Wyrd
Huldrafolk

Just one year after their debut album ("Heathen"), the Wyrd return, at the time a Finnish one-man band offering black metal with typically folk shades.

After an album like Heathen, a lot was certainly expected from Wyrd. Heathen was an album difficult to assimilate, there's no doubt about that. A single track for about 50 minutes of music was almost a gamble, but Narqath managed not to make it gaudy and pretentious, and indeed Heathen is recognized by many as a great masterpiece. A mix between the murderous outbursts typical of the genre and the excessive use of synths that nevertheless never become annoying. In short, it's difficult to surpass oneself when one births such a creature, and indeed I could never say that this "Huldrafolk" is better than its predecessor.

When black metal and Finland are mentioned, for obvious reasons, people think of Impaled Nazarene, probably the most important and well-known band, but fortunately, there are few points of contact between the two bands. I'd say just the country of origin, because Wyrd creates music so different from their compatriots, but also different from many other groups in the industry. In short, the Wyrd are definitely ahead in the world of folk-styled Black Metal, and they rank among the most enjoyable entities present on the scene in recent years.

And while it's unfortunately impossible to say that this is Wyrd's best album, it's also impossible not to acknowledge its enormous greatness. The ingredients are still the same, medievally tinted arpeggios, synths that give the songs that pagan atmosphere that would otherwise be difficult to recreate, ''viking''-style choirs, and more. But the Wyrd have a flaw. When they decide to shift, or at least to put a brake on their evocative shades to focus solely on a more traditional pure black metal terrain, they become rather unpleasing and above all not very skillful. Not to mention when they decide to play Death Metal (as in "Kammen"), really not convincing at all. They have a way to go in that field.

And "Huldrafolk"? Well, "Huldrafolk" is a great album, emotionally balanced. It knows how to touch the listener's soul, especially in the first and long "Ashes Of Man And Oak And Pine". A sort of anthem to the Finnish lands, to their cultural heritage. Probably the best track of the bunch that shows Wyrd in all their greatness.

Because Wyrd are great (the title track and "Aijeke" prove it) but they are probably not complete. This is their only flaw.

But nonetheless, compliments to Narqath.