Forgotten Land
Ancient Tales From Forgotten Lands ()
Wydane przez Self-financedRok wydania Kraj ItalyNapisał Wouter5
Capitalizing on the success of Scandinavian pagan/folk bands such as Ensiferum, Korpiklaani and Moonsorrow, Italy's Forgotten Land deliver a good little debut EP for the genre but do not yet stand out from the crop. Infusing midtempo black metal with genre-typical Scandinavian folk melodies with acoustics, galloping riffs and multiple vocal styles (gruff male vocals, serene female backing vocals) "Ancient Tales From Forgotten Lands" adheres to the known genre rules yet never ventures beyond the limitations this genre has set itself. Vocalist Ulv is the weak link in the band as his vocals don't hold enough punch and bite, neither do they lend themselves for the more anthemic tracks. ‘The Ragnarok Is Just Begun' and ‘Forgotten Land' are good exercises of the genre yet never grow beyond the mundane. The latter track is the strongest of the two on this EP. Backing vocalist Lisa is sorely underused but whenever she gets her spot she outshines lead vocalist/frontman Ulv. Additionally, Forgotten Land lack in tightness and delivery, which becomes especially clear in the opening start-stop section of opening cut ‘The Ragnarok Is Just Begun' The production is a bit on the shoddy side, although the guitar tone and bass sound are exceptionally well given the financial constraints of most underground acts. The drum sound is horrible with a thin snare and almost completely inaudible bass drums and cymbals. Artwork, design and lay-out are fittingly sombre although the cover art is really exceptional for a band of this ilk. Given a few years time to nurture their sound and some more live experience Forgotten Land could become an interesting addition to the rapidly expanding folk/pagan metal scene.
www.myspace.com/forgottenlandforgotten
