Folk

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    Empyrium – The Turn of the Tides (2014)

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    Having waited for more than 10 years for a new Empyrium release, the arrival of this release was the highlight of our month. With “The Turn of the Tides”, Ulf Theodor Schwadorf and Thomas Helm return with a release that combines all elements from Empyrium’s past in a very fresh and masterful way. Featuring seven tracks of majestic atmospheric music, the band surpasses all the expectations and once again, sets the bar higher.

    The release opens with the ray of light called “Saviour”. In this track the somber piano opening perfectly sets the mood for this majestic release. As the atmospheric elements keep unveiling parallel to Helm’s vocals, the full Empyrium experience begins. The release continues with the already unveiled “Dead Winter Ways”, a majestic track that is both bleak and dramatic. Featuring distorted guitars, this is a first in a few releases for Empyrium.

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    Noctooa – Adaptation (2014)

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    Today we have another very interesting re-release through Pesanta Urfolk, and this release is none other than Noctooa’s “Adaptation”. Featuring a very unique sound, this band mixes Neofolk with New Wave elements creating something very original that is labeled “Cave Wave” by the band themselves. One thing is for sure that their sound is quite engaging and hypnotic, so be prepared to be trapped by their dark atmosphere.

    In the opener “Persistence” the first impression we perceive is the very somber atmosphere nicely surrounded by piercing vocals. With a certain Tenhi vibe, the string instruments in this track (and release) are quite well arranged to create a very dense atmosphere. As the album rolls through very melancholic tunes like “Can’t Serve” and “Poly-Dimensional”, it is not until “Sleeping Beira” that we are truly enchanted by the ritualistic feeling behind the music.

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    Blood and Sun – White Storms Fail (2014)

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    Finally seeing the light of day on a physical release, today we have Blood and Sun’s “White Storms Fail”. Out in May via Pesanta Urfolk, this is an excellent Neofolk release that spawned as the collaboration between Tanner Anderson (Obsequaie/Celestiial), Luke Tromiczak (Maledicere), and Erik Wivinus (Thunderbolt Pagoda). Quickly gathering attention as one of the best Neofolk acts from North America, you can’t afford to miss this collector’s edition release of the album.

    With the intro nicely bleeding into “Merciless Master”, the band instantly establishes a very somber and engaging mood. Luke’s vocals nicely draw the listener into the very interesting lyrics presented. The music at its core is very traditional but the incorporation of elements like the hammered dulcimer, violin, and cello, make for a more immersive and unique experience.

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    Dornenreich – Freiheit (2014)

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    Receiving this release with the bittersweet news that this will be the last Dornenreich release for a while, “Freiheit” is the band’s eight studio album in 18 years. Even though the band is not splitting up or anything, the band leaves us with a very unique release that combines both aspects of the band over the years: their dark neo-folk incursions and the more traditional Pagan/Black Metal elements. With eight tracks and over 45 minutes of music, the listener will accompany Dornenreich into their very special world.

    The dramatic “Im ersten aller Spiele” opens with piercing violins and lush string instruments. There is something about the spoken German vocals that adds a great level of depth to the band’s unique music. “Von Kraft und Wunsch und jungen Federn” continues with a very dramatic and heartfelt approach, with hasty vocals and some intense sections, we can instantly feel the mood transmitted by the band in this track. Things turn darker and slower once more with one of our favorites “Des Meeres Atmen”, a very melancholic and enchanting tune.

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    Sabbath Assembly – Quaternity (2014)

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    The weirdest band in the planet has finally returned with an even weirder release with “Quaternity”. Sabbath Assembly has been focusing since its inception to re-interpret the hymns of The Process Church of the Final Judgment, and with this release they take things further into darker corners with a bit of a shift from the more Psychedelic/distorted guitars oriented music to a more rudimentary and bone chilling musical deconstruction.

    After the chilling intro “Let Us Who Mystically Represent...”, Jamie Myers (vocals) and Dave Nuss (drums) return with a more elaborate and expansive sound combining minimalistic percussions and string instruments on “Jehovah on Death”. The music in this release, in its majority, is all new and original from the band with just a lyrical inspiration of the Process Church’s vast weirdness.

