Trollfest, hmm? Yeah, I've been hiding under a rock and they are a new name for me despite this being their fourth full length. Maybe next time I'll hide under a bridge; often find trolls round there... OK, well I guess, from the cute little cartoon trolls scampering across the cover, they are not at home to Mr Teetotal. Or Mr Sensible.
Hurrah? Well maybe. I'm becoming less and less of a fan of folk metal as it gets dragged down to its lowest commercial denominator. However the press release informs me that this is, actually, Trve Kvlt Balkan Black Metal. From Norway? Checks atlas, gets confused. Actually it does make a difference because like early Finntroll this has Black Metal at its drunken heart and is all the better for it. The only froth here is from blowing the head of the beer.
Things start insanely enough, 'Der Verdammte Hungersnot' (nope, not a clue) being like Finntroll crashing an Eastern European wedding party. It's great lively fun with the ethnic sounds on the accordion, banjo and such being bludgeoned and buffeted by the inebriated black metal guitar and vocals but never swamped. Hard partying.
It's 'Karve' when I'm sent scurrying for the atlas again. Now as already noted, geography isn't my strong suit and the finer points of Balkan musical culture are vague to me but.... is there a strong Mexican influence there??! After the maraccas and the guitars I swear a Mexican cantina band fully stoked on tequila, brass sections and the odd "Aaaarriiiiibaaaaaa!" are uncovered in the corner and don't entirely leave for the rest of the album. Mad. Great bouncing fun, but quite mad.
'Die Beruchtiges Bande' steps up the Turkish/Middle Eastern swirl around the riffs, maybe trying to impress the Mexicans, and its another fun, catchy dance-like-a-loon number that still rocks with some good metal in its engine.
I guess with 'Gjetord', though, we reach the part of the wedding where the in-laws start fighting. The cantina band shuts up and some gumpy, slow, deathcore tinged metal strops around for a few unexciting minutes.
While they clear away the blood we are treated to a semi acoustic, lilting number between the wedding bands which is rather nice. Spoken vocals (about what I haven't a clue so I'll stick with the wedding theme and assume its about the perils of the bride punching out her father-in-law) and a gentle tone, before the next two songs hurl us full blooded into a Turisas-meets-Finntroll mosh that would shake the hangover from any festival crowd.
By 'Undermalere' the brass section in particular is sounding very drunk (in a good way, it certainly makes you want to join them) but these brave little trolls gird their loins for the home stretch. 'Jevnes Med Jordan' introduces a little melancholy to the party and some very good clean vocals and an intense dance feel and the closer 'En Gammel Trollsti' reprises all the Balkan/Middle/Eastern/Mexican blend that has been before and creates an epic, open song. It leaves you like the credits rolling, watching a whole nation unfurl before you.
I have no idea what this is all about. The title is something about the quest for the holy grail - I assume holding beer - but the rest is a mystery. But in an increasingly dull folk metal scene, Trollfest are a welcome blast of catchy, very well played, idiosyncratic lunacy that grips its Black Metal roots with determination making it a far more musclebound prospect than most of their ilk.
Music to have good, happy times to even if I will now never get out of my head the image of trolls running around in ponchos and fake moustaches...
Recommended with a smile.
http://www.trollfest.com
http://www.myspace.com/trollfest
