Kev Rowland Like many others, I am a huge fan of the 2019 studio album from Eluveitie, ‘Ategnatos’, and this album was recorded that year in the Czech republic at the Masters of Rock Festival while they were promoting it. Consequently, there are five numbers from that album within this sixteen-song set, but they quite happily sit alongside the older material. The Swiss act have been mixing melodic death and folk metal for nearly 20 years now, and there are few who can match them in this environment. It takes a lot of musicians to create music as diverse as this, yet with nine onstage it still seems incredibly tight and powerful. The twin vocal attack is powerful, with both singers also able to shine in different styles, and neither feels the need to always be involved but lets the other take centre stage. They also have in their midst a genuine multi-instrumentalist in Matteo Sisti, who can move from blowing into things, strumming things, or hitting things as the need arises. This means he can totally change a song not only by the notes he is playing, but what he is playing them on.

The guitarists can be frantically going up and down the frets one second, or providing support to delicate violin the next, with death growls front and centre. They are an incredibly varied band, and unlike some within the genre who seem to be playing at attempting to mix the forms, they really believe in what they are doing and instead of bringing two forms together have instead created a brand new one. In many ways their approach to folk and metal is exactly the same as Fairport Convention and their approach to folk and rock. FC may have started as a West Coast-style group, but they soon embraced the tradition, and brought it into the current age and made it relevant to a new series of fans. That was in the Sixties (and amazingly they are still going, I even made the trek to see them at their 50th Anniversary festival in 2017), and Eluveitie have taken up the mantle for a new generation.

The sound is superb throughout, the intro tapes which are used here and there are good and clear, and both the band and audience are on fire. There are a few songs such as “Epona” which may just appeal to folk rock fans (those vocals are incredible), but for the most part this is a band who is way more metallic and intense than many real ale drinkers will be able to comprehend. Me? I think this is awesome from start to end.

Kev Rowland The Swiss septet have been making quite a name for themselves since their formation in 2002, but to my ears they haven’t always been as consistent as they might have been. When they are good they are very good indeed, but the mixing of melodic death with folk sometimes jars as opposed to gels. Well, with the release of this their eighth studio album they are back with a huge bang. I had long set myself the expectation that they would never again reach the heights of 2008’s ‘Slania’, but right from very first note this album grabs the attention and refuses to let go. Here they have channelled Midas, with everything they touch turning to pure gold. Chrigel Glanzmann has his melodic growls hitting just the right aspect, while Fabienne Erni’s pure clear sounds provide the contrast. In most bands she would be the solo singer, with not only great range but a real emotion in her voice, but her and Glanzmann share the stage and the band is all the better for it.

Often it is a whistle or recorder that can be the lead instrument, but when the band belt into full bore metal it is a brave piper who stands centre stage and weathers the storm. It is hard to pick a favourite, but “Deathwalker” stands out just because it is so damn catchy. This is one of the elements which has made this album leap out from others in that it is contains loads of great songs, with catchy riffs and hooks, so much so that one at times misses the maelstrom and sheer heavy mix of music which is going on as well. Incredibly heavy, yet always melodic, even when death metal is coming to the fore, with folk elements strongly alongside metal at all times. This isn’t a band throwing in a few bits and pieces just for the hell of it, but instead are taking the music of founding fathers Horslips and taking it to a logical conclusion. But have they reached the peak? What will come next after this one, how can they improve? The next release will be a live album later in the year during the course of their current world tour. 2019 has seen the masters of folk metal come back with a bang, long may it continue.

DippoMagoo There have been a lot of metal bands making an impressive resurgence in recent years, following either long periods of inactivity, or a big lineup change that initially seemed like a major setback. One such band to enter a new era recently is Swiss folk/melodeath band Eluveitie, who had released six great to excellent albums during their first twelve years of existence, before announcing some huge lineup changes in 2016, the biggest of which being the departure of Anna Murphy (Vocals, Hurdy Gurdy) and the addition of Fabienne Erni (Vocals, Mandola, Harp.) One year later, the band would release Evocation II – Pantheon, the long-anticipated sequel to their first ever acoustic folk release. However, while I found that album is enjoyable enough, it left me desperately wanting to hear how their new lineup would sound on a heavier album, so when the band’s eighth full-length release, Ategnatos, was announced, I was excited to hear how it would turn out. Now that it is here, it has not only exceeded my expectations: it has become by far my favorite Eluveitie album to date, and one that represents all aspects of their music perfectly, while also showing small signs of evolution.

