Crogacht [Digipak] (CD - 2009)

Personnel: Axel Romer (tin whistle).

In many cases, the term folk-metal has been applied to melodic Norwegian, Swedish, and Finnish bands that fuse traditional Scandinavian folk with black metal and/or death metal. Finntroll, for example, are Finnish folk metallers who combine extreme metal with Finnish humppa; it's an unlikely combination, but one that has worked extremely well for them. The folk metal that Suidakra provides on Crogacht, however, favors an appealing blend of symphonic black metal and Celtic music (both Irish and Scottish). Nonetheless, it isn't hard to see the parallels between this German combo and Nordic outfits like Finntroll, Korpiklaani, Moonsorrow, and Ensiferum. Although Crogacht's overtly Celtic outlook is something that most of the Nordic folk metal recordings lack, a Finntroll or Korpiklaani fan should have no problem getting into this excellent 2009 release -- and the fact that Scandinavian folk and Celtic folk have a lot of common ground explains why. When Nordic Vikings invaded the British Isles many centuries ago, they left their mark musically; therefore, if one plays traditional folk recordings from Sweden, Norway or Finland alongside traditional folk recordings from Ireland or Scotland, one can hear the similarities. And it stands to reason that if a band is interested in extreme metal and Celtic folk, the results aren't going to be radically different from the work of Scandinavian bands that are interested in extreme metal and Scandinavian folk. Nonetheless, Suidakra bring their own sound and energy to Crogacht, which is forceful and intense but is also intricate, nuanced and decidedly melodic. Crogacht has black metal's blastbeats and abrasive, paint-peeling rasp vocals, but it also has a firm commitment to melody, harmony, and songcraft. Melody is never a mere afterthought on Crogacht, which gets high marks for both aggression and craftsmanship. ~ Alex Henderson minimize