Cruachan Morrigans Call
  full reviewuser ratings (3) 
Tracklist:
1. Shelob
2. The Brown Bull of Cooley
3. Coffin Ships [Instrumental]
4. The Great Hunger
5. The Old Woman in the Woods
6. Ungoliant
7. The Morrigan's Call
8. Téir Abhaile Riú
9. Wolfe Tone
10. The Very Wild Rover
11. Cuchulainn
12. Diarmuid and Grainne


Release Date: 2007

user rating
2.8
good
Chart.

related

 Folklore
recommended by reviewer
Finntroll Ur Jordens Djup
Enslaved Ruun
Borknagar The Olden Domain
Empyrium Songs of Moors and Misty Fields

members also liked
Bullet For My Valentine The Poison
Celtic Frost Morbid Tales/Emperor's Return
Atreyu Suicide Notes And Butterfly Kisses
All That Remains The Fall of Ideals
Underoath They're Only Chasing Safety
System of a Down Mezmerize
Misery Signals Controller
Black Sabbath Paranoid

  On 2 Lists

4.5
superb
Hawks10Pec USER (25 Reviews)

2008-06-24 | 22 comments | 1,060 views

1 of 1 thought this review was well written

Folk metal. In my opinion, one of the best genres of metal. Why? Because when you listen to folk metal you get images in your head of a lot of different things. Things like war, weapons, battle warriors, and other things of that nature. Cruachan is probably one of the best bands to listen to if you want all of that. They play folk metal mixed with a little bit of black metal. Think of Borknagar, just less a little less black metal like. This is The Morrigan's Call.

First of all, the best thing about this album is the folk instruments. You have all kinds of different things cellos, flutes, and other things like that. They also throw in some keyboards. Cruachan execute the use of the folk instruments so well that if you close your eyes, you can imagine being right in the middle of Ireland in the middle of some kind of epic battle. Believe me this is a good thing. Cruchan has two vocalists, one female and one male. The female is the more dominant one on the album singing in a operatic like voice. She reminds me of Sarah from Cradle of Filth. The male has three different kinds of vocal styles. He has a singing voice, more of a deep shouting, and then the infamous black metal shrieks. He executes them all to perfection.

As far as the guitars, bass, and drums. They really don't have that much of an impact on this album because of all the folk instruments being the center of attention. There are realy no memborable riffs or basslines that stuck out. There are some blast beats and tremelo picking when the black metal parts pick up, but thats about it. You wont be hearing any kind of killer solos on this album. This doesn't really effect the album at all though because when you hear how awesome the folk instruments and the keyboards are played, you really won't care about hearing any ripping solos or awesome basslines.

As for the individual songs, there are either the ones that mix both the extreme black metal side and the folk metal side such as Shelob and The Brown Bull of Cooley, or the straight up folk metal masterpieces like The Great Hunger and The Very Wild Rover. They also throw in an instrumental or two along the course of the album.

Overall this album is amazing. If you are in need of some folk metal with a little black metal edge, this album would be perfect. Like I said earlier, Cruachan will give you great images in your head of exactly whats going on during the album. Also, if you're Irish this album is perfect too because they do a great job of incorporating elements of their homeland into their music. That goes for the rest of their album as well.

Share: Facebook Stumble Digg!Digg Twitter Del.icio.us


Recent reviews by this author
Destroyer 666 Cold Steel...for an Iron Age
Cradle of Filth Godspeed on the Devil's Thunder
Ulver Bergtatt
Dark Funeral Diabolis Interium
Arkona Ot Serdtsa K Nebu
Blessed In Sin Par Le Sang Du Christ (Opus Luciferi)

Comments:Add a Comment 
Hawks10Pec


Comments: 5599
06.24.08

Album Rating: 3.5

One of my favorite folk metal albums ever.

Digging: Mercyful Fate - Don't Break The Oath

BallsToTheWall
Contributing Reviewer


Comments: 18809
06.24.08


Always wanted to see this album reviewed. This is pretty good from what i've heard but wouldn't finish downloading. Decent review, a bit short and choppy but good. This reminds me of my early reviews. Irish metal ftmfw. Take that Swedes and Finns. You should check out Waylander, another folk metal act from Ireland. The new album is promising fromt he three tracks I have.

