Tag: Folk Metal

Duir – Catarsi

Metalcatto

How would you call a band that has folk sounds straight out of Scotland, sings in Italian, and riffs like a German Post-Metal band? Well, Duir seems to be the name, and Catarsi caught me off guard for once in my life. I’m not saying get excited yet, but you’d be right to believe that the artwork promises something interesting. And sure, this album is interesting—but is it good? The tracks are long and the mood is depressing, so is it going to get drony? Let’s find out.

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Tsar Stangra -Химните на разрушените светове (Hymns of the Broken Worlds)

Metalcatto

It’s been a while since I last gave a chance to a little band. Tsar Stangra is basically that – I don’t mean it in a disrespectful way. The whole point of this blog is helping bands reach new people. Hymns of the Broken Worlds pretty enigmatic. Is it folk, or death metal? Or both? Also, I could be wrong, but this might be the first or second band with Bulgarian heritage we’ve reviewed. Hence, I know nothing about Bulgarian metal. Still, there should be fair judgement today. Don’t despair!

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Panopticon – Det Hjemsøkte Hjertet

Metalcatto

I didn’t see this one coming. Panopticon is arguably the project to beat in Black and Folk Metal. Even though Laurentian Blues left me a bit skeptical, every album since Roads to the North has been close to a masterpiece. The ups and downs that Lunn likes to put us through make Det Hjemsøkte Hjertet enigmatic and unpredictable even before the first listen. But let’s get to it, shall we?

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Asenheim – Elbenblut

Metalcatto

Can you believe that this is Asenheim‘s tenth album? I honestly can’t. Why haven’t we heard more about these musicians before now? Is it their marketing team’s fault? Is it our fault? I don’t know, but it’s time to try to fix that by reviewing Elbenblut. Besides, it’s been a while since we reviewed some Black/Folk—yesterday, technically—and you people can’t seem to get enough of this stuff. Let’s face it, you’re all a little geeky deep down. Shall we begin?

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Mývalyĭr – The Past Tales

Metalcatto

Mývalyĭr is what happens when you blend the epic, storytelling scope of Blind Guardian with the intense seriousness of a band like Eternal Storm or other deeply committed MeloDeath acts. Consequently, its new album, The Past Tales, sounded on paper like an oddball proposition for me, as it combines elements I deeply love with others I’m almost embarrassed to admit I enjoy. The central question was how the band would balance its grandiose, fantastical aspirations with the musical gravitas such themes demand. Honestly, my initial hopes were buried underground, but there’s always room for dreaming, right?

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