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░ ██ ██ Artist: Utmarken ██ ██
▓ █░░ ■█ Album: Utmarken █■ ░░█
■ █▓▀ █ Year: 2016 █ ▀▓█ ░
█ ▓ Rel. Date: 2016-07-03 ▓ █
▒ ▒ Genre: Heavy Metal ▒ ▒
█▄ ░ Label: Einheit Produktionen ░ ▄█
░ █▄ ░ Source: CD ░ ▄█
░ █▓ Type: Album ▓█ ░
▓ █ Quality: VBR, 44.1kHz, Joint Stereo █ ░ ▓
▓ █ █ ░ ▓
▄ ■ ■ ▓ ■
░█ █░ ▀
█ SwedenÆs Utmarken is a new 6 piece with a debut █
█ album of the same name set to be released this █
█ spring. No demo or early single that I know of █
█ just right to the album and what an impressive █
█ debut this is. However it will raise some █
█ questions, both positives and negatives. █
█ Negatively I would think that this may not be █
█ considered folky enough for some folks out █
█ thereà..well they are completely wrong. With █
█ nyckelharpa aplenty this is folk metal, well, at █
█ least folk hard rock maybe closer. Sorry the songs █
█ arenÆt humppa or black metal based but seem more █
█ rooted in traditional heavy/power metal with an █
█ intermingling of folk. Again if these are █
█ negatives then what are you doing listening to █
█ folk metal anyways?? Folk metal is extremely █
█ diverse and Utmarken are definitely finding their █
█ own niche in the genre. Upon initial listening I █
█ thought they had a very retro/progressive 70Æs █
█ rock akin to Dio era-Rainbow, Rush, early Yngwie █
█ Malmsteen or German power metal in some respects. █
█ This opinion was especially based on lead vocalist █
█ and nyckelharpa player Mathias Gyllengahm soaring █
█ and amazing vocals along with accompanying █
█ harmonies. Yes not just vocalizing, SINGING. I █
█ know this concept may be amazing to all of you █
█ used to the various grunts, screams, howls, etc █
█ which we all love but Mathias can compete with any █
█ of todayÆs better folk metal singers, Nemtheanga █
█ of Primordial/Twilight Of The Gods maybe the █
█ closest comparison I have and as a matter of fact █
█ this reminds me a lot the TOTG album albeit █
█ folkier and not as brooding, maybe even a little █
█ of classic Rob Halford thrown in to. In the 12 █
█ tracks averaging between 3 and 4 minutes each you █
█ wonÆt find a lot of fireworks but a steady burn of █
█ powerful tracks played by talented musicians. From █
█ opening track ôStr÷mkarlens Sonö you will have a █
█ nice blend of todayÆs folk, hard rock and █
█ traditional Swedish music blended together with █
█ the right amount of each to become a unique █
█ standalone project. █
█ Thankfully no overdone or too long tracks here █
█ just short, ôget the point acrossö tracks, █
█ highlights for me were ôTill Skogsö (ôTo The █
█ Forestö) and Vintern (ôWinterö) but all tracks are █
█ on par with these for sure. Whether or not a █
█ follow up album to this stylistically would have █
█ the same impact is a question for the future as I █
█ donÆt know if it would have the same impact a 2nd █
█ time around but for a first it certainly crushes. █
█ The nyckelharpa, as beautiful an instrument as it █
█ is, may get on your nerves a little bit again if █
█ the next album features it as heavily as this one █
█ does but that is personal preference. █
█ Solid tight production with the right amount of █
█ heaviness and knob control certainly make this █
█ even better. With Mσnegarm winning our album of █
█ the year and Grimner EP of the year for 2015, █
█ Utmarken are leading Sweden again in the charge █
█ for one of the best releases of the year and █
█ certainly will be a contender for debut of the █
█ year without a doubtà great album. █
▓ ▓
▒ ▒
░ 1. Str÷mkarlens Son 3:26 ░
░ 2. VΣlkommen till Norrland 3:19 ░
░ 3. En Stadig Puls 3:07 ░
░ 4. Till Skogs 4:32 ░
░ 5. Tystnadens R÷st 3:51 ░
░ 6. Drσparen 4:10 ░
░ 7. Vintern 3:27 ░
░ 8. Regnet Faller 3:47 ░
░ 9. HΣxkonst 3:26 ░
░ 10. Bleka Toner 3:47 ░
░ 11. Yxtid 4:04 ░
░ 12. Norrland Σr M÷rkt Nog ─ndσ 5:34 ░
░ 46:30 ░
░ ▒ ▒
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