black metal / folk
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By the end of the nineties and in the early years of this century, I was fascinated with the folk inspired black metal trend. Like several other genres, I completely lost track once I was done with the entire metal genre. Several major conflicts and problems made me turn my back to this kind of music for several years. Merchants Of Air turned that around again, and now that the bad memories have become mere footnotes, I can fully enjoy extreme music again.
Selvans is an Italian blackened folk band, which in a way explains pretty much everything there is to this full-length album. This work, their second release after an ep in 2014, shows a well attuned band which perfectly combines folk music and black metal and present it with a lot of symphonic and bombastic elements. In that aspect, 'Lupercalia' is an overwhelming experience, and I really dig overwhelming experiences.
The songs on this album are intense hymns, loaded with keyboards and traditional folk instruments, besides the equally traditional guitars, drums and screams of course. They remind me most of the symphonic black metal of the nineties, something between In The Woods, Falkenback and Summoning perhaps. Yet, if you're looking for the jolly alcohol loaded folk black metal of Finntroll and company, thing again. This stuff is grim, obscure and haunting.
Which in my opinion means it's awe-inspiring and it reeks of ancient tribes, cults and pagan religions. Mystery, spirituality and atmosphere are massively important factors in Selvans' music as they delve deeply into the ancient rituals of old Italic tribes. These factors enhance the complex nature of the songs with a lot of immersive instrumental passages which are simply to awesome to ignore.
That being said, even though the band is clearly rooted in the symphonic black metal craze of the nineties, they perfectly fit in with today's post-black scene, certainly as far as atmosphere and epicness are concerned. The folk passages will make Selvans one of the most original bands on the bill, and gain them a lot of respect I think. I definitely want to experience this live, so I hope these guys get their gear packed up and tour Europe soon.
Serge
Selvans is an Italian blackened folk band, which in a way explains pretty much everything there is to this full-length album. This work, their second release after an ep in 2014, shows a well attuned band which perfectly combines folk music and black metal and present it with a lot of symphonic and bombastic elements. In that aspect, 'Lupercalia' is an overwhelming experience, and I really dig overwhelming experiences.
The songs on this album are intense hymns, loaded with keyboards and traditional folk instruments, besides the equally traditional guitars, drums and screams of course. They remind me most of the symphonic black metal of the nineties, something between In The Woods, Falkenback and Summoning perhaps. Yet, if you're looking for the jolly alcohol loaded folk black metal of Finntroll and company, thing again. This stuff is grim, obscure and haunting.
Which in my opinion means it's awe-inspiring and it reeks of ancient tribes, cults and pagan religions. Mystery, spirituality and atmosphere are massively important factors in Selvans' music as they delve deeply into the ancient rituals of old Italic tribes. These factors enhance the complex nature of the songs with a lot of immersive instrumental passages which are simply to awesome to ignore.
That being said, even though the band is clearly rooted in the symphonic black metal craze of the nineties, they perfectly fit in with today's post-black scene, certainly as far as atmosphere and epicness are concerned. The folk passages will make Selvans one of the most original bands on the bill, and gain them a lot of respect I think. I definitely want to experience this live, so I hope these guys get their gear packed up and tour Europe soon.
Serge
