(Folk Metal) Asmegin - Hin Vordende Sod & So - 2003, APE (image + .cue), lossless

Интересный проект из Норвегии. Группа Asmegin представляет из себя отличный образец folk металла. Взяв за основу black-металлическое звучание они сумели органично сплести его со скандинавской народной музыкой. Всего в группе пять музыкантов, но кроме них в записи приняли участие еще 11 человек. В итоге получился очень интересный альбом, при записи которого задействовано несколько вокалистов и море аутентичных инструментов. Это флейта, арфа, аккордион, fiddle и другие. Мощный гитарный саунд и рык вокалиста, сочетается с мелодичными проигрышами, приятным женским вокалом, хорами и различными шумами и криками. Все звучит весьма органично. В целом группа очень напоминает Vintersorg и Otyg, как по звучанию, так и по общей атмосфере. Хотя композиция "Op Af Bisterlitjernet" уже ближе к Finntroll. В сказачной манере оформлен 16-ти страничный буклет к диску. Здесь и тролли, и викинги и различные сценки из скандинавского фольклора, ну и конечно сами музыканты, и тексты песен. Всем любителям подобной музыки, срочно брать.

Folk Metal is a tricky genre; you either love it, hate it, or have no clue it exists. It is certainly one of the less explored sub-genres of Metal, and so has less bands exploring the sound. Personally, Vintersorg's album "Odemarkens Son" has been my favorite folk metal album above all others for quite some time... that's not including folk/black bands like Ensiferum or Finntroll and their ilk. That was until this album was finally released after Napalm records picked up Asmegin, a band I knew about and was interested in for quite some time, for a four album deal. Hin Vordende Sod & So, the band's first full-length album (really, it is), following up their 1999 demo, Naar Rimkalkene Heves, is quite simply one of the best albums I have ever heard, from any genre. Just the guest-musicians listing, including members of Ram-Zet and Solefald/Borknagar is impressive... aw to hell with it, you have to see the full listing of people on this album to get the point on just how dense it is.
Band:
Bjørn Olav Holter - Death Vocals
Raymond Håkenrud - Guitar
Marius Olaussen - Guitar & Accordion
Tomas Torgersbråten - Bass
Tommy Brandt - Drums
Guest musicians:
Lars A. Nedland - Clean vocals
Anja Hegge Thorsen - Norwegian zither, jew's harp
Oddrun Hegge - Additional Norwegian zither
Lars F. Frøislie - Pianos, Mellotrons and additional keys
Sareeta - Fiddle, female chants and profound screams of terror
Anne Marie Hveding - Wood-nymph chants and female death vocals
Børge "Smuldra Glans" Finstad - Percussion on track 7
Gunhild Førland - Country flutes
Nikolai Brandt - Internal womb screams
The average metal album consists of 4-5 guys playing 3-4 instruments, metal bands have accomplished a good amount with this, but jesus cockmongering christ on a fuckin' merry go round, compared to the average metal band, this might as well be a chamber ensemble. You have to expect more challenging music thanks to all the folk instruments brought into this. Vintersorg's Odemarkens Son was very folky sounding, but it really could have used some serious folk instrumentation, hell - most Folk Metal albums could use more of it, it just doesn't cut it anymore when I hear folky black/power metal with epic keyboards, I want violins and fiddles and pianos and harps and flutes and accordions and... whatever the fuck a Norwegian zither is (I'm sure I'll find out soon enough), this sort of thing is really cool to me, the fact that you CAN take these instruments, drop the axes, bass guitars, skins & growling into it, and make something really, really amazing.
The metal style itself ranges from a death-like sound, to a Black one, to a more Thrashy or Traditional sound... its all very varied, and not one song sounds like the next, the band are all over the place more than a horny pack of rabbits. Oh yes, I have to mention the completely CRAZY artwork and layout for the album, all cartoon-like, especially the cover art of a witch (I assume) stirring her brew, with the moon and some blowing leaves above her, mushrooms GROWING on her back, and a bunch of troll-things surrounding... yeah, go look at that when your tripping, how many Metal albums have the fantasy equivalent of a shroom poster for album artwork?
If I must try to make some comparisons, you could say that Mithotyn, Dissection, Skyclad, Elder-Borknagar, Vintersorg, Finntroll and Moonsorrow are some reference points, just to give you a ballpark estimate of what you should be expecting when you hear this band. I would say that Black Metal, Death Metal, Traditional Metal, Viking Metal and of course ethnic Norwegian Folk music all have an equal say in this band's music, they sure don't limit themselves to borders or boundaries, and even better, they play these parts equally good, unlike some bands whom mix many styles and simply can't pull them all off very well together (such as Cradle of Filth or Opeth.) The production is perfect, it breathes and flows, and everything is hearable, it really makes me wonder why the fuck some bands that only play 3 instruments and use one vocal style can have albums that sound like shit, and yet a poor norwegian folk metal band can hook themselves up with so many guest musicians, get a perfect production, and all this BEFORE even being picked up by a label. It says to me that a fuckload of metal bands are lazy pieces of shit, and these guys are really going for the gold, they aren't letting anything get in the way of them making great music.
Ok, I can't talk about this anymore, because I'm already starting to ramble, if you're not getting it by now, here it is, straight up: Buy this, NOW. Drive however far you have to go, pay 40 dollars shipping from a foreign country, let one of the band members have sex with you (girls only, I hope) - just don't NOT get this album!!!
My favorite album of the year, Asmegin get no. 1 on my list, A+++ material. If this is what this band can do for a first album, I am completely impatient to see what they can do in the future, if only this album came out, Folk Metal would have had a great year! I don't have enough good words to say about it!

