When Finntroll first emerged from under their bridge they were doing something quite unique. That is, before the scene exploded and hundreds of new bands jumped out all trying to infuse metal with traditional folk sounds, slowly and gradually watering things down until we get to 2010. Now the mere mention of flutes or hurdy-gurdy’s or songs about orcs and elves is more likely to have me rolling my eyes having heard one too many bland, diluted and pedestrian folk metal album with nothing to offer.
So if there is a modicum of hope for rekindling my interest in a tired genre, perhaps this album could be it. It’s been three years since the rather splendid Ur Jordens Djup; unlike similar bands of their ilk they don’t over-saturate the market and when they do release an album even though their sound doesn’t change all that much the quality is always fairly high. True enough, even on the first listen it is clear that the Finns haven’t lost it. I thought the last album was a gentle swerve in a more straightforward black metal direction than they had previously gone, and what is clear from the off is that there is a simplicity to Nifelvind that makes the songs stick in your head. That’s not to say there isn’t much going on, but it seems to be a natural progression for them from their last album.
There’s a sense of film-score-esque grandiloquence as ‘Blodmarsch’ brings us gently into the album before ‘Solsagan’ comes booming in with some harsh guitars which are soon joined by a layer of keyboards. There is true mischief lurking in the keys; it’s as though you can hear the trolls stomping around in the forest getting up to no good and soon take a menacing march through an imaginary kingdom. With its steel drums, ‘Den Frusna Munnen’ is filled with a kind of tropical watery wonder that reminds of ‘En Mäktig Här’ from Ur Jordens Djup. As the brass section sweeps up from beneath that feeling of pomp returns giving the album that air of spectacle without being too self-important.
‘Ett Norrskensdåd’ prances with a really strong rhythm that seems to know exactly where it’s going and again there is that mischievous trollishness. ‘I Trädens Sång’ carries on quite naturally from here and there’s a kind of squelch to the rhythm like a wander through muddy terrain; I’m not sure sinister would be quite the right word to use here though it does come close. ‘Tiden Utan Tid’ is more of a jovial skitter in parts which neatly emerge from the darkness and there’s a certain feeling of wonder to this one which builds to an epic climax. ‘Galgasång’ provides a rare moment of reflection before ‘Mot Skuggornas Värld’ comes rattling in. There is a keyboard line on ‘Under Bergets Rot’ that is particularly good and adds a sci-fi slant to things although the track is overall quite upbeat especially with the “Woa-oh” shouts near the end.
It’s good to see the Finnish trolls return with such a good album, breathing a bit of much needed vitality into the scene. I wouldn’t say it’s their best album when compared to Jaktens Tid or Nattfodd, but if you haven’t yet heard this band this is a great place to start!
http://www.finntroll.net/
http://www.myspace.com/officialfinntroll
