Band:	Heidevolk
Album:	Velua
Style:	Folk metal
Release date:	March 20, 2015
A review by:	ScreamingSteelUS

01. Winter Woede
02. Herboren In Vlammen
03. Urth
04. De Hallen Van Mijn Vaderen
05. De Vervloekte Jacht
06. Het Dwalende Licht
07. Drankgelag
08. Velua
09. Een Met De Storm
10. Richting De Wievenbelter
11. In Het Diepst Der Nacht
12. Vinland [bonus]
13. Immigrant Song [Led Zeppelin cover] [limited edition bonus]
14. In The Dutch Mountains [The Nits cover] [limited edition bonus]
15. Rebel Yell [Billy Idol cover] [limited edition bonus]

Though co-lead vocalist Joris Boghtdrincker departed from Heidevolk a couple of years ago, they could not in good conscience abandon their trademark vocal harmonies, and so the barrel-chested tag-team remains intact with the new addition of Lars Vogel. At least their signature sound hasn't changed with the line-up, but Velua is a very slow starter.

One of the first things to note is that Heidevolk have thrown in some death growling here and there, especially early on in the album. It sometimes feels as though the unique vocal approach is the only thing Heidevolk really has going for them, given that their songwriting tends to be uneven, and as intriguing as it is to hear harsh vocals in this typically clean band, I worry that this only hurts them by threatening their calling card. In fact, what it really does is turn Heidevolk into a melodeath band for those brief five- or ten-second morsels, and there are already plenty of those that sound far too cannibalistic to sustain themselves. I hate to be disparaging, because this addition suggests that Heidevolk are looking to move in some different directions and I think that progression would be good for them, but the darker, thicker, heavier tone that they took with Batavi and replicated here won't do them many favors for long. They have experimented with some elements of black metal in the past, and continuing in this vein, or perhaps introducing some more overtly traditional influences, would be more beneficial.

I'll admit that I'm a sucker for those vocal harmonies; rarely can be found in metal something simply pleasant and warming to listen to in that particular way. I first encountered Heidevolk at the New England Metal & Hardcore Fest in 2013, and when they stormed onstage in front of about 20 people (very early in the day), they blew me away with "Nehalennia" and "Ostara." The harmonies attracted me initially and the harmonies keep me returning, but sometimes that's all there is to it. While Uit Oude Grond and Walhalla Wacht generally have the strength of songwriting to exist outside the realms of mere curiosity, Velua sounds seriously lackluster. No song truly stands out in the way that "Saksenland" or "Dondergod" did; Velua is more of a collection of musical moments, some of which sound exciting and promising, but most of which want imagination. "In Het Diepst Der Nacht" makes up for some of the space-filling humdrum, but after the entire rest of the album has passed, it seems too little too late.

After several runs through, the songs start to develop slightly more personality; at the very least, they begin to distinguish themselves from each other just a bit. I'd comfortably call "De Hallen Van Mijn Vaderen" one of Heidevolk's better songs, and "Drankgelag" breaks up the subdued mood somewhat, but most of the songs still run together. Its blandness remains Velua's defining factor, even considering that previous Heidevolk releases suffer from this to some degree, and how many listeners will replay it enough times to sink into it after such an underwhelming first impression?

Given how Velua has grown on me in a short span of time, I am certain that after some weeks, months, or years my opinion of it will continue to improve. Even during my primary uneventful foray, I felt that it would make for some uniquely pleasant background music (possibly once more due to the harmonies). The difficulty lies in convincing anyone to stick around long enough to let the album grow on them, and there is better Heidevolk (and better folk metal) out there in the meantime.