Nachtfalke

[Shakermaker]

I've recently discovered this german heathen Black Metal band and I'm quite impressed... Nachtfalke is the side project of Occulta Mors, whom some may know from his main band Moonblood. Nachtfalke have already released two albums and play quite a unique brand of heathenish black metal with melodic twists. I'd encourage everyone who likes early Falkenbach or Bergthron to check them out!

Dug up some samples for you...


From the First album "Hail Victory Teutonia" (which I have and which is excellent):

Nordic Warriors
Hail Teutonia
War in Asgard

From the latest Album "Doomed to die":

Walhall
Pestkrieg
Home of once brave (Bathory Cover)

 

[JayKeeley]

@Shakermaker - slightly (completely) off-topic, but was it you that recommended FORSETI here?

 

[Shakermaker]

I remember mentioning them here, yeah

 

[JayKeeley]

I remember mentioning them here, yeah

Oh good, if you don't mind, can you just give a brief reminder? I often read discussions about Forseti and for the life of me, I can't remember where or when I read about the band. In other words, what's so good about them? Are they like Empyrium or are they more like Bergtatt Ulver?

 

[Shakermaker]

No problem.
I'm not that big a specialist concerning the neo folk genre, I mostly listen to the "common" bands from that corner like Tenhi, Empyrium, Hagalaz' Runedance etc. Forseti are maybe a bit more underground but afaik they're already quite big in "the scene" - and rightfully so, because they're really one of my favourite young bands (they only have one full length and one EP out). Well, what's so remarkable about them... hm, to be honest, they're nothing groundbreaking, but they manage to combine some of the best elements of the neo folk genre and the result is an amazing, at times somewhat "familiar" but still VERY original sound. The guitarwork (only acoustics of course) is excellent, other folkloristic instruments are abundant on "Windzeit" (flute, violin etc), the melodies are absolutely beautiful and far from sounding clichéd and the lyrics are small poetic masterpieces. If you put the "Windzeit" album in your player you won't hear any real surprises, no wannabe-original style combinations, just rock solid and hauntingly beautiful german neo-folk.
My only complaint is that one or two songs on the album are a bit too repetitive for my tastes, but when you listen to the CD in the right ambiance and mood, you'll be in a trance quite fast anyway, so that's not important

Ah btw, the singer from Death in June does some guest vocals on the Windzeit CD...

 

[Erik]

This is good stuff. Reminds me a bit of Graveland and stuff.

Also, tell me about Bergthron.

 

[Shakermaker]

Bergthron are one of my favourite bands, a bit more melodic than Nachtfalke, not that folky and very original.
Their first album "Verborgen in den Tiefen der Wälder" is one 32-Minute song, their EP "Uralte Gedanken" is one 20-Minute song and Jagdheim, their latest CD, consists of 3 tracks, all of which are epic and excellent and connected by a beautiful storyline. Also, the Bass on that particular album is absolutely excellent, maybe the best Bass work I've ever heard in the Black Metal genre. Their lyrics are absolutely great, maybe some of the best I know in the whole Metal-genre. "Uralte Gedanken" could be my personal anthem, both lyrically and musically...
You should try and download some of their stuff, it's more than worth it.

 

[JayKeeley]

Shakermaker - you rule. I'll check out Hagalaz' Runedance as well. Have you come across Nest yet? They'll apparently be doing a split with Agalloch at some point in the future, but I have their Woodsmoke album and it is primarily played on the Kantele. I absolutley love this instrument, particularly in the way Amorphis leveraged it. In any case, either on the release prior to Woodsmoke or perhaps their demo, I hear they've managed to play the Kantele through an amp and distort it. Not sure if you've come across this release, but I'm intrigued to say the least.

 

[Shakermaker]

Thanks
Yeah, Hagalaz' Runedance are interesting, not my favourite neo-folk stuff but I really like them. BTW, you talked about Aghast in another thread - I *think* that one of the two "witches" is Andrea Haugen of Hagalaz' Runedance. Don't quote me on that though...
I've read about Nest in connection with that Agalloch Split some time ago - that definitely kindled my interest but somehow I never did any research on them. However, I just found their Website, will listen to the MP3 asap! The latest news, btw:
"The recording of a new split 7" with Agalloch have been finished. The 7" will feature a brand new Nest track "Last vestige of old joy" and a new acoustic song by Agalloch "The Wolves of Timberline". No release date has been set yet."
Hm, isn't a Kantele something like a finnish Sitar? Never really heard this instrument, should be very interesting...

