Band:	Rivendell
Album:	Unsung Tales
Style:	Black metal
Release date:	September 06, 2024
A review by:	AndyMetalFreak

01. Roads Go Ever On
02. The Lay Of Leithian
03. Lament
04. Nimrodel
05. The Voyage
06. The Crown
07. Grey Havens

Here, after 19 years, are Unsung Tales told from Rivendell in the style of blackened folk.

Rivendell (formerly known as Fangorn) is an Austrian, Tolkien-themed, one-man blackened folk project formed in 1998 by sole member Falagar. Fans of Tolkien-themed metal projects have most likely heard of bands such as Summoning and Emyn Muil, but Rivendell seems to be one of those bands that have slipped under the radar for many. For those who don't know the first thing about Tolkien literature or, unbelievably, haven't yet seen any of the Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit films, the band name "Rivendell" derives from the Elven outpost in the western foothills of the Misty Mountains. It's often depicted by artists, filmmakers, and Tolkien himself as one of the most beautiful and majestic settings imaginable. Ultimately, the band's purpose is to capture the majestic, atmospheric soundscapes of Tolkien's world through their music, but have they succeeded in this 4th full-length release, Unsung Tales?

Whilst Summoning have yet to be resummoned, and Eldamar have seemingly departed from Middle-Earth to voyage into the Cosmos, Rivendell have suddenly emerged from the shadows of the Misty Mountains with Unsung Tales after a 19-year slumber. Does this mean Tolkien-themed black metal will shine again once more? Well, according to the opening song "Roads Go Ever On". This is unsurprisingly an instrumental, synth-based intro with enchanted keys, folkish acoustic melodies, and a mesmerizing gentle atmosphere that sets the mood for the album.

The main song kicking the album off is "The Lay Of Leithian", which sums up the band's noticeably different style to that of most Tolkien-themed black metal projects. The main feature behind the song is the heavy folk influence, which seems Middle-Eastern inspired. Although the landscapes in Middle-Earth are undeniably vast, I'm still not entirely familiar with its desert landscapes, but the band seem to have captured that image remarkably well here. There's plenty of acoustic guitar work at play here, along with various other folkish instruments. But there's also a symphonic touch alongside the folkish instrumentation such as a symphonic backing choir behind the harsh blackened shrieks, and this gives the song its epic, majestic, cinematic feel.  Heroic backing chants and dramatic synth work continue on "Lament", giving a slightly epic tinge of Stronghold-era Summoning, but, from here, the song becomes more rapid-paced, and the style takes a heavier, blackened route. The folkish elements may still appear, but they're not nearly featured as much as the symphonic or black metal elements.

From here, Rivendell continues to capture the listener's imagination through merging symphonic, folk, and black metal elements. "Nimrodel" is for me one of the main stand-out songs, especially with how the instrumentation progressively gets heavier and more powerful after the mid-way point, but the introduction of merry, bard-like singing as well as wind instruments is another quality and epic touch. Another highlight for me is "The Voyage", and this is certainly what I'd call the catchiest song featured. Although the rhythm is quite groovy, and the riffs are strikingly melodic to begin with, it's the slow, epic build-up in the latter stages where you can imagine sailing off on an epic voyage across the endless sea that is the highlight most of all.

Rivendell's more simplistic, traditional folk approach that's opposed to the epic, multi-layered, symphonic style of the band's counterparts could well be the reason why the band have remained unnoticed by many, but the band captures the world of Tolkien in a way which only Rivendell can. Although it's hard to imagine, try to picture a combination of Summoning and Falkenbach, then throw some Middle-Eastern influences in, and that's what these Unsung Tales from Rivendell provides. Whether it captures the magical, atmospheric soundscapes as much as the band's 3 previous albums is debatable, as the listening experience can obviously vary from listener to listener, but it certainly captures a certain Tolkien aura, and the folkish elements and overall performance have a great deal of authenticity about it.