Elvenking - The Winter Wake
Candelight Records - CDL299 - March 21, 2006
by Amanda J. Carlson
You know an album is good when a week after last listening to it, you wake up in the morning with songs from it in your head. Thats what has happened to me with this latest release from Elvenking. A line-up change, including the return of their original singer (an excellent move), has helped in taking the band a step forward in their crusade of Celtic/folk style metal.
Elvenking is incredibly fun to listen to. As cheesy as this may sound, their music makes me want to get up and dance around a bonfire with people from the Renaissance while the band rocks out with their electric guitars, violin, and chorus of vocals. Their style is very upbeat, and the incorporation of the violin is an excellent accent to the melodies laid out by the guitars. Theyve made that usually non-metal instrument an integral part of the music even more so than previous albums, many times making it the main focus in songs like "The Wanderer." As they have done in the past, they include an acoustic, ballady song. "On the Morning Dew" is not quite as good as "Skywards" from Heathenreel, one of my all time favorites ever, but as a duet with a female vocalist, it serves its purpose. The main singer that Im so glad theyve re-recruited, is the type of singer that doesnt have a pure singing voice; hes clear-cut, straight-forward, which is just what this style needs.
To enjoy Elvenkings music, one must not mind a little silliness here and there, (like their names for example: Damnagoras, Aydan, Zender, etc.) and fantasy lyrics. Sometimes it sounds like theyre trying too hard to be crazy, but theyve got it down to where those moments come naturally. Its fun, its metal, and itll be in my head some morning in the near future.
8.5/10
UM's Review Rating Scale
Elvenking Official Website
Candelight Records Official Website
Candelight Records - CDL299 - March 21, 2006
by Amanda J. Carlson
You know an album is good when a week after last listening to it, you wake up in the morning with songs from it in your head. Thats what has happened to me with this latest release from Elvenking. A line-up change, including the return of their original singer (an excellent move), has helped in taking the band a step forward in their crusade of Celtic/folk style metal.
Elvenking is incredibly fun to listen to. As cheesy as this may sound, their music makes me want to get up and dance around a bonfire with people from the Renaissance while the band rocks out with their electric guitars, violin, and chorus of vocals. Their style is very upbeat, and the incorporation of the violin is an excellent accent to the melodies laid out by the guitars. Theyve made that usually non-metal instrument an integral part of the music even more so than previous albums, many times making it the main focus in songs like "The Wanderer." As they have done in the past, they include an acoustic, ballady song. "On the Morning Dew" is not quite as good as "Skywards" from Heathenreel, one of my all time favorites ever, but as a duet with a female vocalist, it serves its purpose. The main singer that Im so glad theyve re-recruited, is the type of singer that doesnt have a pure singing voice; hes clear-cut, straight-forward, which is just what this style needs.
To enjoy Elvenkings music, one must not mind a little silliness here and there, (like their names for example: Damnagoras, Aydan, Zender, etc.) and fantasy lyrics. Sometimes it sounds like theyre trying too hard to be crazy, but theyve got it down to where those moments come naturally. Its fun, its metal, and itll be in my head some morning in the near future.
8.5/10
UM's Review Rating Scale
Elvenking Official Website
Candelight Records Official Website
