Vintersong

Solens Rotter
Napalm Records

On Vintersong's seventh release, they merge traditional instruments (harp/flute/violin/acoustic guitar) with darker black metal atmospheres and Nordic folk elements. It's a very unique combination, and the band manages to integrate all of these styles extremely well. However, none of the lyrics are in English, so unless your Norwegian is up to date, you won't have a clue as what they are talking about. Regardless, the music is so captivating that you really don't need to understand it. The vocals move from pure "clean" to the darker "growling" styles, but as cliché' as that has become, it works really well in this context. As much as I really like this album, I don't see it making a huge impact here in the states mainly because of the language barrier. However, it's still a great metal release from a very talented band.

- Craig Harvey