Cruachan ‘Folk Lore’
Hammerheart , 2001
Lord Pale :
Someone should tell Irish folk metallers Cruachan that starting your with your two worse songs isn't a good idea . Everytime I put this disc in it usually got turned off before the bands better material reached the speakers . Opener ‘Bloody Sunday’ is a limp rocky effort with lame female vocals and second track ‘The Victory Peel’ is a short musical that sucks as well . Cruachan’s folk element comes from violins , flutes , tin whistles , mandolin , and keyboards , as well as a few folky riffs thrown in for good measure . The male vocalist varies from a clean singing style through to gruff vocals , whilst the female vocalist waits until the end of the third track ‘Death Of A Gael’ to prove she actually can sing . The material on Folk Lore varies enough to keep things interesting with Covenant style riffs in one song , Primordial style drumming and rhythms in a couple of others , and ‘The Rocky Road To Dublin’ which sounds like a drunken stripped back Otyg track . Overall a decent yet inconsistent album that could have been much better .
Favourite Tracks – Ossian’s Return , Ride On , Death Of A Gael
Mark – 6/10 |
