SOWULO – NIHT
SOWULO – NIHT
Season of Mist
Release Date: 29/08/2025
Running Time: 50:16 min
Review by Metalphysicist
9 /10
Sowulo is the Folk project of Dutch composer Faber Horbach, and he’s just released “NIHT”, with various musicians playing exotic Folk instruments, such as Celtic Triplett Harp, Viola, Violin, Cello, Carnyx, Bukkehorn, Blowhorns, Taglharpa and Small percussion!
The first band who woke up my warrior soul to Folk Metal for good was The Hu, from Mongolia. I watched their video clip, ‘Wolf Tothem”, in 2019, and that was a mind-changing experience to me. I mean, I have had a playlist of Celtic & Ancient Chants since 2015 and, even though I listen to that playlist time to time (to chill-out, to cook, etc.), I’ve never got stuck into it.
On the other hand, sadly, I’ve never connected to Folk Metal bands which compose songs using the Old Nord ambience mixed with loud guitars and riffs. It sounded to me like those bands were missing the point between the new and the ancient musicality; But that is only my impression of it.
The sad history was that The Hu scheduled 2 tour dates in Brazil, in April 2020, but needless to say, they had to cancel their shows around here due to the COVID-19 pandemic. At that time, I barely knew what was about to come for the whole world as the plague spread diseases all around. Through those dark ages’ years, I found the strength to survive and carry on my life thanks to Dark Folk and Folk Metal rituals about life, death, & Old Nord spiritual connections with Mother Earth and the Ether above.
“NITH”, the new album from Suwulo, gives me that same feeling of strength. It has lots of traditional musical instruments to maintain The Ancient Nord Chants and Myths, which are always highlighted. ‘Micele Steorran’ is a beautful song, with ethereal ambience harmonies based on chants, which felt very meaningful to me. ‘Carnyx’ and ‘Eald Mõna’ are a very impressive musical duo which starts with obscure carnyx trumpets and low melodies that connected to my self-consciousness landscape, while on ‘Eald Mõna’ the melancholic harmony spreads out to a battle chant, when the percussion arises from the Earth.
“NIHT” sounded to me like the songs weren’t necessarily composed to sound like a proper musical ritual connecting the songs, but a couple of great Old Nord songs, mixed with contemporary musical production. And it’s all good.
The fact is that on “NITH” it’s clear that the songs came from the deep feelings of Faber Horbach as he gives life to dark vibes, emptiness, and agony inside. To me, that is enough to make “NIHT” a legitimate incursion on Folk Music’s musical spices.
TRACKLISTING:
01. Niwe Mōna
02. Seolfren Sicol
03. Āsteorfan
04. Sōl ond Māni
05. Full Mōna
06. Miċele Steorran
07. Mōnaþblōd
08. Nihtēagan
09. Carnyx
10. Eald Mōna
11. Swefnian
12. Heolstor Sċeadu
13. Genihtian
LINE-UP:
Faber Horbach – Vocals, Throat singing, Nyckelharpa, Carnyx, Irish bouzouki, Percussion, Synths & VST
Micky Huijsmans – Vocals
Chloe Bakker – Celtic triplett harp
Maria Angeles Chaparro Fuentes – Viola
Rikke Linssen – Violin
Heleen de Jonge – Cello
Tessa van Genderen – Carnyx, Bukkehorn, Blowhorns
Bart van den Brink – Taglharpa
Tim Elfring – Small percussion
LINKS:
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