Band:	Turisas
Album:	Turisas2013
Style:	Folk metal
Release date:	August 2013

01. For Your Own Good
02. Ten More Miles
03. Piece By Piece
04. Into The Free
05. Run Bhang-Eater, Run!
06. Greek Fire
07. The Days Passed
08. No Good Story Ever Starts With Drinking Tea
09. We Ride Together

Is this really for your own good? The opening track for the new effort from Turisas insists to us that it is. Well, all right then, if you say so Turisas, you gave us albums like The Varangian Way so I trust you on this. Let's hear it.

Well before the album's end it was obvious that things aren't the same. This is different to their previous releases but it isn't fresh as much as it is cut back to the bare essentials of their sound and stripped down. Gone is the epic grandeur of armed forces on the march of Battle Metal and moving in determined stride to "Holmgard and Beyond."

It's some sort of "contemporary Turisas", breaking through the medieval thematic atmosphere of previous albums in the attempt to make the music more relevant to the modern reality of the music's fans. Though I wonder, do I really need to be reminded that I'm not actually a battle-hardened Viking seeking my own fame? Unfortunately I'm already aware of this fact.

All of this seems self-mocking and the lyrics are clearly attempting to appeal to the sense of humour of fans. Obviously this isn't supposed to be a serious album in any way, shape or form. It's supposed to be fun and all seriousness is left at the door.

Such a confusing departure from their established themes and sound is guaranteed to be divisive, so not fun for all, as it is as likely to appeal to fans as much as drive them away in disappointment and frustration. Turisas2013, I'm sure, has been a stab in the back for many, performed with a blunt blade and haphazard aim and is more likely to hinder than deal any real damage.

The guitar work is mundane and lacks creativity despite its punchy nature, thanks to the ample production. For the most part the song writing is reliant on the orchestral backing, keyboards and choir for any kind of dynamism, though it is managed with the same energetic pace, heavy rhythms and understanding of simple hooks. The tracks are dependent on standard and repetitive rock drumming and devoid of all the creative vigour that was necessary to uphold the likes of The Varangian Way.

The most noticeable absence, however, is the folk instrumentation. The album as a whole isn't folk metal. It abandons the genre almost entirely in preference for a "bare bones" approach with the deliberate addition of unexpected elements, such as the country western feel of "Ten More Miles" which is a strangely symphonic line-dance in honour of the gods. Zeus sporting spurs and cowboy hat in front of a divine orchestra. You get the point; it's an odd and unwelcome mishmash.

Only "Greek Fire" really retains a bit of old flame, elsewhere the folk elements are infrequent and usually unnoticeable such as in "Piece By Piece" where they quickly fade into insignificance behind the guitars.

Without a coherent theme the album is instead tied together by the reliably catchy chorus and melody based structure, providing ample opportunity for some effective clean and harsh vocals. However the latter aren't as significant as the cleanly sung lines, such as those in the infectious and self referential anthem of "Ten More Miles."

I can tell these tracks were all written in good fun; "Run Bhang-Eater Run!," to use a particularly varied example, is a ridiculous song initiating in folk fashion with an Indian vibe before you enter circus frivolity which is followed by an orgasm in a jazz bar. The album can be amusing and nonsensical where others will likely find it a betrayal of what they have come to appreciate from the band's image.

Turisas went for something deliberately different here, something produced for a live setting no doubt, but as it stands as an album Turisas2013 is an unnecessary, confusing, divisive although admittedly catchy departure from an established sound.