Ödemarkens son

Ödemarkens Son (Son of the Wilderness), the second full length from the Swedish band Vintersorg is another unique folk metal release.

I’m not a folk metal fan, mainly because I don’t like the happiness of the most of them. I like black, death and doom metal more, so my approach to folk came first with Ulver’s “trilogy”, Empyrium, Isengard, Borknagar, Storm, Kampfar and such. I knew Otyg back on 96 and I liked – being something similar to Isengard/Storm - , so when Vintersorg released his self titled project I though it will be something similar. I was totally wrong. This is far superior to Otyg and most of folk metal (excepting the aforementioned bands which are on my top favourites). Vintersorg gained a place among those bands too, especially after this release.

Generally speaking, this is not the ‘happy dancing’ folk metal like Korpiklaani, Finntroll or the like, this is mournful folk metal, with very poetic and sorrowful lyrics, more on the side of old Ulver, but still is something very different from any released before (and after this for sure).

On this album, Vintersorg deals with old Scandinavian tales, pagan themes and his impression of Nature. Lyrically this is the most personal work of Vintersorg where, using the aforementioned elements, he expresses his own feelings (maybe compared to Empyrium in that aspect), being På Landet a great ending and resume of his feelings at the time.

Musically, this is what I expect from a really amazing folk metal album. The album is VERY melodic, using a lot of acoustic guitars, most of the time the guitars (acoustic and distorted ones) are doing different things, complementing each other perfectly, also still there is a good amount of catchiness – specially on the choruses – but not the ‘let’s drink another beer’ kind of, more majestic, epic yet woeful ones (even if you don’t know a word of Swedish, you’ll find yourself singing). Also there is an unusual high amount of riffs and rhythm changes on EACH song, not allowing the music fall on tediousness and unnecessary repetitions – my most personal complaining with most of formulaic folk bands.

The drums are programmed and while you can think the sound it’s not the best, it fits the overall sound well. The bass is always audible and sometimes does interesting stuff (at least so much more interesting than most of folk metal around). The keys, provided by Vargher from Naglfar fame are great, neither flashy nor shredding ones. They have an old feeling too, enhancing the overall experience and emphasising some truly majestic parts.

This album is sung 70% with folkish baritone clean vocals (with some female ones here and there) and 30% with ‘grim-almost growl’ vocals. Vintersorg sings with full emotion, even if he doesn’t use those high pitched power metal vocals. His voice has an inner strength, self-confidence and epic feel that captivate the listener instantly, leaving the instrumental section sometimes on the background (in a way he can be reminiscent of Fenriz from Darkthrone, Isengard and Storm fame or Garm from Ulver, Arcturus and Borknagar. No wonder why he replaced the incredible Simen Hestnaes – now on Dimmu Borgir - on the Borknagar’s vocal duties). Sadly this kind of vocal quality is very rare on folk metal nowadays.

The production is extremely organic with an overall atmosphere reminiscent of an old and forgotten era, transporting the listener to solitary landscapes like high mountains, forests, rivers… unexplored and unconquered wilderness is what we hear on ÖS, something that just a few has shown efficiently on the past, like Ulver and old Borknagar.

About the song themselves… there’s no filler here. Every song is great and highly enjoyable, also different from each other. När Alver Sina Runor Sjungit (When Elves Have Sung Their Runes) start fast, suddenly changing onto acoustic passages, solos, a really catchy clean chorus, then another riff, another solo, etx. Svältvinter is a mid/low paced majestic hymn, very mournful as I said with one of the best Vintersorg vocal performances – not on the high notes reached side, more on the emotion he put on the song instead.

Under Norrskenets Fallande Ljusspel (Under the Falling Light-play of the Northern Lights) is mid/Fast paced with again, a catchy chorus and a lot of different riffs. Månskensmän switches a lot slow and fast, ending with the folkest moment of the album, a sad-folk acoustic guitar and Vintersorg speaking on an almost depressive tone.

The title track is what any (folk) metalhead expects, an energetic number with fast black metal riffs and vocals until the ridiculously catchy chorus, reaching the album its top of epic majesty.