Eluveitie essentially has two main aspects to their music: The heavy, melodeath infused sections where frontman Chrigel Glanzmann leads the way with his epic, varied growls, and the softer, more epic and melodic folk passages. The two often intersect on many tracks, and I generally find these tracks to be the band’s best works, with the mix between harsh and clean vocals, along with the heavy guitar work and extensive folk melodies, coming from many different unique instruments, all coming together to create something special. Stylistically, Ategnatos delivers more of what any fan of the band would want, with many straight-forward, hard-hitting melodeath passages, a fair amount of softer passages where Fabienne steals the show with her light, yet very powerful and emotional vocals, and a ton of sections where the two styles come together for something truly amazing. There are also some sections where the guitar work goes a bit into metalcore territory, though this is handled very well, and adds an extra level of intensity, without taking things too far, and there are also a ton of nice softer sections, as well as a couple of more danceable, somewhat pop-ish tracks, where Fabienne really gets to shine. Performances are strong across the board, as always, with Chrigel and all musicians, both old and new, doing a great job, while Fabienne really gets to shine in her first full album (Evocation II was very light on vocals) and proves to be an excellent addition to the band. The production is also top-notch, with all the different elements coming together perfectly, and it all sounds wonderful together.

As great as everything sounds, the most impressive part of the album is how the songwriting manages to be both incredibly varied and extremely consistent, with some of Eluveitie’s most dynamic songwriting to date, as well as some of their catchiest, most satisfying songs in quite some time. The title track (which also serves as the lead single) kicks things off in typical fashion, with a brief narrative section, which introduces the album’s overarching theme of rebirth (a very fitting theme, considering the band’s circumstances) and then there’s an extended sequence of folk instrumentation and choral vocals, before the guitars eventually take over and the band charges ahead with their classic melodeath sound, as Chrigel mixes high and low growls together wonderfully during some fun verses, and Fabienne joins along during a fun, soft chorus. It’s a very nice track and does a great job of alternating between speedy, intense melodeath passages, and more melodic folk sections. It’s an excellent indication of what to expect from the album.

I’ll divide the rest of the album into three categories, starting with the heavier, more melodeath focused tracks. First up, we have “A Cry in the Wilderness”, which starts out with nice folk instrumentation and percussion, before speeding ahead during some intense, fast-paced verses. It has a nice combination of folk instrumentation and heavy guitar work, and is a very heavy and fun track, with Chrigel delivering some epic growls, especially during the chorus. The most intense track, though, is “Mine is the Fury”, a short but absolutely brutal track, which has the most frantic, hardest hitting verses, as well as an intense, somewhat groove infused middle section. It does make use of some great folk melodies, but it’s a very hard hitting track, overall, and quite the fun one as well. A couple of tracks later is “Worship”, a track which has some epic folk melodies as well as some narration and it’s probably the most melodic of the Chrigel dominated tracks, but it’s still fast and very heavy at points, especially during the verses, while the chorus is more melodic, though Chrigel still delivers some very powerful, lower pitched growls, which work great. Lastly, we have “Threefold Death”, which has some beautiful vocals from Fabienne during soft passages at the beginning and near the end, but for the rest of its duration it’s rapid-fire, pulverizing melodeath track, with more very heavy guitar work, and epic growls from Chrigel.

