Folkearth
Drakkars In The Mist

This band has managed to capture the legacy of Bathory and fuse it with Scandinavian folk. But perhaps I should call it a super-band, since the final page of the booklet with the musicians' photo looks like a class picture. A total of 30, coming from 11 different countries. The only thing necessary in my opinion is a singer with a distinctive voice and longer lyrics, then it would deserve a perfect score.

The first track, "Before battle I embrace", is an excellent mythological Viking Metal; more notable and pleasant is the next one, opening with the lingering gallop of horses and the piano, while the voice starts with a Venom-like enunciation directed at mythology and the Macedonian empire. Then Karapanos (vocals) gives an excellent interpretation of a war chant that becomes haunting in the throat passages; able to make even the simple guitar arpeggio in the background stand out.

"Griminsmol" introduces the folk elements to irrigate Karapanos's voice once again demonstrative of talent, even with some beautiful high notes to mark sudden surges in the meter here similar to Black Majesty; then delving into the guttural. Truly a great performance; as well as the grand piano and the female voice, similar to Sarah Jezebel Deva. The following track is also very beautiful, an instrumental folk piece marked by a harp and the excellent guitarist, bringing this river-like melody close to "Stormblast" by Dimmu Borgir; extending their flair to the next one, where a female chant suspended between the sacred and the profane is resumed... so beautiful that it still doesn't distract from the guitarist.

The mythological theme shifts in the subsequent duets to the God of nature and all, Pan; and Thor, while the exalting vocal lines remain, more uniform compared to "Griminsmol" and replicating the attempt to pierce eardrums with the grand high notes. The album doesn't lack other melodic flashes, this time of pure folk, then moving to the style of Burzum with some sacred female backing vocals. In general, the last part of the album is more melodic in the music.

In my opinion, the album is well-executed. Obviously, the credit goes to Karapanos, who I believe descends from a mighty Viking, and the guitars, both electric and acoustic. Because all this display seems a bit superfluous to me.