adg211288 Слово (2011) (AKA: Slovo, used herein) is the sixth full-length album by Russian folk metal act Аркона (Arkona herein). It follows on from the EP release Стенка на стенку (2011) (Stenka na Stenku) which was released earlier in the year, of which the title track also appears here. Like prior releases the album features a number of guest musicians including Meri Tadic of Eluveitie, and a full orchestra.

Now Arkona has really been on a role with their albums since 2005’s Во славу Великим! (Vo Slavu Velikim!). Each release has been pretty much faultless and they’ve delivered three masterpieces of their genre in a row. So logic says that eventually they’re going to trip up and after the fan’s only release that was the Stenka na Stenku EP, I did wonder if Slovo might end up being the release that did that tripping up. To be honest even then I was still expecting a solid album from Arkona since as a band they’re still miles ahead of many other acts, but to my pleasant surprise although Slovo does ultimately feel slightly lesser compared to the preceding three masterpieces, it's still of such an exceptionally high quality that the phrase tripped up does not apply. If there was a concealed root on a forest path Arkona just stepped right over it. Yeah I know, cliche forest metaphor for a folk metal review...

The presence of the orchestra gives Slovo more of a symphonic feel than any of the band’s prior work, but I wouldn’t call it a change in direction for Arkona. It's more like it’s an expansion of their sound rather than a controlling element. They certainly haven't followed the path that Finnish act Turisas have on their most recent releases. In fact it ultimately doesn't make too much of a difference at all, which leaves the release as basically more of the same with that little bit of freshness that every Arkona release has. That doesn't bother me, because theirs is the best and most consistent folk metal sound I know. I did already call Slovo slightly lesser from them and that is true, especially after many listens to the release (you're actually reading a slightly edited and updated version of this review) but even lesser from them is still worthy of high praise. They continue to make use of authentic folk instruments, now notably through new member Vladimir "Wolf" Reshetnikov, and I really can't fault Arkona's take on the folk melodies and the way they blend with Sergey "Lazar"’s guitar riffs. Their extreme take on folk metal has many nods to black metal and in my view even a little bit of death metal in a track like Никогда (Nikogda). The flow of the songs is really excellent, especially the way the intro track Азъ (Az’) moves into Аркаим (Arkaim) and alongside the most extreme edged songs you'll still find happier sounding work like Леший (Leshiy) and also in the familiar track from the EP, Stenka na Stenku. Finally of course, Masha "Scream" Arkhipova delivers the usual flawless performance of harsh growling and folksy clean singing. The only part of the album that I really don't enjoy is much is Потомок (Potomok), in which they used a child to deliver a narration part. I'm not too fond of narration in music in general so that would go some way to explain it, but I can tolerate it in Arkona when delivered by Masha. The child unfortunately sounds out of place on such an extreme metal orientated record. Fortunately this track doesn't even last a full minute and the rest of the material is excellent to top of its class.

It was always going to be wishful thinking that Arkona or any band for that matter could do four top tier records in a row, but they honestly came close to it with Slovo so while a step down from Гой, Роде, Гой! (Goi, Rode, Goi!) it's not a disappointing release from them. They had me worried after the recent EP, but the doubts I had were ultimately unnecessary. While not the best starting point for the band it's yet more proof of their greatness and a rating in the 4.5 stars bracket is fair.

93/100

(Originally written for Heavy Metal Haven: http://metaltube.freeforums.org/topic-t2062.html)