Skiltron – Bruadarach
Skiltron – Bruadarach
Trollzorn Records
Release Date: 01/12/23
Running Time: 45:59
Review by Simon Black
9/10
Skiltron are another one of those Europe-based acts that are right up my strasse, but who I have never actually heard of because like so many cracking bands in the mid-tier (and let’s face it there are rather a lot of them circulating round the continent), they rarely get to the UK’s shores despite having been at this for the best part of two decades. Fusing up-tempo and very traditional Power Metal with Folk instruments and arrangements, Skiltron are surprising in that they originally hail from Argentina, which let’s face it is a land where Great Highland bagpipes and, er, bouzoukis are not exactly common. Let’s face it, if you are going to fuse contemporary and folk elements, you are more likely to do so using instruments from your own cultural folk tradition, and this selection initially strikes you as more European until you realise that actually Argentine Folk music is hugely influenced by the immigration from Central Europe once the mercantile age kicked properly in from the 17th Century, so that whistle and the guitar are a major part of this so are more conventional instruments from the Folk scene.
OK, instrumentally the very Celtic bagpipes and Greek bouzouki were a surprise, but then these guys have long since relocated to Finland and the one thing they definitely have brought with them from their native Folk tradition is the fact that this is music to accompany a good old dance first and foremost, and boy is this stuff good to boogie on down to. If anything, the Metal side plays second fiddle to this side of things (not sorry at all) which is the opposite of many bands fusing these sorts of influences. When they do bring a more Power Metal arrangement to things, such as the anthemic head-nodder ‘Proud To Defend’ that anthemic feels is achieved first and foremost by the bagpipe melody driving the whole song.
This clearly is a band that know how to make an audience work, as I can’t find a single song on here that wouldn’t get an audience bouncing along without any foreknowledge of their songs or lyrics, which lets face it is always a good sign of well-crafted Power Metal. Add the irresistible urge to dance from the folk fusion, and you really can’t go wrong. Sorry Skyclad, you may just have been knocked off my top Folk Metal spot (even if you are probably owed a few royalties for coming up with the idea in the first place).
TRACKLISTING:
01. Triumph & Devotion (Intro)
02. As We Fight
03. This Battle Is My Own
04. Where The Heart Is
05. Proud To Defend
06. Turadh (Instrumental)
07. I Am What I Am
08. A Treasure Beyond Imagination
09. Rob Roy
10. Haste Ye Back
11. Saor Alba (Outro)
LINE-UP:
Emilio Souto – Guitars, Bouzouki, Backing Vocals and Synths Programming
Ignacio Lopez – Bass
Pierre Delaporte – Great Highland Bagpipes and Tin-Whistle
Joonas Nislin – Drums and Percussion
Paolo Ribaldini – Vocals
LINKS:
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