AMAZING! This album surely took me by surprise. There are so many variations of sound contained within these 40+ minutes of Metal, than one cannot fully absorb it all, without listening to it more than a few times. The highly folk influenced melodies mixed with harsh, tenor, and female vocals are a perfect combination. The melody falls perfectly in line with the vocals and the instruments. At times the vocals alternate between the different styles and at times all of them can be heard in one coherent form, such as in the song “Til Rondefolkets Herskab,” which is also one of the highlights of the album.
From the very first song “Af Helvegum” the brutality persists until the album concludes with “Valgalder.” As I’ve said, the mixing of the different vocal styles is a very unique style and exceptionally executed. And you know what? They have violins! Orgasmic violin background melodies mixed with the dazzling vocal performance is one of the many aspects that make this release a standout album in the genre.
Many bands fail to capture the listener’s attention throughout the entire album, but this album pulls you in at the beginning and doesn’t let you go until it’s done with you because it’s dripping with uniqueness and originality in every song. Every song has something different to offer, while still holding true to the kickass style of using many different styles of vocals and melodic approaches. Ranging from harsh death styled vocals to female soprano vocals to sorrowful sounding female vocals to male tenor vocals to all of the vocals being mixed at once or any variations combined. The possibilities seem limitless with this band.
One example of this is the third track “Huldradans - Hin Grønnkledde” which starts off with somber female vocals and very simple acoustic guitars. The track is more of a rest stop for the brutality to come. Although the song is simpler and calmer, it still offers a similar an exclusive experience due to the beautifully performed female vocals. The other side of the spectrum is the song “Over Ægirs vidstragte Sletter,” which is perhaps the most brutal song on the album along with "Efterbyrden".
"Efterbyrden" is a perfect example of how this album varies in sound. While the drums are raping your ears with the insane speed and brutality a violin solo can be heard in the background. The Death metal vocalist offers perfect range. The Death Metal vocals, which are prevalent throughout most of the album, are not monotonous; hence do not hinder the song’s quality.
Another highlight of the album is track 8, “Op af Bisterlitjernet.” Death Metal vocals, mixed with high Black Metal shrieks insane drumming, violin background melodies and great guitar work. What more could you ask for? This song, along with “Vargr i Véum - Eilivs Bane” are the epitomes and best representations of the album.
The best track, if for the ending alone, is "Blodhevn." The entire song is filled with highly influenced folk melodies, but the last minute or so, is godly. The folk styled vocals are beyond desricption. You'll have to hear it to believe it, as they'll leave to speachless.
This album is a must hear, as albums of this caliber are hard to come by. Bands come and go, without being noticed, but this band will surely persevere due to its uniqueness and powerful song structures. I see a bright future for these talented musicians and hope for more albums of this quality. Get this album for the Viking Gods command you.

What we have here is one fine slab of metal! Most fans of metal should be able to find at least something to like about this album. This band hails from Norway, and all of the singing is done in their native language. The excellent vocal performance on this CD is one of the many things to like about it. There are quite a few different type of voices to be heard on this album. Most of the time it's your standard black metal screech, but they manage to mix in a large amount of male and female clean vocals (especially in Valgalder) and even a deep death growl from time to time.
This band isn't going to blow anyone out of the water with amazing technical musicianship, but once you get passed that fact (if you are even a fan of that type of thing at all) the music is quite enjoyable. I mean there isn't much in the way of amazing guitar solos (although there is one at the end of the 5th track that is pretty fuckin good) but thats not really their style anyway. They do a SUPERB job of mixing the guitars, drums, bass, and keyboard with the folk elements such as the fiddle, accordian, and piano. Most of the songs keep a mid-paced tempo, that you can easily raise your glass too, or just rock the fuck out.
A great thing about this band that makes them appeal to people that aren't folk metal enthusiasts, is that they have a large folk influence, but it doesn't overshadow the black metal at all. The drummer pounds out plenty of double bass, and they use their guitars very effectivley to create a sound thats pretty goddamn heavy. What this creates is a sound that totally fucking rules! Why does it rule so much? The answer to this question is that it doesn't go to far in either direction, (although I am a huge fan of folk influenced music so that type of thing really doesn't bother me) it still retains a raw black metal sound, that meshes superbly with the folk elements. Just listen to the section in the 2nd track that comes in around 2:00 into it to see exactly what I mean.
The mood of most of the songs on the album is not incredibly dark and depressive, but not happy-happy folk metal. If your looking for songs to get shitfaced too, this isn't that bad but you should probably be listening to Moonsorrow or Finntroll for that type of thing. Although track 8 is a totally kick ass drinking song! It begins with a mix of a mid-paced guitar riff and some accordian, and carries it through most of the song, but it also kicks into a faster, more black metal-esque sounding riff that goes along great with the fiddle.
So I guess I could say this album has a little something for the fans of the heavier more extreme varieties of metal, but I wouldn't expect a kvlt necro black metal enthusiast to be overly impressed by this. If your a folk metal fan, pick this shit up now, as I write this you could be listening to it. As for your average metal listener, I'd say you would be making a good investment if you got this CD. It's a pretty unique style that makes for quite an enjoyable listen. Whether you want to explore your metal horizion with some different stuff, get drunk (I prefer this option), or just listen to some good fucking metal you won't be dissapointed with Hin Vordende Sod & So.

