Band:	Myrkvar
Album:	Als Een Woeste Horde
Style:	Folk metal
Release date:	September 2008

01. Stilte Voor De Storm
02. I Viking
03. Trollisfarne
04. Jagersmaan
05. Den Ware Held (Sigurd En De Draak)
06. Wolftijd
07. Geboren Uit Oorlogslendenen
08. Krijgers Van Walhalla
09. Helreid Brynhilde

Folk Metal (with a few Black Metal influences)
Recorded: Studio Touché, The Netherlands 2006-2007
Label: Shiver Records
Total Running Time: 49:11


Let it be very clear from the beginning of this review: folk metal is not really my cup of tea. In all honesty, it never really has been, and I'm afraid it never really will be either. And now that we're being honest with each other, although I was not really having high hopes when I received this one through the mail, I must say Myrkvar is seemingly one of the few folk bands I can stand and enjoy for more than a small while - so there you have it.

The reason why I feel like that is that it strongly looks like Myrkvar really try their best not to sound like another run-of-the-mill, wishy-washy folk metal outfit that are mushrooming everywhere it seems. This band clearly pulled out all the stops on their debut "Als Een Woeste Horde" - which means as much as "Like A Fierce Horde" - to roll out their abilities as such. And what this band has to offer is some heavy and traditional folk music (using some nice violins, cellos, harps, flutes, pianos and whatnot) sometimes with a high humppa-caliber, eagerly whipping up the atmosphere. As Myrkvar is a Dutch band (and also the first non-Belgian band on the Shiver Records roster), all the lyrics are in Dutch, also something you maybe want to know on beforehand. On that matter, the clean vocal parts remind me quite a lot of Heidevolk.

All in all, the thing that caught my attention the most was the sublime mix of black and folk metal in a couple of songs - something I was very appreciative of. This almost black metal approach of traditional folk metal on some songs makes the whole record in any way heavier, and at times also a bit darker, even gloomier if you want. It really gives the whole outline more color, more substance and most of all more temperament. On a side note, these black metal influences can be no surprise, keeping in mind the band started out as a black metal project called "Lord Astaroth".

However, and by all means I need to be honest about this, at the end of the day, Myrkvar's "Als Een Woeste Horde" is just not doing it for me, not on the grounds of this album in particular, but because the whole genre in its integrality is just not doing it for me. Nevertheless, the band could certainly use a tad more forcefulness and willpower in my eyes too. When all is said and done, Myrkvar will end up being remembered as a likeable and pleasurable but timid folk metal band, playing traditional instruments and dressing up like sturdy Vikings, and that's where it ends for me. Sure they can troll around as much as they want, but not in my backyard...
(But who knows, maybe the joke's on me as I'm sure this might be a pleasing discovery for the real Folk metal amateur in heart and soul.)