Title: Voyageurs de l'Aube
Artiste: Catuvolcus
Genre: Folk/Black Metal
Familiarity: Zero
1. Voyageurs des Brumes, Part I: Only four tracks, eh? Well on three of them the lyrics are all in French so I can't comment on what's being sung, but apparently this band tends to focus on historical themes, French presumably. Good bouncy start anyway, standard scratchy vocal, though the backing vocals/vocal harmonies are pretty sweet. Good powerful rocker, good start.
2. Voyageurs des Brumes, Part II: Slower, more a warrior's chorus here, or if you like, more folk metal whereas the previous track was more in the black metal vein I feel. Picks up after a few minutes, gets into a real rolling, swaying rhythm. Stirring! Some lovely violin there at the end, melding with the sound of the sea gives a real Viking idea.
3. Ressacs de l'ame: I love the guitar that kicks this off. So evocative. When it gets going it really hammers along. Very powerful and dramatic. Really expressive guitar then in the eighth minute (Spanish/Classical?) before it all takes off again for the big finish. Superb solo there at the end; kind of more an outro almost.
4. Thrill of the struggle: The only one in English, and it's a cover, but just as good as anything else that has gone before on this album, and that's quite a compliment.
End result: Loved this album. The sort of thing I would usually discover during Metal Month. No complaints whatever. Excellent.
So, Love or Hate? Definite
Love.