On the softer side, there are three nice interludes throughout the album, which are mostly pure Celtic folk, and transition nicely between full-length songs. The first softer full-length song is “The Raven Hill”, which is one of the purest folk metal tracks on the album, with some nice Celtic folk melodies laying the backdrops for a more relaxing, though still intense track. Chrigel growls during the verses, while Fabienne delivers some nice vocals during the chorus, as well as during the intro, and it’s a very melodic, very beautiful track overall, with some especially great folk instrumentation throughout the track. One particularly unique track is “Ambiramus”, a fun, more pop-ish track with some very danceable melodies, as the folk instruments have a catchy, almost electronic sound to them, that is only really noticeable on this track. it’s a soft track, with slow verses and a very upbeat, extremely catchy chorus where Fabienne delivers some of her most powerful and inspired vocals on the entire album. It was definitely a great choice for a single and is one of the best songs on the album. Near the end of the album, “Breathe”, is another very beautiful track with a heavy focus on folk melodies. It does have some heavy guitar work, especially during the instrumental section in the second half, but it’s a slower paced, very melodic track overall, where Fabienne really gets to showcase her smooth and beautiful, yet very powerful voice. It could end up being one of the less liked tracks on the album, but it’s actually one of my personal favorites, due to how relaxing and catchy it is, as well as how amazing the vocals are throughout. Lastly, the album closes off with Eclipse”, a soft outro type track, which takes the main melody and lyrics from the previous track, “Rebirth”, and allows Fabienne to run with it, resulting in another stunning vocal showcase.

While both the heavier and softer tracks are amazing, the tracks that strike a balance between the two tend to be among my favorites. First up, following the title track and an interlude, is “Deathwalker”, a track which has some very heavy, slightly metalcore infused guitar work during the verses, while still having some beautiful folk melodies, as well as a very fun, upbeat chorus where both vocalists work together wonderfully. Similarly, “Black Water Dawn”, does an excellent job of alternating between heavy and softer passages, especially during the chorus, while the verses move along a decent, but not an overly fast pace, and have some intense growls. The chorus, though, is very melodic and gives Fabienne some room to work with, while the instrumental section in the second half is heavy, intense and really cool. On the softer side, but still having some intense growled sections is “The Slumber”, which has some more excellent folk melodies throughout, and it’s a slower, very calm track overall, with some heavy growled parts during the verses, and some beautiful, soft melodies during the chorus, which is dominated by clean vocals. The last full-length song on the album is “Rebirth”, which is the first song releases from the track, but it came out about a year and a half ago, so it’s hard to really call it a lead single. If anything, it initially served more like a tease at what fans could expect to hear from the band in the future. Either way, it’s an absolute stunner of a track, and probably my favorite on the album, again alternating wonderfully between speedy melodeath sections, with a slight touch of metalcore during some slower, pounding sections, as well as a very melodic chorus, where Fabienne gets to shine. The instrumental section in the second half is absolutely epic and spectacular, while the ending is also perfect and serves as a great lead into the aforementioned closing track, which ends the album wonderfully.

When Eluveitie announced their major lineup changes a few years ago I was concerned, and wondered whether they would be able to retain their high quality, but now that I’ve heard Ategnatos, I’m very pleased to say the band has stormed back in a wonderful way, producing possibly their best, most dynamic release to date! It strikes a perfect balance between their classic melodeath elements, as well as their epic Celtic folk sound, and it serves as an excellent full debut for new vocalist Fabienne Enri, while still allowing frontman Chrigel Glanzmann to shine as much as ever before. Longtime fans of the band should be pleased with the album, while fans of either folk or melodeath are highly recommended to give it a listen, as it’s likely to be among the best albums from either genre released this year.

originally written for myglobalmind.com: https://myglobalmind.com/2019/04/06/eluveitie-ategnatos-review/

Kev Rowland Formed in 2002, Eluveitie ((/ɛlˈveɪti/ el-VAY-ti)) is a Celtic folk metal band from Switzerland, who use both Swiss and Celtic instruments alongside electric guitars and drums, while their songs are performed in a mix of languages which add to the timelessness of their sound. It was with their second full-length album, ‘Slania’, they started to make an impression on the wider scene, and at the end of 2018 Nuclear Blast released a tenth anniversary edition which has been extended from the original 12 songs to 19, with the inclusion of demos, alternate versions, and an interview. I should also make mention of the cover, where the young girl with the sword from the original has now aged ten years. These days there are quite a few bands pursuing the metal/folk path, and given I love both genres independently of each other, one would expect this style of music to be perfect for me, but unfortunately I often find it contrived, losing the majesty and beauty of both instead of combining together in a whole. That can certainly not be said of ‘Slania’ though, which is still as pummelling, uncompromising and forceful today as it was when it was originally released.

