2019 has seen the masters of folk metal come back with a bang, long may it continue. But have they reached the peak? What will come next after this one, how can they improve? The next release will be a live album later in the year during the course of their current world tour. This isn’t a band throwing in a few bits and pieces just for the hell of it, but instead are taking the music of founding fathers Horslips and taking it to a logical conclusion. Incredibly heavy, yet always melodic, even when death metal is coming to the fore, with folk elements strongly alongside metal at all times. This is one of the elements which has made this album leap out from others in that it is contains loads of great songs, with catchy riffs and hooks, so much so that one at times misses the maelstrom and sheer heavy mix of music which is going on as well. It is hard to pick a favourite, but “Deathwalker” stands out just because it is so damn catchy.
#ELUVEITIE DISCOGRAPHY KAT FULL#
Often it is a whistle or recorder that can be the lead instrument, but when the band belt into full bore metal it is a brave piper who stands centre stage and weathers the storm. In most bands she would be the solo singer, with not only great range but a real emotion in her voice, but her and Glanzmann share the stage and the band is all the better for it. Chrigel Glanzmann has his melodic growls hitting just the right aspect, while Fabienne Erni’s pure clear sounds provide the contrast. Here they have channelled Midas, with everything they touch turning to pure gold. I had long set myself the expectation that they would never again reach the heights of 2008’s ‘Slania’, but right from very first note this album grabs the attention and refuses to let go. Well, with the release of this their eighth studio album they are back with a huge bang. When they are good they are very good indeed, but the mixing of melodic death with folk sometimes jars as opposed to gels. The Swiss septet have been making quite a name for themselves since their formation in 2002, but to my ears they haven’t always been as consistent as they might have been. Me? I think this is awesome from start to end. There are a few songs such as “Epona” which may just appeal to folk rock fans (those vocals are incredible), but for the most part this is a band who is way more metallic and intense than many real ale drinkers will be able to comprehend. The sound is superb throughout, the intro tapes which are used here and there are good and clear, and both the band and audience are on fire. That was in the Sixties (and amazingly they are still going, I even made the trek to see them at their 50th Anniversary festival in 2017), and Eluveitie have taken up the mantle for a new generation.
#ELUVEITIE DISCOGRAPHY KAT SERIES#
FC may have started as a West Coast-style group, but they soon embraced the tradition, and brought it into the current age and made it relevant to a new series of fans. In many ways their approach to folk and metal is exactly the same as Fairport Convention and their approach to folk and rock. They are an incredibly varied band, and unlike some within the genre who seem to be playing at attempting to mix the forms, they really believe in what they are doing and instead of bringing two forms together have instead created a brand new one.
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The guitarists can be frantically going up and down the frets one second, or providing support to delicate violin the next, with death growls front and centre. This means he can totally change a song not only by the notes he is playing, but what he is playing them on. They also have in their midst a genuine multi-instrumentalist in Matteo Sisti, who can move from blowing into things, strumming things, or hitting things as the need arises. The twin vocal attack is powerful, with both singers also able to shine in different styles, and neither feels the need to always be involved but lets the other take centre stage. It takes a lot of musicians to create music as diverse as this, yet with nine onstage it still seems incredibly tight and powerful.
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The Swiss act have been mixing melodic death and folk metal for nearly 20 years now, and there are few who can match them in this environment. Consequently, there are five numbers from that album within this sixteen-song set, but they quite happily sit alongside the older material. Like many others, I am a huge fan of the 2019 studio album from Eluveitie, ‘Ategnatos’, and this album was recorded that year in the Czech republic at the Masters of Rock Festival while they were promoting it.