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Skyclad - Vintage Whine review



Reviewer:
10

68 users:
7.91
Band: Skyclad
Album: Vintage Whine
Release date: 1999


01. Kiss My Sweet Brass
02. Vintage Whine
03. On With Their Heads!
04. The Silver Cloud's Dark Lining
05. A Well Beside The River
06. No Strings Attached
07. Bury Me
08. Cancer Of The Heart
09. Little Miss Take
10. Something To Cling To
11. By George

What can someone really say about Skyclad? Maybe they are among the best bands to ever play on this planet, and one of the most influential too. "Fathers of Folk Metal" they are usually called as they defined an entire genre back in 1990, when "Wayward Sons of Mother Earth" folk metal was born. They were also the first to add a full0time fiddler in their line-up and of the first to use trumpets, bagpipes, and more folk instruments in their music.

Vintage whine brings us 9 years after the debut album, having already released 8 full-lengths and moved to a much more folk sound than the first more thrashy albums. They were undoubtedly very successful at that time and having toured all over Europe many times they took a small break before releasing this epic. Being at the peak of their career, Vintage Whine is probably their best album ever. Why their best? Because it is absolutely perfect. Some of the best riffs they have ever wrote are in this album. Moreover, Martin (greatest lyricist of all time in my opinion) lays all his talent, creativity, and intelligence filling the booklet once more with amazing and so enjoyable lyrics to read (and listen of course), and also singing them with his own unique way!

The album starts with "Kiss My Sweet Brass", a glorious trumpet intro setting the atmosphere for what will come up next. BANG! The self-titled track just starts and guitars riffs tears apart your ears! Guitars, bass, drums, and of course violin are all in place and brilliantly played. Martin's voice is at his very best-the ultimate frontman. "On With Their Heads" is an up-tempo song. So great! The next two songs are probably fastest and more angry. That brings us to "No Strings Attached", one of their best ballads. Purely Folk, and purely amazing. (this song transfers you to the Medieval Ages)? "Bury me, bury me, Come on and bury me" I find myself singing on track 7. The highlight of the album maybe. "Little Miss Take" is my favorite with lyrics that can haunt you (Dedicated to the girl who used the word 'love' the most, yet understood the meaning the least" was written on the booklet for this song). The album closes with a piano outro, maybe sad and melancholic but outstanding.

Concerning other aspects, the production by Kevin Ridley, second guitarist of the band is just perfect. The cover art is brilliant as every other piece of art in the booklet but the best of all is the back cover. I just love it! It is simply adorable. Not to forget this was their last album for Massacre Records since they left being disappointed for not being promoted well.

To end this review I have to say that Vintage Whine is a truly wonderful and groundbreaking album that words cannot simply describe I can't express how much I love the atmosphere it creates and the feeling it gives. Enough to say, it changed my life once and for all. Since it is so absolutely perfectly marvelous it deserves a 10 rating but I am too grim for this so I rate it with?9.9

Written by Ealdamir | 09.05.2005




Guest review disclaimer:
This is a guest review, which means it does not necessarily represent the point of view of the MS Staff.


Comments

Comments: 8   Visited by: 40 users
30.09.2009 - 17:47
Ellrohir
Heaven Knight
For the first time i didnt liked it, but recently i have played it again and it is good music
----
My rest seems now calm and deep
Finally I got my dead man sleep


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30.09.2009 - 19:44
Darkside Momo
Retired
Of course it's good music!
A good album, but not their best IMO. The lyrics are one again top-notch, however, especially Vintage Whine
----
My Author's Blog (in French)


"You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you"

"I've lost too many years now
I'm stealing back my soul
I am awake"
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30.09.2009 - 21:59
Ellrohir
Heaven Knight
But it is the only one i was able to get...
----
My rest seems now calm and deep
Finally I got my dead man sleep


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30.09.2009 - 22:12
Darkside Momo
Retired
Written by Ellrohir on 30.09.2009 at 21:59

But it is the only one i was able to get...

Yeah, I know the older ones are pretty hard to get. A shame, as nearly all their albums are great.
----
My Author's Blog (in French)


"You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you"

"I've lost too many years now
I'm stealing back my soul
I am awake"
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15.05.2020 - 15:45
Bad English
Tage Westerlund
Written by Darkside Momo on 30.09.2009 at 19:44

Of course it's good music!
A good album, but not their best IMO. The lyrics are one again top-notch, however, especially Vintage Whine


atm I listen it today and I say its their best in folk era, I like first 2 best from them, here its most heavyset folk metal album I have hear whit heavy sound creates awesome folk feeling there , its an art create such sound
----
Life is to short for LOVE, there is many great things to do online !!!

Stormtroopers of Death - ''Speak English or Die''
apos;'
[image]
I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
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15.05.2020 - 15:59
Darkside Momo
Retired
Written by Bad English on 15.05.2020 at 15:45

Written by Darkside Momo on 30.09.2009 at 19:44

Of course it's good music!
A good album, but not their best IMO. The lyrics are one again top-notch, however, especially Vintage Whine


atm I listen it today and I say its their best in folk era, I like first 2 best from them, here its most heavyset folk metal album I have hear whit heavy sound creates awesome folk feeling there , its an art create such sound

Well I have a softer spot for The Answer Machine?
----
My Author's Blog (in French)


"You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you"

"I've lost too many years now
I'm stealing back my soul
I am awake"
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26.08.2022 - 20:23
Rating: 9
Netzach
Planewalker
Written by Darkside Momo on 15.05.2020 at 15:59

Well I have a softer spot for The Answer Machine?

That's probably their best one overall, yeah, but this album is fantastic too. They haven't been the same without Martin's lyrics, he's my favourite lyricist and this album contains some of his best. Hard to go wrong with any of the classic Skyclad albums though. A Burnt Offering..., Prince..., Folkémon, even the weirder ones like The Silent Whales... find frequent replays around here and I probably know every lyric line by heart since half a lifetime ago. Could talk forever about this band and Walkyier's writing so I'll stop now.
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27.08.2022 - 12:55
Darkside Momo
Retired
Written by Netzach on 26.08.2022 at 20:23

Written by Darkside Momo on 15.05.2020 at 15:59

Well I have a softer spot for The Answer Machine?

That's probably their best one overall, yeah, but this album is fantastic too. They haven't been the same without Martin's lyrics, he's my favourite lyricist and this album contains some of his best. Hard to go wrong with any of the classic Skyclad albums though. A Burnt Offering..., Prince..., Folkémon, even the weirder ones like The Silent Whales... find frequent replays around here and I probably know every lyric line by heart since half a lifetime ago. Could talk forever about this band and Walkyier's writing so I'll stop now.

Best overall I'm not sure, even if The Answer Machine? indeed is one of the best. And I don't think Silent Whales is weird - it does feature some of my favorite songs by them ("Jeopardy", "A Stranger in the Garden", "Another Fine Mess", "Desperando", "The Present Imperfect")
And yes, Martin is a fantastic lyricist, no doubt about that - and I too know most of their lyrics since high school or something . Anyway, I do like some lyrics by Kevin Ridley ("A Survival Campaign", for example). Not as poetic as Martin's ones (and yeah without his wordplay and ironic humor), but still decent and with the social vibe I always loved in Skyclad
----
My Author's Blog (in French)


"You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you"

"I've lost too many years now
I'm stealing back my soul
I am awake"
Loading...

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