Band:	In Extremo
Album:	7
Style:	Medieval folk metal
Release date:	2003
A review by:	Undercraft

01. Erdbeermund
02. Sefardim
03. Ave Maria
04. Mein Kind
05. Sagrada Trobar
06. Küss Mich
07. Davert-Tanz
08. Melancholie
09. Albtraum
10. Pferdesegen
11. Nymphenzeit
12. Madre Deus
13. Segel Setzen

Call it Folk Metal, call it Mittelalter Metal, everyone knows In Extremo and knows what are they doing, they 're one of top contenders of the so called "Medieval Metal" category, and this, their seventh album tries to prove that they're not giving the throne to anyone.

This is In Extremo most controversial album, since a lot of die hard fans didn't like it, and why is that? The formula is basically the same as always, powerful German lyrics (although In Extremo also sings in Spanish and Latin) with medieval melodies and instruments like bagpipes, harps among others. I must say that this Folk trend is starting to get on my nerves, maybe some years ago they were original, but not anymore, because more and more bands are trying to do the same, many lack the inspiration that In Extremo have, but some do, leaving this band as a precursor of the genre, but not an innovator.

I've heard some other albums of In Extremo and I must admit that they were a lot better than this one, and I'm not saying that this album is bad, because is not, it just lacks more good songs, I mean I only have 2 songs that I always listen while this is on my player, those are of course the great opener "Erdbeermund" and "Küss Mich", songs that ironically, are the 2 singles of the album.

Maybe I feel the sound in this album a little more cold than the others, more robotic, when Folk Metal needs to have that "happy" vibe to make it work.
I won't mention the word Industrial here (although I already mentioned) because a couple of electronic samples and some minor stuff doesn't make this album Industrial, as some might assume.

Those songs are really great, and I'll listen to them often, but as the rest of the album, simply lacks the same touch that other releases had. This is not a bad album by any means, but when you have albums like 'Vererht Und Angespien' and 'Sünder Ohne Zügel' I can imagine is hard to surpass them. Just a minor trip on the way for In Extremo, hope they can overcome this and give us a new masterpiece