Let’s just get the basic info out of the way; a huge band that is not really a band but rather a cooperation of talented musicians from all over the world. In this their second album more than 30 musicians help write, shape and perform one of the most ambitious projects on folk metal (they could be more ambitious if they actually tried to get together and tour!).
The album has every single folk “attribute” that makes this genre such a fun and deep experience, the atmospheres produced by the horns, keyboards, violins, flutes, different percussion instruments and a solid electric guitar, take you on a beautiful yet energetic ride for more than an hour!
“By The Sword Of My Father” may only lack on production, making some segments sound a bit raw, but for me that just enhanced the whole experience making it more “traditional” sounding by not overproducing the songs, of course you can hear every single instrument on the tracks is just that they are a bit “crude” and even when some of the band members may dislike that factor I happened to like it because of the impulsive factor that gives a certain attitude to the melodies.
Having heard and chosen this album over their previous (A Nordic Poem) and their latest one (Drakkars in the Mist), “By the sword…” is more melodic and tight as a whole, the songs do include sometimes a ridiculous amount of instruments but they never sound saturated, every single tune, line and sound finds a way to create and enlarge the general song, all this helped by the inclusion of male and female vocals, growls and clean parts, all well distributed.
There may not be anything new in Folkearth (maybe just the fact that they are a huge collaboration of musicians), but the way their albums find a way to be different from one another while keeping a sense of direction makes this album a worthy piece of anybody’s collection, specially if you are into folk music!
Favorite songs: The Lady's Gift, Instrumental.