 

[Shakermaker]

That Nest song sounds awesome... moody and ethereal... You were right, the Kantele is a really beautiful instrument. Now can anyone explain me how you play this thing?

 

[JayKeeley]

"The recording of a new split 7" with Agalloch have been finished. The 7" will feature a brand new Nest track "Last vestige of old joy" and a new acoustic song by Agalloch "The Wolves of Timberline". No release date has been set yet."

Nice - thanks for the update. Another entry to my "wanted list"....

 

[Erik]

Bergthron are one of my favourite bands, a bit more melodic than Nachtfalke, not that folky and very original.
Their first album "Verborgen in den Tiefen der Wälder" is one 32-Minute song, their EP "Uralte Gedanken" is one 20-Minute song and Jagdheim, their latest CD, consists of 3 tracks, all of which are epic and excellent and connected by a beautiful storyline. Also, the Bass on that particular album is absolutely excellent, maybe the best Bass work I've ever heard in the Black Metal genre. Their lyrics are absolutely great, maybe some of the best I know in the whole Metal-genre. "Uralte Gedanken" could be my personal anthem, both lyrically and musically...
You should try and download some of their stuff, it's more than worth it.

So if I'm only buying one, I should get "Jagdheim"?

 

[Shakermaker]

Yes, it's probably the best one to buy first.

 

[Doom]

You're right, the woman from Hagalaz' Runedance is one of the two from Aghast. Hagalaz' Runedance are much better though, everyone should check them out.

I'm about to make a post in the neo-folk thread, but I figure I'll post here too.

Forseti are fucking amazing. I have both albums. They're very similar to later day Empyrium, Kveldssanger (sp?) but maybe even better. Anyone even remotely into those more well know albums should check them out. Unlike those bands though, they have absolutely no connection to metal. They're part of what seems to be a really good German dark-folk "scene".

I have Nest's full-length too, "Woodsmoke". It's pretty good, but much to samey. I'll definately be getting the split with Agalloch though, they're one of my favourite bands.

 

[JayKeeley]

I have Nest's full-length too, "Woodsmoke". It's pretty good, but much to samey.

I agree with that wholeheartedly. Unlike anything by Empyrium or Kveldssanger, I don't listen to Nest all the way through. However, I hear their first release/demo is slightly more experimental, but I won't know until I get round to sending US dollars to some dude in Latvia and hope he doesn't run of with the cash. What the hell have people got against PayPal?

 

[Erik]

What the hell have people got against PayPal?

Well, for example, if you get paid with a stolen credit card, YOUR account gets closed down and PayPal takes any and all money that was in it. I pay WITH PayPal but I'm a tad hesitant to take payments with it.

http://www.paypalsucks.com/

I do not mistrust people that deal with underground metal though, unless I have good reason to. I'd be more wary about the Latvian post.

 

[JayKeeley]

Well, for example, if you get paid with a stolen credit card, YOUR account gets closed down and PayPal takes any and all money that was in it.

Wow, that's ludicrous. I never knew all of that.

I do not mistrust people that deal with underground metal though, unless I have good reason to. I'd be more wary about the Latvian post.

"deal" as in buy and/or sell? More the reason to use PayPal then perhaps? I guess I'm not sure now if the sellers are potentially subject to underground metal fans using stolen credit cards to buy demos and whatnot.

 

[JayKeeley]

I spent some time looking for Bergthron MP3 samples last night to no avail. Can anyone point me to a URL, preferably with Jagdheim samples?

Also, in all my surfing, I came across an interesting band: VINTERRIKET. http://www.vinterriket.com/

They have samples at www.mp3.de. Lots and lots of limited pressings of all their releases, and a few splits. They sound a little like Summoning meets Burzum entrenched in winter forest folk.

 

[Erik]

Have an album. Vinterriket is best when he doesn't try doing metal. Some of the ambient/synth works are quite good but the metal stuff is lacking.

 

[JayKeeley]

Erik - as a devout fan of the genre, how frustrating is it to see literally thousands upon thousands of "black metal" bands (in all shapes and sizes) on every other metal-related URL? I know we've talked about BM being the most saturated genre, but even my head begins to spin. I spent 2 hours last night looking at all these sites and samples, and at the end of it, I felt I got nowhere.

Take for example Xasthur. I don't know about you, but I came across it through npearce and demonichorde. How many "Xasthur" bands are in existence? Thousands right? I know there must be a lot of crap out there, but it's annoying to know that there is some real works of genius being swallowed up by every other one man band with a picture of a b&w forest on the album/demo cover.