Windfaerer - Tribus

Other than a few instances of note, The US is hardly known as a hotbed of Folk Metal activity.  Even lesser so, the Garden State of New Jersey, wherein we find ambitious newcomers Windfaerer who, with debut album Tribus, are attempting the undoubtedly herculean task of bucking the state’s modern trend of bad deathcore, lazy punk, and awful tribute/cover bands while staking a claim on a modest, but picturesque piece of the folk-based black metal realm for themselves and their kin.

Back in the summer of 2009 Windfaerer turned heads with the rousing, remarkably impressive Glorybound demo, setting high the expectations for what the little known band could accomplish in the full-length format.  Not surprisingly, Tribus is a solid, competent album of well-crafted, precisely executed blackened folk metal proving that one need not live in an ancient, nigh-arctic wooded village to create some inspiring, effective metal in the genre.  Nor, evidently, must a band succumb to the numerous and unfortunate trappings of many bands playing in the style.  No overbearing polka vibe or annoyingly domineering synth saturation to lessen the genuine atmosphere, no silly, overdone Viking motif cliché, and no forced attempts at “epic” through oppressively overwrought marathon running times.  What we get instead is some earnest folk metal that doesn’t forget that it’s first and foremost metal.  Most of the folkish elements are created through some jaunty breaks in what is a largely blast based cadence and the liberal use of the Violin.

A good amount of European melodic death metal influence is in evidence in band mastermind Mikheil Goncalves’s riffing and vocal delivery on Tribus, and a strong Turisas or Tyr comparison would be accurate to describe the general sound that Windfaerer deals in, though Tribus is considerably more engaging than the most recent output by either band.  The production is very clean and as the subject matter at hand deals with the Iberian Peninsula it’s nice to get a break from Kalevala-influenced folk metal and, for a change, experience some art inspired by the experiences of and view from a different landscape. “Viriato” and “The Invader” stand out as clear high points of the album with roaring choruses, and enjoyably catchy melody lines.  The songs on Tribus are mostly up-tempo, but the anthemic “The Beautiful Death” slows things down and features some skilled (and audible!) bass guitar work and other than the violin, which by the ¾ point of the album has admittedly begun to instill a measure of fatigue, could almost pass for an Amon Amarth stomp.

Tribus is really a very impressive debut album for Windfaerer, and I’d say it’s safe to project that based on the quality of the release, and the largely favorable view of the folk metal genre these days, this band will certainly go places.  I absolutely expect their next album (as well as the inevitable re-release of Tribus) to be on a more prominent label.  This is definitely a band you will be hearing about in the coming year or two.

Release Date: November 1, 2010
Label: Noire Perpetua Records

TRACK LISTING

1.  These Walls (Frozen in Time)
2.  A Gentle Touch Upon Ravaged Wounds
3.  In the Wake of War
4.  Viriato
5.  Oestriminis
6.  The Beautiful Death
7.  The Invader
8.  The Seafaerer’s Legend

Total playing time:  42:06

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*Comments:

Reviewer: J. A. Burt

February 21, 2011