Heidevolk - Batavi

Genre: Viking/Folk Metal
Country: Netherlands
Label: Napalm Records
Year: 2012

Track List:
1. Een Nieuw Begin
2. De Toekomst Lonkt
3. Het Verbond met Rome
4. Wapenbroeders
5. In het Woud Gezworen
6. Veleda
7. Als de Dood Weer Naar Ons Lacht
8. Einde der Zege
9. Vrijgevochten

Review:
Wow! When I first listened to this album I couldn't do anything else but bask in this truly epic gift of music. I am a huge fan of folk/Viking/pagan metal and have a pretty good idea what I like and don't like in it and this album hit all the right marks. I've listened to Heidevolk for the past couple of years and I finally think they found their sound!

Continuing a similar approach to their previous albums, I feel Batavi proves to be much more resolute and aggressive than ever before. First the vocals. I seriously can't get the vocals out of my head they are that good. The characteristic clean sound of both Heidevolk vocalists is far more superior this time around and the harmonies they produce are truly haunting and beautiful while the war chants are just plain epic! Folk melodies and lyrics build the foundation of each track while the guitars are dense and heavy with a nice full tone to them. Drums are tight, thundering, barbaric, and numbingly fast at some points. The production quality is next to none. There is no mud in the mix, especially with Peter Tägtgren, (lead guitarist/vocalist of the death metal band Hypocrisy) at the mixing helm.

Kicking off the album is the song "Een Nieuw Begin", my personal favorite. A true tour de force itself, it prepares you for the folk/Viking metal album that is Batavi. Unfortunately, there are no other songs that stand out to me mainly because every other song on the album is a masterpiece, as if throwing you directly in the middle of some ancient battle between Vikings and Romans.

With music in the vein of Amon Amarth, Týr, Turisas, and Moonsorrow , it is sure to please anyone who calls themselves viking metal fans!

5/5

-A

Give It a Listen!