I’m not sure that Holland is especially renowned for its folk metal bands in quite the same way as Finland is, but there is at least one band who are standing tall representing the Netherlands. Discovering that this is only the second album released by Heidevolk is something of a relief, as this means I don’t have too much catching up to do with their back catalogue.
If you’re the kind of person who likes to sit and ponder over lyrical meanings and concepts then a Dutch phrasebook might come in rather handy as it’s all sung in their native tongue, but my advice is to sit back and enjoy what this album has to offer musically. Lyrical inspiration is born out of the bands collective love of nature as well as a fascination with Germanic folklore, and if you are genuinely interested in learning about the themes discussed in the songs then a visit to their official website will provide a lesson in Gods, heroes and the town of Gelderland.
It’s ironic how sometimes it’s the songs where lyrics make the least sense to us can inspire the most vivid pictures to form in the mind (one example that springs to mind is Summonings ‘Mirdautas Bras’, as I for one didn’t take Orcish at GCSE!). Perhaps it’s just the exoticism of hearing a language that’s different to yours, but the native approach to the lyrical content gives the music a more authentic flavour. The album opens to the roar of thunder as a heavy burst of rain breaks through the clouds setting the tone for what lies ahead. Clean vocals soar lightly over the heavy soundscapes, where frenzied blasts are met with frolicsome guitar melodies, raging through battering storms and drifting through tranquil passages where traditional instruments take a leading part, such as on ‘Koning Radboud’ where a horn sounds out over a beleaguering array of drums and crunchy guitars which storm through the fun filled folkesque sing along, descending into a turbulent moment of Ensiferum like madness topped off with desperate Germanic shouts. The contagious swagger of ‘Wallhalla Wacht’ carries a smattering of Finntroll styled playfulness disguised in the coalescence of blackened guitars and rhythmic percussion swing, as a roaring succession of HEY’s come volleying in. ‘Opstand der Bataven’ storms into battle with a powerful gallop of guitars, and the album finishes off with a calm instrumental.
So maybe this isn’t entirely groundbreaking, but Heidevolk do have their own sound and offer something a little bit unique. Wallhalla Wacht is soothingly melodious, obstinately heavy and a little bit chaotic. Recommended for fans of Falkenbach and Finntroll.
http://www.heidevolk.com
