ELVENKING — Wyrd (review)

Album · 2004 · Folk Metal

4.5/5 · 2011-06-08
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Wyrd is the second full-length album from Italian Folk/Power Metal act Elvenking. At the time of writing this review it stands as the only album in the Elvenking catalogue that does not feature the band’s usual frontman Damnagoras, with the vocals here handled by one Kleid. It is also the first album to feature keyboardist/violinist Elyghen, and the last with guitarist/growler Jarpen. It was released in 2004.

Personally I thought that Elvenking’s prior record was a perfect blend of folk and power metal, even though Damnagoras wasn’t the best singer in the world. When coming to Wyrd in the knowledge that there was a different singer, the thought did cross my mind that the band would be able to top their debut; all they would need to do would be to keep up the sort of quality level in their writing as heard on Heathenreel and add Kleid’s superior vocals and Wyrd would be something really special.

Unfortunately while Elvenking certainly gained a stronger vocalist for this album, they seem to have lost a lot more in the process. Wyrd is something of a departure from Heathenreel in that the extremer elements heard on the debut are more or less dropped, such as Jarpen’s growls, although these elements still turn up on occasion, such as in Pathfinders. Additionally although the actual songs remain on par with those on Heathenreel and there are some really excellent tracks among their number, including The Loser’s Ball, Moonchariot and Jigsaw Puzzle, Kleid’s delivery is somewhat lacking. Though technically the better singer, his delivery here lacks the sort of passion that Damngaoras gave Heathenreel. In all fairness Wyrd is still a mighty fine album, but next to the group’s debut it can be seen as a diminishing return.

On that note I can’t lie, Wyrd is something of a disappointment, but it is still worthy of an extremely positive score and for me does actually sit nicely in my top three Elvenking releases, it’s just that the main problem I have with it is that on paper this should be the band’s strongest release. It has the writing and the production to be such but doesn’t quite cut it on the delivery. I would have liked to have heard more of Jarpen’s growls on the release as those were used really tastefully on Heathenreel and their absence is felt on Wyrd. The band’s folk elements remain very well done however and stand as the strongest aspect of Wyrd.

Overall I think that Wyrd is an album that will require several listens before a fan of Heathenreel will be able to get into it because the feel of the album is quite different, and even then there’s a chance that it still may not be met with approval. In contrast however it may well also stand as the only album in the Elvenking discography that other people might like because of the absence of the required taste that is Damnagoras. It really depends on your prior disposition towards the band on how you receive Wyrd. But I for one do enjoy this album a fair bit, so hopefully you will too.

(Originally written for Heavy Metal Haven, scoring 8.9/10)