Band:	Skyclad
Album:	Vintage Whine
Style:	Folk metal
Release date:	1999
Guest review by:	Ealdamir

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