Finntroll – ‘Vredesvävd’

Finntroll

‘Vredesvävd’

Century Media Records

Blackened Folk Metal

FFO: Troll, Svarsot, Svartby, Nordheim, Kromlek, Verikalpa

Sitting here, two things have become very apparent about Finntroll; firstly, who’d have thought that it has been 13 years since the Finns were riding the crest of popularity with the release of ‘Trollhammaren’ and ‘Ur jordens djup’? and secondly, seven years have elapsed since Finntroll last dropped a studio album with ‘Blodsvept’. Thankfully, this year has Finntroll returning with their latest overly anticipated album ‘Vredesvävd’.

                Returning from their absence, ‘Vredesvävd’ provides everything that a fan of Finntroll has been waiting for; black metal riffs and drums pound back and forth, masterfully broken by melodious folk interludes that really demonstrate just how talented this band is. We all knew what Finntroll are capable of, but with ‘Vredesvävd’, the Finns pick up like there has been no elapse at all with their music able to set the scene perfectly for their tales of mythology that easily engages the listener to raise their fist in air and driving it back and forth (even if the intro to ‘Forsen’ makes you think you’re listening to ‘Smokin’ in the Boys Room’!). Tracks here such as ‘Grenars Väg’, ‘Vid Häxans Härd’ and ‘Att Döda Med En Sten’ are excellent examples of what Finntroll do, they are ambient and intense one minute before being full on Scandinavian black metal the next having all the appeal of Trollfest, Svartsot and Svartby. However, there isn’t anything here that the Finntroll fan hasn’t really heard before and considering their absence, it is a rather ‘safe’ album. Yet, it is Finntroll doing what Finntroll do best; this is an album by Finntroll aimed at their long term fans and those passing fans expecting ‘Trollhammaren’ may be a little bewildered and confused at what they’re hearing. Furthermore, ‘Vredesvävd’ is not overly long, clocking in at just under 40 minutes, it is a concise and lean album with the only fat left on being the ‘Outro’ that could easily be trimmed away and forgotten and a few bands should learn a thing or two about this.

                Finntroll have dropped an album that doesn’t break any new ground, but it easily accomplishes what it sets out to do and that is to deliver brand new, quality Finntroll material into your lugholes. Hopefully, with ‘Vredesvävd’, it opens a brand-new chapter in the bands career and they are able to capitalise on the good fortune of a release that is more than decent.

Adam McCann