EMPYRIUM only ever released four official albums before disbanding: A Wintersunset (96), Songs of Moors and Misty Fields (97), Where at Night the Wood Grouse Plays (99), and Weiland (02). To simplify the characteristics of each of those four albums, the first two can be described as dark folk-metal and the latter two as just dark folk, with all emphasis of metal removed. Although the distinction is evident, the same immense depth and emotion is carried throughout their complete discography.
Having spent so much time absorbing the mournful darkness found in Weiland, I had left the other three EMPYRIUM albums almost unattended. My mistake. Songs of Misty Moors and Fields has recently become one of my favorite albums of all time. Indeed, trying to put to page my thoughts on something so brilliant is proving to be more difficult than I thought. Also, referring to this album as dark folk-metal is just too simplistic. Yes, the underlying essence of the music is entrenched within the sorrow of European folk, with its exquisite use of mellotrons, flutes, piano, and violins, but there is also a leaning towards early ANATHEMA-like doom and early OPETH-like progression. Indeed, there are passages that remind of key moments found on both Serenades (Mourners, Ode to melancholy) and Orchid (The blue mists of night) respectively.
Overall, even with aforementioned influences reasonably apparent, EMPYRIUM are definitely unique in their trademark sound. Its certainly possible that several of their songs from Songs of Moors were written on piano before any other instrumentation came to play, and that provides a healthy detour from the typical metal song being written around one or two key guitar riffs. Also, the deep vocals (no falsetto whatsoever) switch among four modes: whisper, spoken narrative, clean operatic, and blackened-grim. The contrast in this sporadic vocal delivery prevents the songs from sounding tiresome and indeed creates a further sense of variety supported with the use of multiple instruments.
To summarize, Ill state that there is nothing joyous as such about the music in Songs of Moors and Misty Fields (or anything by EMPYRIUM for that matter). The prominence of grief and sorrow is abundant throughout, but it is this specific flavor of melancholy that draws me nearer to their compositions. Think of those feelings you get when hearing solemn classical string sections with volume swells that alternate depending on the intensity of the emotional playing; or slowly drawn out doom guitar riffs that get caught in those circular-like motions intended to play on forever. When you add the subtlety of a hushing flute, or the melody cradled by a piano, you get Songs of Moors and Misty Fields. Perfect band, perfect album.
10/10
Track #4 is a behemoth of perfection.
