Band:	Alkonost
Album:	Mezhmirie
Style:	Pagan folk metal
Release date:	April 27, 2006
A review by:	Jeff

01. Eviltimes
02. Nevertimes
03. The Abyss
04. Waiting
05. Bloody Grasses
06. Unknown Lands
07. Before The Epoch Of Twilight
08. Mother The Sadness

Fourth album of the excellent Pagan Folk combo from Russia, Alkonost, "Mezhmirie" is a good way to fall in love with the musical world of this really atypical band. With its mix of great symphonic vocals and folk melodies, "Mezhmirie" is an album that a lot of people will probably love and remember. So my friends, don't miss it!

"Mezhmirie" is an album of Folk Metal, but Folk Metal a la Midnattsol, which means that except through the keyboards and the guitars, you'll not be able to find a lot of Folk instruments on the release. Actually this is more a matter of melodies and rhythms, and those Folk melodies, come from the sounds produced by the guitars and from the ambiances produced by the keyboards. The music of Alkonost uses in general mid-tempos and the general ambiance is cold. At the opposite the voice of their female singer is really sweet, hot and touching. That's the great point of the band, they know how to write beautiful touching music which doesn't lack of punch and cool rhythms. It's not some cheesy tender ballads, it's dark and cold Folk Metal mixed with the grace of the voice of Alyona and if you're a fan of Folk like Symphonic Metal or if you just like to listen to beautiful stuff, I'm sure that you'll enjoy this release.

On the other hand and when you compare this album to the last release of the band "The Path We've Never Made", it's obvious that we had an important progression. Actually, first "Mezhmirie" can be a bit repetitive, the recording is not so good and the musicians are also better on the second release, the voice of Alyona for example is definitely more professional on "The Path We've Never Made". Though, the songs of "Mezhmirie" are all ok but in comparison if "The Path We've Never Made" is full of hits, "Mezhmirie" is just full of good songs if you see what I mean? But don't worry it's still a good album?

For a first album, "Mezhmirie" was a great start Alkonost is a great band with a great singer and musicians who are able to write good songs of Folk Metal. "Mezhmirie" is not the best release of the band, especially when you know the second album of the combo, but if you like great Pagan Folk Metal in the vein of Midnattsol, I'm sure that you'll be amazed by the quality of this first release. A great start for a promising young band?