Bands in the genre need to listen to this as a perfect example of what can happen when everything is perfect. By now the band had honed their sound, and had had some success so were confident, and with guitars turned up loud and whistles and folk elements combining in a way so that one never overshadows the other, this really is a delight. The sound mix on this is extraordinary, so metal guitars never lose their edge or power, yet the acoustic guitar sounds right at home next to them, providing a beauty which heightens the force and doesn’t diminish it. It is as if Horslips had been transported from the Seventies and joined forces with a death metal act to create a many headed monster, where everyone vies for dominance but somehow it all stays in perfect harmony.

When this was originally released it was seen as one of the highlights of the genre, and ten years on nothing has diminished the beauty. I had forgotten just how good this is, I won’t make that mistake again.

adg211288 Origins (2014) is the sixth full-length album by Swiss Celtic melodic death metal act Eluveitie. Since the release of their last album Helvetios (2012) the group has parted ways with guitarist Sime Koch and introduced Rafael Salzmann as a replacement. Violinist Meri Tadić has also left and Nicole Ansperger has been added to the line-up to fill that role.

It's hard for me to put a review together for Origins, at least not without simply repeating the same things I said in my earlier review for the previous album Helvetios. As has always seemed the case with Eluveitie albums with the exception of Evocation I: The Arcane Dominion (2009), a non-metal album, Origins brings more of the same from Eluveitie, complete with the same problems that I've always had with their music, that one exception aside.

The band's use of Celtic folk instrumentation is as skilfully done as ever and remains the most praiseworthy aspect here as with any Eluveitie album but the band will insist on plastering it with what is otherwise pretty bland and generic melodic death metal, producing results which have rarely done a lot for me. In fact I cannot name a single melodeath dominant Eluveitie song that has sounded anywhere near as powerful as the song that introduced me to the band, namely Inis Mona from Slania (2008). Now that would have been a really powerful melodeath track in its own right even if it hadn't had the folk instrumentation as well. In the defence of Origins I have to admit I did find a lot of the songs here stronger than I was expecting given my track record with Eluveitie, especially ones like Sucellos, The Silver Sister and King, but there are also several where boredom is only held off by the excellent folk melodies. The second half of the album is certainly stronger than the first, though the end of the album lets the higher run of quality down again.

I think the reason why I enjoyed Evocation I: The Arcane Dominion so much as it kept the band's excellent folk instrumentation but threw out the melodeath (actually, metal entirely) and also allowed Anna Murphy time to shine in the lead vocalist position that is normally held by growler Chrigel Glanzmann. By rights then my favourite song from Origins ought to be The Call of the Mountains on which Anna Murphy sings lead, but here Eluveitie did a very silly thing; they promoted the album with a multi-language version of the song, a version that struck me immediately as being perhaps both the best metal song they're done since Inis Mona and also one of their least generic songs all told. The English only version of the album is still one of the best songs on Origins but feels a bit blander by comparison. Anna gets a few more (shared) vocal slots in other songs like Celtos but I'd like to be hearing more of her voice in Eluveitie's music even if it has to be 'beauty and the beast' style with Chrigel. It always feels that they're wasting potential for the sake of being just that tad more extreme.

Origins is yet another frustrating album from Eluveitie, offering just enough to make me not want to write the band off entirely but ultimately not satisfying me all that much. Rating it at less than 3.5 stars would probably be unfair as that's the rating range I put Helvetios in and I think this one is objectively slightly stronger, but ultimately I can't say I find Origins all that recommendable within either the folk metal or melodic death metal genres; for all they can do the folk side well the melodeath side can drag the music down as often as it works and likewise I don't think the folk side is going to offer all that much redemption for those looking for some kick arse and epic melodeath. I really don't know what else I can say, except perhaps this: can I have an Evocation II now, please?

74/100

(Originally written for Heavy Metal Haven: http://metaltube.freeforums.org/eluveitie-origins-t3728.html)