Digging: Isis - Oceanic

south_of_heaven 11


Comments: 5080
06.24.08


Too much trying to explain what is present and not enough about how it sounds.

Digging: blink-182 - The Mark, Tom, And Travis Show

WillieFisterbut
Staff Reviewer


Comments: 7766
06.24.08


I googled them for the hell of it and just about laughed my hairy beanbag off. I hope not all Folk Metal bands look like that.
http://www.metal.de/pix_stories/cruachan_nst06.jpg
Good review, but I also agree with South_of_heaven11

Digging: The Shizit - The Shizit

Hawks10Pec


Comments: 5599
06.24.08

Album Rating: 3.5

Yeah their look is pretty bad, but their music is excellent.

fireaboveicebelow


Comments: 6760
06.24.08


willie that's one of the best band photos ever.
interesting review, I just might check it out

Hawks10Pec


Comments: 5599
06.24.08

Album Rating: 3.5

You definitely should. If you want to get into folk metal, this is the album to get IMO.

south_of_heaven 11


Comments: 5080
06.24.08


No these guys are pretty run of the mill and stuff tbh.

jrowa001


Comments: 7898
06.24.08


i listened to this album about a year ago and it wasnt that good. not even close to the best the folk metal genre has to offer

Digging: Junius - The Martyrdom of a Catastrophist

rasputin
Contributing Reviewer


Comments: 9693
06.24.08


yeah this band is terribly average

Digging: Earth - Earth 2

Hawks10Pec


Comments: 5599
06.24.08

Album Rating: 3.5

Well I might just really like them because they were the band that got me into folk metal. There are some better bands out there, like Finntroll.

rasputin
Contributing Reviewer


Comments: 9693
06.24.08


Seriously, even in terms of just Irish metal, this band is not really good at all. Ireland produces a truckload of great music, but unfortunately this pales alongside pretty much everything else.
I started a review for one of their albums a while ago but I never got it done because I really didn't want to listen to the album more.

Hawks10Pec


Comments: 5599
06.24.08

Album Rating: 3.5

I only listen to two bands from Ireland and they are Cruachan and Primordial. I'm probably going to check out Waylander too, but other than that I really dont know any other bands from Ireland.

BallsToTheWall
Contributing Reviewer


Comments: 18809
06.24.08


Darkest Era. I reviewed them, although it's only an ep it's solid and a bit like Primordial. Ireland has a decent metal scene, smaller than Denmark's but still there. Geasa and Mourning Beloveth. But personally, I've enjoyed what I heard from this band. I'm pissed that i can't acquire this yet, although I do have an interview tomorrow. Possible amazon binge in a short period I hope.This Message Edited On 06.24.08

Hawks10Pec


Comments: 5599
06.24.08

Album Rating: 3.5

I played The Very Wild Rover for my dad earlier. He's never heard of this band and the first thing he said to me was that it reminded him of an Irish drinking song lol.

Cocaine
Staff Reviewer


Comments: 7131
06.24.08


Hey look another 4.5/5, cool.

Digging: A Forest of Stars - The Corpse of Rebirth

Doppelganger


Comments: 3124
06.24.08


There are some better bands out there, like Finntroll.

swing and a miss

Digging: Bill Callahan - Sometimes I Wish We Were an Eagle

taylormemer


Comments: 1928
06.24.08


^^
My sentiments exactly. In reference to Coke's statement.This Message Edited On 06.24.08

Digging: Olivier Messiaen - Quatuor pour la fin du temps, I/22

Dethtrasher


Comments: 2128
06.25.08

Album Rating: 1.5

I don't have time to read right now but I just have to say that this album fucking sucks.

Digging: Hypocrisy - A Taste Of Extreme Divinity

Hawks10Pec


Comments: 5599
06.25.08

Album Rating: 3.5

Whats wrong with it?



You have to be logged in to post a comment. Login | Create a Profile





FAQ // STAFF & CONTRIBUTORS // SITE FORUM // CONTACT US

Site Copyright 2005-2009 Sputnikmusic.com
All Reviews Displayed With Permission of Authors | Privacy Policy