“Danish Folk Metal.” That was the promise. Svartsot delivered on the promise. Delivered splendidly. I’m not sure if Ghost Cult Magazine has a Danish-speaking reviewer on staff, because the thing’s not in English. There might be a song or two in English, but the vocals are gutteral-grunt incoherent-style Metalcore. So, after a brief discussion of the rather complicated story of this concept album about a Thirteenth Century Crusader, I’ll spend the rest of this talking about the music of Peregrinus (Mighty Music).
The concept part, just to establish a vocabulary, consists of nine songs. The first, an instrumental version of a medieval Spanish song about going on Crusade. Of the next eight, seven are named after and reflect the seven virtues Crusaders were expected to exemplify. Track eight of the nine is “Via Deloroso,” a pilgrimage path in Jerusalem. The concept is a rather complex story of a Crusader and his journey through physical and emotional space. If you need more, I’m sure the band’s website will be happy to explain.
That opening instrumental track, “Como Póden Per Sas Culpas”, features guitars joined by flutes and pipes. The medieval melody/metal guitars with tempo ramped up to internal-combustion preps us for the rest of the album. But then, it also doesn’t.
When the virtuous songs kick in, the overwhelming presence of Thor Bager‘s Metalcore growl vocals does its best to partner with the glorious musicianship of his bandmates. Honestly, the producer could have backed off the vocals about five to eight percent and the power-folk thing the band is based on would positively glow.
Rune Frisch‘s drums drive everything else, from Simon Ranjan Buje‘s tasty bass, to Michael Alm and Chris J.F. Frederikson‘s guitars, and the bagpipes, mandolin, whistles, and random “shouts” delivered throughout.
Unlike the last “Folk Metal” album I reviewed, Svartsot maintains the “folk” as well as Folk Metal pioneers Tengger Cavalry (RIP Nature G), with whom a few parallels exist. Svartsot doesn’t have a throat-singer, but their use of bagpipes and whistles, the Power Metal guitar harmonies, the literal galloping pace combined with the unintelligibility (for an English-only listener) of the lyrics create an enjoyable – if lyrically vacant – listen.
The stylistic variety of track four, “Libertas” testifies to the creativity and vibrancy available when mining the past for ideas. Unlike Tengger Cavalry, the European roots of this Danish sextet have some very familiar roots for Western ears. Change out the lyrics, and there is a LOT for Pirate Metal fans to chew on here. Honestly, the more I listened, the more Pirate Metal-ly it sounded.
“Spiritualitas” on the other hand, opens with what can only be called standard Middle Eastern mandolin/sitar riffs that then support more Bager growls. This one enjoys more than a few tempo shifts and some cool harmonies before slowly reverting to that Euro-typical Folk Metal sound.
Again, the sheer creativity of the music, keeping an original sound throughout, while also keeping the theme of Folk makes for a solid and enjoyable listen. Svartsot’s Crusade for Excellence met more success than the Catholic Church’s Medieval efforts.
Buy the album here:
https://bit.ly/svart-shop
8 / 10
LARRY ROGERS
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