Månegarm – Edsvuren
Swedish blackened folk metal stalwarts Månegarm have returned after three years with new album Edsvuren, which heralds their 25 year anniversary as a band. Boasting twelve songs, all barring two running under five minutes, Edsvuren mainly stays on the folk-heavy side of their spectrum. I can largely laud them for this choice, as the folk melodies are strong on tracks like “Rodhin’s Hav”, “Till Gudar’s Följe” and “I Runor Risdates Orden”, especially where rooted in the string section and the lilting, sweet vocal lines courtesy of guest musician Elinor Videfors. Erik Grawsiö’s gruff cleans also compliment the music well, adding to the swashbuckling vibe and adding some edge that nicely contrasts the more syrupy nectar of most of the folksy melodies on display.
While there are some triumphant and chest-thumping black metal moments on “En Blodvittneskrans” and “Hör mitt kall” that remind of Thyrfing, which are perfect for a jumping raucously onto a table at yon favorite mead-hall, Månegarm do tumble into one of the more prevalent pitfalls that pepper folk metal ground, whihc is that the folk is mostly more interesting than the metal. The drum parts in most of the heavier sections feel especially facepaint-by-numbers, and where electric guitars and violin duel for attention, such as on “Skild från hugen”, the strings always seem to steal the show, leaving the metal as a somewhat forgettable texture in the background. Still, if you like this type of folk metal, with a good dose of merriment but also an equally surprising amount of grit and strong sense of melody, Månegarm are probably straight up your fjord.
Suotana – Ounas II
I’ll be the first to admit I have a huge soft spot for Finnish melodic death metal. There’s just something about the urgency, bombast and crystalline honesty present in the melodies that does it for me. That brings us to Suotana, a folk- and symphonic infused melodic death metal band hailing from the Finnish swamplands. This geo-location is a bit of a guess by yours truly, but considering their quirky moniker, I’d make a bet. You see, “Suotana” is a portmanteau of “Suo” (“Swamp”) and “Saatana” (you guessed it, “Satan”). Suitably, Suotana peddle a quintessentially Finnish melodic style, reminiscent of Wolfheart, Wintersun and Aether Realm.
The best melodic morsels are located in the album’s gooey central bog-heart, with the three-track run of “Winter’s Visions” through to the excellent “The Crowned King of Ancient Forest” (complete with a classic Finnish missing article) offering speedy and exhilarating melodeath riffs paired with twinkly keys, shimmering synths and energetic drumming. Since this type of metal is such a comfort pick for me, I find it quite hard to be critical. I’ll readily admit that if you’re familiar with some of the bands name-dropped above, Suotana will probably not surprise you but should still offer plenty of sweeping goodness to lose yourself in. I’m also not big on the decision to end the album on a Children of Bodom cover, as it is already quite short as is, and the lengthy penultimate track “1473 Ounas” has not yet grasped my as much as the preceding material, although this might have to do with it’s placement as well as the rather short time I’ve been able to spend with it.
Zatokrev – Bring Mirrors to the Surface
There seems to be something interesting afoot in the Swiss metal scene recently. Between Arkhaaik’s recent triumph, the steady quality output of Schammasch and the boundary pushing, genre-bending of Zeal & Ardor, I’m always on the lookout for more interesting fare from this alpine tax paradise. Nevertheless, Zatokrev are a basel-based post metal band who have been around since 2002 but have as of yet abseiled under my radar. Featuring contributions of both the aforementioned Schammasch and Manuel Gangeux (the main creative force behind Zeal & Ardor), they are clearly well embedded in the Swiss scene. This is also readily apparent from the ritualistic, entrancing quality that these bands all share, offering not just powerful riffs and rhythms but also a keen penchant for texture and atmosphere that envelops the listener and knows just when to break up the drone and introduce a well placed shift to maintain engagement and trance simultaneously.
Zatokrev forge a textured and tectonic post and doom metal soundscape, summoning influences of Cult of Luna on “Red Storm”, “Blood”, Ahab on “Unwinding Spirits”, Lantlos meets Oranssi Pazuzu on “The Only Voice” and Mathilde in the masterful use of spacey atmosphere mixed with huge riffs. There is an extraterrestrial quality in their music, like being crushed by a vast, unfathomable monolith of starlight somewhere alone in a dark corner of a lonely expanse of space. This is an album to give in to, and whether or not you enjoy it will depend entirely on your ability to let the album’s pace dictate. This album requires some time to sink in, and I will definitely proceed to give it more of mine, and let it pull me into its great sonic void. This is definitely not the album for busy surroundings or an overburdened mindscape, but let it wash over you in a dark room, though, and you will be whisked away on a grand, gravitational journey by these Swiss sorcerers.