FINNTROLL – Nifelvind CD
Century Media Records
You’ve gotta feel for those diehard FINNTROLL fans out there in the wilderness, hunting for trolls most likely. I’m guessing that they were holding their breath prior to this release and for good reason. FINNTROLL started out in the late 90s and over the years perfected their brand of Humppa Death Metal/Black Metal to the point where they were receiving plenty of accolades, and then tragedy happens. Their singer Jan “Katla” Jamsen succumbs to vocal chord problems and has to quit the band. (Original guitarist Teemu “Somnium” Raimoranta also dies in 2003) Fortunately they find a replacement on vocals in Tapio Wilska and go on to release what is considered to be their greatest effort, 2004’s Nattfodd. Of course that relationship wears thin after a few years and in 2006 Tapio is fired. Mathias “Vreth” Lillmans takes over the mic and in 2007 the band releases Ur Jordens Djup to mixed reactions.
As far as Ur Jordens Djup was concerned you had diehard fans complaining that the release lacked the balance of Metal and Folk that previous material contained. Others, myself included, liked the Folk-lite and more Death Metal direction the release took. That was three years ago and in the intern the Pagan/Folk/Viking Metal or Battle Metal genre has exploded. What FINNTROLL was doing years ago has now become an excepted sub genre of Metal albeit not without it’s detractors of course. You also have plenty of coattail riding scum who have recently got their Pagan on so to speak and are hanging on for the scraps. If you’re gonna be leaders of the genre then you’ve gotta produce some music that will crush the weak imitating scum and impress the fans of the past.
Nifelvind does that since this Finnish band (but they sing in Swedish, go figure) has returned to their older sound, ala Finnish country/hoedown music meets Thrash at a pickled herring factory. The first thing I noticed was that they’ve added a second keyboardist so now they’re not buried in the mix or used as a boring opener. They’ve returned to be a staple of FINNTROLL’s sound. You could slam dance to “Ett Norrskensdad” or “I Tradens Sang” which takes a step back to their more blackened days. Another change is how much better Mathias “Vreth” Lillmans’ vocals are on this his second release with the band. While there are some moments half way though that remind me of NIGHTWISH meets DIMMU BORGIR as far as the over the top production goes. There are times when FINNTROLL Folks it out like on “Galgasang” or the beginning of “Tiden Utan Tid”. My choice for an opening show cut from this release would be “Mot Skuggornas Varld”, it’s symphonic on a serious level. So bang your head, stomp your feet and get you’re fuckin Humppa on. By the way if you plan on seeing FINNTROLL in concert, leave the plastic Viking helmet at home. You wanna be authentic, wear some fisherman’s outfit or dress like a troll.
www.centurymedia.com
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