WYRD - Huldrafolk
Millenium Metal, 2002
This is the second album by the Finnish heathen metal band, Wyrd this year, and it's the project of one man named Tomi Kalliola who may be better known as Narqath . While the first cd consisted of one, long track of pure epical, pagan black metal in 51 minutes, Huldrafolk has the same length but builds up with 6 songs. ("Huldrafolk" is the name of a race of forest spirits.)
This album is again atmospheric, dark pagan metal filled with natural sounds like thunder, rain, animal calls, howling winds and the sea. I simply take this album as the continuation of 'Heathen' because it has the same atmosphere that has been created on 'Heathen'. Slow rhythms are set into the raw black metal roots of the music, supplemented by the epical, mystical mood. The keyboards and the sound of acoustic guitars have an important part (again) to create the album's atmosphere. This music brings the cold melancholy of the Nordic souls and their dark beauty near to us. We can feel the endless and timeless power of nature and the loneliness of the humans. Like in 'Ashes Of Man And Oak And Pine', ' Misanthrope's Masterplan' and in the closing 'The Harvest Day'. There is one song that is more melodic, more Viking sounding, titled 'Aijeke'. It's still epical but not so sorrowful and the medieval reminding melodies are almost danceable. And there is 'Pale Forest' that is just pure, raw black metal. I really like the guitar solo in the middle that you can hardly recognize behind the thick wall of the music. It ends with the sounds of accordion and the rainy sea that leads on the next song 'Huldrafolk'. The title track is also a faster tempod black metal song where you can hear the accordion almost all throughout the song, used just like another typical black metal instrument.
The sound is still raw and deep just like on 'Heathen' making it more natural in overall.
This time Narqath produced a more varied album, musically and lyrically too, dealing with different topics. If you have found Heathen boring, you will prefer Huldrafolk for sure. But if you are rather a fan of epic pagan metal keep listening to Heathen.
Tracklist:
1. Ashes Of Man And Oak And Pine
2. Aijeke
3. Pale Forest
4. Huldrafolk
5. Misanthrope's Masterplan
6. The Harvest Day
Playing time: 50:16
You can read the review about Wyrd: Heathen here
Millenium Metal, 2002
This is the second album by the Finnish heathen metal band, Wyrd this year, and it's the project of one man named Tomi Kalliola who may be better known as Narqath . While the first cd consisted of one, long track of pure epical, pagan black metal in 51 minutes, Huldrafolk has the same length but builds up with 6 songs. ("Huldrafolk" is the name of a race of forest spirits.)
This album is again atmospheric, dark pagan metal filled with natural sounds like thunder, rain, animal calls, howling winds and the sea. I simply take this album as the continuation of 'Heathen' because it has the same atmosphere that has been created on 'Heathen'. Slow rhythms are set into the raw black metal roots of the music, supplemented by the epical, mystical mood. The keyboards and the sound of acoustic guitars have an important part (again) to create the album's atmosphere. This music brings the cold melancholy of the Nordic souls and their dark beauty near to us. We can feel the endless and timeless power of nature and the loneliness of the humans. Like in 'Ashes Of Man And Oak And Pine', ' Misanthrope's Masterplan' and in the closing 'The Harvest Day'. There is one song that is more melodic, more Viking sounding, titled 'Aijeke'. It's still epical but not so sorrowful and the medieval reminding melodies are almost danceable. And there is 'Pale Forest' that is just pure, raw black metal. I really like the guitar solo in the middle that you can hardly recognize behind the thick wall of the music. It ends with the sounds of accordion and the rainy sea that leads on the next song 'Huldrafolk'. The title track is also a faster tempod black metal song where you can hear the accordion almost all throughout the song, used just like another typical black metal instrument.
The sound is still raw and deep just like on 'Heathen' making it more natural in overall.
This time Narqath produced a more varied album, musically and lyrically too, dealing with different topics. If you have found Heathen boring, you will prefer Huldrafolk for sure. But if you are rather a fan of epic pagan metal keep listening to Heathen.
Tracklist:
1. Ashes Of Man And Oak And Pine
2. Aijeke
3. Pale Forest
4. Huldrafolk
5. Misanthrope's Masterplan
6. The Harvest Day
Playing time: 50:16
You can read the review about Wyrd: Heathen here
