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September 3, 2010 |
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01. Victoriae & Triumphi Dominus
02. As Torches Rise
03. Battle Metal
04. The Land Of Hope And Glory
05. The Messenger
06. One More
07. Midnight Sunrise
08. Among Ancestors
09. Sahti-Waari
10. Prologue For R.R.R.
11. Rex Regi Rebellis
12. Katuman Kaiku
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Upon first cracking open the CD booklet to 'Battle Metal' - the Century Media debut of Finnish heathen horde TURISAS - I found myself spellbound by the utterly barbaric, and totally METAAALLL! photo layout depicting the band (Warlord Nygård/vocals & electronics, Antti Ventola/keyboards, Jussi Wickström/guitars & bass, Tude Lehtonen/drums, and Georg Laakso/guitars) impaling, eviscerating, decapitating, and otherwise going 900-frikkin'-A.D. on a luckless Christian knight doubtless unfortunate enough to have interrupted one of their woodland recording sessions. 'Now this is packaging !' I thought...but, one may ask, does the content of the proverbial box live up to the promise of the shiny wrappings!?! In short: GREAT ODIN'S RAVENS! AYE! AYE INDEED!!!
TURISAS (named after an ancient Finnish war-god) are the newest addition to the ever-swelling ranks of the Folk/Viking Metal army, a subgenre which doesn't appear to be wearing out it's welcome in our collective psychic burning village any time soon. Picking up where peers such as FINNTROLL, MOONSORROW, ENSIFERUM, and THYRFYNG - to name but a few - have left off, TURISAS continue the onslaught with 'Battle Metal', a stunning debut of 'Blackened' Folk/Power/Death which showcases a hungry young band with a definite penchant for crafting epic, bombastic, symphonic Folk Metal hymns to battle, glory, and the everlasting spirit of ancient times.
Kicking things off is the orchestral intro piece 'Victoriae & Triumphi Dominus', a stirring, very-reminiscent-of-the-Conan-soundtrack mini-suite unto itself which sets the stage wonderfully for the call-to-battle anthem of 'As Torches Rise', a storming sonic raid which introduces the listener to the clangor-of-steel-on-mail world that is TURISAS. While this track is an excellent example of typical FINNTROLLish Folk Metal, it's on the title track (apparently originally titled 'The Heart Of Turisas' from an early demo of the same name) that the band really hit their stride with an anthemic keyboard riff of heroic proportions driving this longship into everlasting glory!
From here it's just killer track after killer track...the somber 'Land Of Hope And Glory' with it's infectious, electronic/trip-hoppy overtones and stirring choral verse, the rousing, ale-hall call-to-arms of 'One More', the epic 'Among Ancestors', the whirling fiddle-driven dervish of 'Saahti-Waari'...man, there are just so many strong tracks here, and so much joyously infectious energy and unbridled enthusiasm. You can tell that this band genuinely loves Metal that is epic, anthemic, and gloriously triumphant. Add to that a unique, experimental vibe unusual for acts of this ilk (i.e. as mentioned, a flirtation with trip-hop elements and electronica alongside more the traditional mixture of flutes, fiddles, and violins with Metal guitar/vocals), and it doesn't take more than one or two listens to realize that TURISAS have emerged from the starting gates as a power to be reckoned with.
My only complaint would be with the somewhat contrived and overly melodramatic spoken-word portion of the show come track ten wherein Warlord Nygård waxes poetic upon the passing of the ancient world. I can dig the sentiment, but I'm afraid such Orson Wellesesque MANOWARisms only serve to cheapen and detract from the ambience when the MUSIC is as heart-swellingly stirring as what is on offer here. In the future, leave the fantasy narrative to Robert Jordan and John Maddox Roberts...I just wanna hear more great Metal!
In conclusion, this latecomer from 2004 stands as one of the better surprise, end-of-the-year hits on offer from Century Media's already impressive stables. A definite sword-swinging, thunder-of-hooves-across-the-moors good Metal time, TURISAS' 'Battle Metal' is a must-have for those of you who yearn for those Robert E. Howardesque, heroic days of yore when you had to look a man in the eye before splitting his skull with a blade of good Western steel! So slide into your chainmail and saddle your steed...TURISAS have arrived!
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