❖ Slava!

❖Musically, I've spent the last few years delving deeper into metal (particularly black metal) traditional Celtic folk, Nordic folk (mostly Norwegian and Swedish, but some Finnish and Polish as well) and more recently, darkwave.

I've got to a point where every metal band I hear just isn't as good as Agalloch, or isn't as good as Primordial, or isn't as good as Wolves In The Throne Room, or isn't as good as Drudkh. You get the idea. New bands imitate, and ninetynine times out of a hundred they don't even come close to surpassing what they're imitating.

Nor do they take a truly new route, or at least a path less trodden. They keep an eye on it, or maybe step onto it to get around a rock or a poorly placed tree. It's not that there isn't anything new happening, it's just that it isn't reaching far enough.

It's not just metal, though: a lot of the music I search out has slowed down, and is nearly at a stand still. This will seem so obvious, but a lot of music needs to diversify.

❖ I'm not going to have a rant, but I'm going to suggest that you, the reader of this journal, listen to the music I've listed below; not because I want to rave about the bands, not because I want to be bitter towards the rest of music, but because, as a fan of music, you owe it to yourself to not slump into a musical couch and fester.

Diversity, energy, competency; it seems to be a winning formula. Hear them out. Maybe you'll hate them, but you should at least find the listen refreshing.


Afro Celt Sound System.
Celtic folk; Traditional West-African; Trip-hop; Techno.
North (Part 1), North (Part 2), Mojave, Lovers Of Light.

Wardruna.
Ancient Nordic folk.
Dagr, Bjarkan, Hagall.

Ásmegin.
Traditional Nordic folk; Heavy metal; Black metal.
Blodhevn, Over Aegirs Vidstragte Sletter, Til Rondefolkets Herskab.

Hedningarna.
Traditional Scandinavian folk.
Höglorfen, Joupolle Joutunut, Tuuli.

Nezhegol'.
Black metal; Slavic folk; Industrial; Darkwave.
Быть, Духа Север, Маршем грома в парад осенних ночей.

Tumulus.
Err...yeah. Interesting.
Yavir, Sredokresie, The Other Path.

Arkona.
Slavic folk; Black metal; Heavy metal.
Maslenitsa/Chernye Debri Vojny, Pokrovi Nebesnogo Startsa, Po Syroi Zemle.

Valravn.
Nordic folk; Industrial.
Hedebys, Marsk.

I may update this at some point.

❖ ❖ ❖

Until next time,
Farewell,
Fionn