Almost all songs changes a lot nicely and switch smoothly from folk acoustic passages to fast black metal moments, carrying the listener through the atmosphere and preparing him to the climax moments on every song (not like the failed intents of bands like Opeth and such on this aspect IMO).

The album progresses on this way until På Landet (In the Countryside), which is one of my favourites.

Did I say that the songs are very epic? Honestly the music is overwhelming, the vocals are incredible and the lyrics are awesome. If you can find this album, buy it and enjoy it…TOTALLY recommended for fans of Ulver, Empyrium, Borknagar, Kampfar, Agalloch, October Falls and such.

Highlights: Every song is excellent. My favs: Svältvinter, Under Norrskenets Fallande Ljusspel, Ödemarkens Son, I Den Trolska Dalens Hjärta, På Landet.

It's hard for me to define Vintersorg; in this album at least, it's a mix of folk, black, and viking metal, but it's not progressive metal either, to me, it sounds a lot like Twilight of the Gods-era Bathory. Even though I can't understand shit from the lyrics, one thing I am sure, and it is that Vintersorg can sing quite well! "Ödemarkens Son" was probably the last album to have so many black metal elements, but they're not abused; in fact, it's pretty natural how the guitars sometimes make a standard black metal 'wall of sound' below the verses, with clean vocals and "standard" drumming over everything.

The album begins with "När Alver Sina Runor Sjungit", yeah, it's a pretty weird up name, but I guess it makes sense in Swedish. It starts with a very black metallish tone, with blast beats and tremolo'd notes, but with clean vocals over everything; and there's a clean part that makes this album "folk/black", though, their definition of folk in his case is mostly the song structures, and some acoustic instruments, but except for 2 songs, there are no violins or folky instruments to be found. In "När Alver Sina Runor Sjungit", the vocal melodies are quite catchy, even if you can't sing them; but the singing is pretty epic, and it really reminds me of a more refined Quorthon! The opener is just very damn huge in itself, and it's one of the main highlights. The whole album ranges from a very epic viking/folk metal vibe, to a more standard black metal tone in some parts; a very good example is "Svältvinter", which starts very folky, then turns heavy, and near the end at 3:30 there are some growled vocals, followed by female vocals, and then there's this verse of "Utmärglade, halögda, med bukar som rämnar", I don't know what the fuck does that mean, but it's sung with such passion that I often find myself trying to mutter words for it.

Ödemarkens Son is pretty consistent, there are mostly no bad songs in it; but the problem is that when the album progresses, songs start sounding very similar. Not in their structure, but the fact that their overall feeling sounds pretty much the same; some epic parts, some acoustic parts, some black metal parts, etc. It doesn’t help the fact that I can’t understand the lyrics, but that isn’t so much of an issue, maybe if most songs didn’t move at similar tempos, and some songs like the title track tend to drag on a little bit, that one specially could be at least 1:30 shorter. The album changes its mood during “Trollbunden”, which is a very cool acoustic interlude with synths, and in the middle there’s a very nice piano part; however, it’s just an interlude, that evolves into “Offerbacken”, which has a clean vocals chorus near the mid that is incredibly catchy, right at 1:56! I think I can hear some flutes and even a fiddle behind the guitars—Again a folky sound, and after that there’s an almost thrashy riff, and that lick at 2:49 is specially cool, which is followed by drums and starts fading away slowly, and then bangs again to the chorus again, and since that is so goddamn catchy, I’d say “Offerbacken” is the best song in here!

“I Den Trolska Dalens Hjärta” follows, and it has pretty damn epic verses, the standard that this album has already set, but then the song picks up at 3:04 with a very speed metallish riff, and a very subtle keyboard/fiddle/random folk instrument behind, and there’s a little solo at the end, but it, similarly to the rest of Ödemarkens Son, is kinda overlong. The album closes with “På Landet”, which is the folkiest song in here, and it’s very mid paced, although it’s very boring, and at least it doesn’t do anything for me.

Vintersorg’s second full-length is pretty good, although it’s not perfect; it’s sort of overlong, and the songs sound very similar, especially in their tempo. However, it’s not bad, and I think it’s worth checking out, songs like the opener, “Offerbäcken” or “Svältvinter” make it worth it, but it does go through it’s up and downs during its whole duration!