Kylfingar - Halhatatlanok (2014)
Yes, the joys of unearthing hidden talent sometimes comes with the problem of hardly finding ANY information about the band at first. Enter the latest discovery: Kylfingar. With a name like that you would expect them to be Icelandic or Norwegian or something along these lines, but no, this quintet hails from the Jászság county in Hungary, east of the capital Budapest! When hearing their debut full-length Halhatatlanok (Hungarian for “immortals”) you would not place them there either, because their folk/viking metal sounds very Scandinavian, but once you hear the vocals, it becomes clear that this is no Nordic affair.
With bands such as Sear Bliss (at least until before their last album), Dalriada and Niburta already having left their distinct marks on the folk, viking and pagan metal inspired genres, Kylfingar are now on their way to add themselves to this illustrious group courtesy of Nail Records. The single ingredients do not look any different than with most of their colleagues, both gruff and clear vocals, flute and violin, sweeping melodies, good variation and dynamics, but it is all in how they put it all together that makes Halhatatlanok (you have to be immortal to type this all the time, lol) so special.
Admittedly, the keyboards do have their space in the Magyars’ sound, but they are woven in very well, adding to the rich and diverse tapestry of sound. Opener “Észak Népe” (“People of the North”) is surprisingly powerful, utilizing both double bass and blastbeats, with an epic atmosphere and great melodies, adding flute and violin only where they really enhance the song instead of a constant presence, resulting in a powerful, varied and dynamic first track that will inevitably draw you in! And Halhatatlanok is not short on outstanding tracks, “Helheim” is one of them, the maybe most epic track of the album, a light Amon Amarth touch in the guitars, but it is the epic atmosphere that leaves its mark on the track, together with the melody that threads through all the different passages.
Also following “Sörtánc” (“Beer-Dance”) stands out, bringing us the Hungarian equivalent to Humppa, with accordion and all, great energy after the darker “Helheim”. “Új Haza – Kölpény Vihar I.” (“New Home – Storm of Kylfings pt. 1”) combines almost all of the above, in a powerful and diverse romp through the Puszta, covering the whole spectrum between calm and reflective up to full double-bass driving the song forward.
Throughout the 49 minutes you never get the impression that this album was recorded in the band’s home studio, it has power, clarity and the right feel for the style. Kylfingar show tons of potential to make a name in the folk/viking metal world and Halhatatlanok displays power, versatility, dynamics and great melodies, combining them into a gripping and thoroughly entertaining album that will satisfy the cravings of any fan of the genre!
copas from http://www.metal-observer.com/3.o/review/kylfingar-halhatatlanok/
Genre: Folk / Viking Metal
Country: Hungary
Year of Publication: 2014
Audio Codec: MP3
Format: tracks
Bitrate: 320 kbps
Duration: 00:48:59
Tracklist:
01. Széllel ...
02. Észak népe
03. Kilenc Valkűr
04. Helheim
05. Sörtánc
06. Út a Valhallába
07. Új haza - Kölpeny vihar I.
08. Halhatatlanok
09. Emlékek ...
10. Sörtánc (Akusztikus verzió)
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