TrollfesT
Villanden

After the interesting and amusing, albeit somewhat crude, debut and the subsequent "Brakebein", Trollfest have come to compose what is so far their most "mature" album, as long as such an expression can be applied to their boisterous and over-the-top music.

After all, the musicians themselves don't take themselves too seriously (they have declared to compose predominantly in a state of inebriation), far from wanting to impress with who knows what virtuosity or stimulate thought with deep lyrics, the sole purpose of their music is to entertain and give the listener about forty minutes of revelry. Their sound can be categorized under folk-metal, although the band has a completely unique sound that stands significantly apart from that of other groups in the genre, a hybrid of metal, folk, ska, and beer hall anthems.

A further differentiation has taken place precisely in this album where the coordinates of humppa (Finnish polka), to which Fintroll and many of the copycat groups refer, have been abandoned, moving towards more oriental sounds with references to Balkan folk music. From an arrangement point of view, this is certainly their compositional peak: the tracks, despite their frenzied and anarchic nature, are well-crafted and convincing, and the various styles are blended without being forced. The vocals, as usual, are in Trollspråk (language of the Trolls), which is practically a mix of Norwegian and German, with many grammatical liberties, matching perfectly with the spirit of the compositions.

The themes of the various songs mainly revolve around alcohol, Trolls wandering around killing Christians, gorging themselves or getting drunk, or doing all three things together. A special mention goes to the title track, which talks about a genetically modified and demonically possessed wild duck thirsty for Christian blood. This track represents the essence of Trollfest's thinking, and it's impossible to remain impassive when, during the song, the singer starts quacking ("Villanden, vratte fram! Kvakk, Kvakk...Kvakk, Kvakk...").

A real remedy against bad mood, this album is fresh and thoroughly enjoyable, making its genuine ignorance its strong point and, precisely for this reason, being more convincing than many other works that attempt to reach artistic heights, only to come across as bland and inconclusive. To the purists who think music must always and necessarily be art and elevate the spirit, this CD might not appeal, to all others I recommend at least giving it a listen, perhaps setting the right mood with one or two accompanying beers!

Highlights: "Der JegerMeister", "Villanden", "Der Uhr Ist Skandaløst Schändlich"