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    Nebelung – Palingenesis (2014)

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    Arriving from Germany, today we have Neo-folk trio Nebelung and their latest full-length release titled “Palingenesis”. Featuring six tracks of hauntingly dark compositions, this outfit delivers a similar vibe to genre greats Empyrium and Tenhi. Filled with lush soundscapes and very elegantly crafted melodies, this is one Neo-folk release you don’t want to miss in 2014.

    The album opens with the mellow “Mittwinter”, a song that nicely builds momentum and showcases lush acoustic guitar arrangements. As we move into the somber “Nachtgewalt” we get that instant Empyrium “Weiland” vibe with the imposing cello leading the way. The band’s ability to keep the tension escalating without giving anything away is one of their top skills in this release.

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    Albatwitch - Only Dead Birds Sing Over the Graves of Fallen Kings (2013)

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    Being used to receive very weird and unique releases, we can’t say that we ever expected to come across an album as unique and puzzling as Albatwitch’s “Only Dead Birds Sing Over the Graves of Fallen Kings”. Mixing Folk with Americana, Drone, Sludge, d-beat, crust, Black Metal and a slew of other influences, this is one hell of a rollercoaster ride that is better left to fully unravel rather than try to understand it.

    The album opens with a Folk track that brings back memories of the banjos in the movie “Deliverance”, but it quickly transforms into punishing Noise with hellish vocals. And this is just in the first 3 minutes of music. Sludgy Black Metal quickly follows in “Beneath The Flood”, just before we jump into Burzum-esque territory (his instrumental stuff) and then back into more lush Neo-Folk/Folk with very melancholic vocals and the album’s title track.

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    Empyrium – Into the Pantheon (Live in Leipzig 2011) (2013)

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    Having been a huge fan of Empyrium since their 1996 release “A Wintersunset...”, when we heard that they would be giving their first live concert in the band’s history at the 2011 WGT in Leipzig, Germany, our plane tickets and festival accommodations were booked in an instant. As one of those magical moments were a band that never played live comes together, this show was set to be a very special event. Featuring a ridiculous live line-up with musicians from bands like Alcest, Les Discrets, Neun Welten, Dornenreich, amongst others, the band’s music was surely going to be brought to life in a very accurate manner.

    Arriving at the venue almost two hours before the show, we managed to be almost at the beginning of the line. Talking with super excited Empyrium fans just made the experience even more impressive and generated even more expectation amongst all the people gathered there. The live DVD version of this release manages to capture with great precision the magic of this night thanks to the crystal clear recording of the music and the HD video that was used to capture the event.

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    Scout Paré-Phillips – Fields of Ash (2013)

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    Being very far from your average Infernal Masquerade release, today we have Scout Paré-Phillips and her 7” release “Fields of Ash”. Featuring two haunting tracks, this very short but effective release will grab you attention since the first minute and will never let go. Being a member of The Sterling Sisters, Scout Paré-Phillips manages to craft two very unique songs that cannot be missed by any fan of Neo-folk music with mesmerizing female vocals.

    The opener track is “Fields of Ash”, a nearly three minute tune that starts with beautiful acoustic percussions and ethereal vocals. The simplicity behind this mesmerizing track is perfect for the excellent vocal melodies and basic instrumentation. The second song, “In the End”, takes a more dramatic twist and enables Scout’s vocals to shine through the melancholic acoustic guitars. This track has a considerably darker edge and a very relaxed soothing vibe.

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    Riitaoja – Mantereelle (2013)

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    Keeping things very weird and confusing, today we have Finland’s Riitaoja and their mystical release “Mantereelle”. With each song being weirder than the previous one, this band mixes elements from Folk, Southern Rock, and Jazz creating a very dark and experimental mix that is quite puzzling, but at the end of the day it is quite enjoyable and unique. An extra layer of mystery is added by the Finish lyrics, making the music even more confusing since it sounds familiar but we have to clue what they are trying to say.

    “Vähän matkaa vielä” opens this release with a very solemn vibe thanks to the subtle bass guitar and desolate female vocals. This track reminded us a bit of earlier Hexvessel but with a darker and slower pace. The experimental Tenhi-esque “Ilmiliekki”, leads to the quite interesting “Hengitän”, a song that has a Southern Rock vibe to it. As the album progresses until “Allergiset oireet” the band starts making their Southern Rock/Americana influences more evident by introducing traditional rhythms and elements like the harmonica.

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