Is there something about Russia and folk metal that I’ve just been out of the loop with for years now? There really seems to be a solid concentration of folk metal acts within the Russian borders that it’s impossible not to notice once you start seeing the trend, and, more often than not, quality performances come with that realization. I’ve long been familiar with many Russian acts that have been able to bring great justice to the folk metal world, but it’s with the most recent to my ears that it’s been done extremely well and it’s from the name of Woodscream that it’s come from.
I’ve noticed that a lot of folk metal albums can feel like they’re on the slightly weaker side when it comes to pure heaviness in favor of a theme or emphasis on folk instrumentation, but I’ve always found that odd because we all know it can be done well with acts like Mongol (just to name one) do it masterfully, and I’ve been wanting to hear more! As if to ask my desires practically to the letter, Woodscream’s brand new offering of “Варево” delivers just that is absolute heaps. I haven’t seen such overt heaviness done so well with great folk instrumentation to match in so long that it’s a real joy to listen to in every way as Woodscream does it all beautifully and practically without flaw no matter what angle you’re looking at it from. It comes together seamlessly and flows into one another beautifully with the great transfer of energy from one to the next to create a very fast album that has equal amounts of real talent and undeniable fun that’s jammed into every second of “Варево” without any sort of failure as far as I could discover. As possibly one of the most well-rounded, engaging, and truly fun albums that I’ve come across from folk metal for far too long, Woodscream has created something that’s comparable to what we’d come to expect out of the bigger names that have come to grace the style. I can’t wait to hear more from this act simply because I know in my gut and my soul that this is far from a one-off band where “Варево” will be their own worthwhile release. Instead, they will grow into something extremely respectable and damn awesome from every corner to show the world really what the Russian metal scene can bring to the table like what few others can.
By all accounts, this album came as a surprise to me. I was not expecting such astounding quality and musicianship with this release, and I couldn’t be any more content to be blown away by Woodscream than I am right now for they did literally everything right to make for an awesome release whose excellence is simply undeniable from beginning to end. Truly, I think that they can do much better than “Варево” and I’m more than ready to sink my teeth into that effort after digesting the immense meal that this record turned out to be.
LISTEN to “Варево” on Bandcamp here.
LIKE Woodscream on Facebook here.
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