I am not too familiar with the whole folk metal thing, but this was/is a very good strong start for me and anyone else interested in the field. Asmegin are Norwegian, and sing in that language, but this didn't stop me from hugely enjoying this album. They employ a formidable array of traditional instruments that don't feel gimmicky at all, they are very well-integrated into the music on the whole, a good sign in my book. This shows me that they are not a joke band, that they are serious about their music, and this entire album just reeks of passion and feeling.
"Af Helvegum" starts the album off, and it goes from there into a series of beautifully-constructed gems of songs that will just take your breath away. My particular favorite is "Over AEgirs Vidstragte Sletter", which goes from trad metal to blasting death metal in parts with incredibly deep death grunts and stunning clean choir vocals coexisting in perfect peace. The solo section is fabulous--Queen worship to the max. The variety of male and female, death, blackened, and clean vocals throughout the album is consistently beautiful and well-balanced, and this makes me keep coming back for more. I might add that the production is perfectly balanced also, everything can be heard very well--but the drum sound gets entirely too obviously triggered on the blast parts. Which is a jarring contrast to the nice natural sound they have on the rest of the album, but it happens infrequently enough that it doesn't bother me much.
Don't let the foreign language lyrics stop you from enjoying this CD, because when you let it into your heart and soul, it will steal both away, leaving you its slave for good. And what else can you ask of an album but to take you away from all your troubles like that?

Dozens of bands, in and out of the metal world, had sometimes thought that it would be cool to put something folk into their music, as part of a certain song to make it different or as a constant in the band. A fiddle here, a pipper there, a flute over there. Those experiments have had different results, from everyone's known Skyclad to the band some friends of mine had time ago, wich a fiddler among them (even when all the critics were unanimous: "kill him, and throw his corpse to the river"). And between that long list of bands, more or less unknown, Asmegin deserves a first class seat, because of this, their first album; it can't be considered a successful experiment in folk metal: it must directly be considered as a cornerstone of the genre (and as one of the best debut albums ever).
This album jumps from straigh forwarded black metal parts to delightul sections of multy layered chorus, fiddles, guitars and keyboards. The result is a very likeable album, very accessible for people that don't use to like black metal... or, well, to anyone with a good taste, at the end, as the final product is a oustanding album and a very original aproach to that folk perspective.
Mainly the songs doesn't just drift from the black metal side to the folk side, even when at times one of those sides keeps silent for a few seconds, but they use to be mixed and to merge, they increase and decrease their part in the songs, but always leaving a touch, and it's wonderful how the mix always works. The drums, the bass and the guitars (this is, metal side of the band) use to be the vehicle that sets the speed of the song and the base where the rest of the music finds its place. Violins use to be on the top of the melodies, but they also are mixed with the rhytm guitars, when it's necesary. And the vocals work deserves a special treatment, as sometimes you can hear growling vocals, clean voices doing a multy-layered chorus over them, and a clean female voice rounding the whole thing, all at once, over the violins, the guitars and the drums.
Only two songs are a bit away of that general scheme of wonderful mixes, to focus only in one certain side: The first one is Af Helvegum, a slow and sad song with acoustic guitars, female voices and flutes, that works as the peaceful corner of the cd, so giving some kind of deepness or perspective to the whole album. The second different track is Slit Livets Baand, that happens to be an intro for the next song, Efterbyrden, and it haves a child crying that is over all a disturbing and unpleasant break in the album, a very scary track.
All of the songs are incredible, great, amazing, well written and variated, and most of them can be checked from their website, but I guess that Til Rondefolkets Herskab and Blodhevn could be very good tracks to start checking this brilliant band, as they somewhat resume all of the elements of Hin Vordende Sod & Sø.