although they started as a viking metal act), and "Svartir Sandar" is their 4th full lenght album.
It is also a bit different than the previous one, "Kold". The first thing that comes to ear is the production - it's much lighter. It can be still very sultry, but there are also moments when it become more spacious. Thanks to that the riffs are not as heavy as they used to be in the past. They lost some of their power, but from the other side they become more hypnotic now, which is also an interresting thing. The music is diverse - and it's very important, due to the fact that this album lasts for almost 80 minutes! That's really long, but fortunetely Solstafir knows how to rivet listener's attention. The music is this time stronger inspired by a classic rock (Led Zeppelin, for example) than their previous creativeness. From what I hear it concerns mostly the second CD. A bit strange, yet such tracks as "Stormfari" seems to confirm my words.
But the base is here still the same. Production - despite of mentioned differences - is still enough sultry and first of all psychedelic, with "cold sound" and many echeos of guitar. Solstafir's riffs are clearly inspired by post-rock, classic rock acts and proggresion. Luckily not that boring proggresion from the sign of Dream Theater with thousand of guitar solos masturbation, but from this more atmospherical bands. The music is really not very complicated, it bases mainly on frugal riffs, simple drum beats and some relishes hidden in the background. Technically it's not a masterpiece, but it's not a point here- the point is an atmosphere! And the guys know how to create it. What especially makes impression are vocals - Adalbjorn has such a characteristic, thrilling voice that your heart has to be made of stone if you are not moved after listening to such "Thin Ord", haha! The band very often goes into faster, more dynamic areas and I must say that was a good idea. If they would play constantly slow, minimalistic tracks like "Fjara" I would fell into a sleep after some time. And well, that's more or less everything I wanted to write.
If you would like to see pristine, cold landscapes of Iceland and you don't have enough money for a ticket you can always buy this album. It will bring you there, as it's just a sonic trip through the wildest parts of this island. Solstafir created something really great, something that will be appreciated by the people who loves a bit of frosty tunes in the music...

Rate: 8+/10
Vladyka

P.S
Here you can watch the amazing video created for the first single, "Fjara":

Tracklist:
(Disc 1)
1. Ljos i Stormi
2. Fjara
3. Thin Ord
4. Sjuki Skuggin
5. Aera
6. Kukl

(Disc 2)
1. Melrakkalbus
2. Draumfari
3. Stinningskaldi
4. Stormfari
5. Svartir Sandar
6. Djakninn

Kroda - "Schwarzpfad" (2011)

Kroda

Schwarzpfad

Purity Through Fire

2011

 

This is the 5th album of ukrainian black/folk metalers from Kroda. Or maybe I should write "metaler", because this is also the first album released after leaving a band by one of the co-founders - Viterzgir. 

Well, I am not sure if this is beacause of line up changes or not, by "Schwarzpfad" is much more rawer material than the previous ones. The ukrainian folk instruments are reduced here to minimum. But don't worry - Kroda haven't loose it's original sound. Traditional instrumentation this time is being used not to create an atmosphere, but to just highlights it. I love their previous stuff, but as for me that kind of playing is also pretty good! It can be clearly heard that Eisenslav decided to create much more darker compositions, and so to use more keyboard instead. It really works, the music is more mysterious and even a bit depressive. Just listen to this weird, haunted ending of the second track "Universal Provenances" which I am listenning now - it makes overwhelming impression.

Predominatingly characteristic, possessed vocals are howling desperately about the upcoming end of the world, guitars are mostly grinding listeners' ears with quite melodic, yet still very raw riffs and drums are quickly striking rhythm heralding the upcoming Ragnarok. Yet quite often everything turns into slower, more melancholic areas with usage of folk stuff or just acoustic guitars. But of course as I have written before don't expect another "Cry To Me, River..." because this time Korda explores more gloomy fields. The last novelty is the ending track "Cold Aurora", entirely composed as an cold, ambient thing. Most of the bands which tries to compose such things are just boring me to death, but in this case it's a great example how to end the album in a big way.

To make it quick, generally speaking I am glad that Eisenslav do not goes the easy way, but still tries to create something fresh. "Schwarzpfad" is a great piece of black metal art. The maniacs of that kind of playing should immediately get this album, if they haven't already do it. All hail Ragnarok! 

Rate: 9+/10

Vladyka

Tracklist:

1. First Snow

2. Universal Provenances

3. Forefather of Hangmen

4. Heil Ragnarok!

5. Cold Aurora