Equilibrium should be available on the NHS. In fact, Folk Metal in general should be prescribed as an alternative remedy to drugs like Prozac – “Yes Mrs Clarke, we’d like to try something a little different, if you could play a little Eluveitie in the morning, Korpiklaani around lunch (but never on an empty stomach) and Equilibrium or Finntroll as and when required.”. It’s all just so uplifting! Granted, excessive alcohol consumption would be on the rise so it’s swings and roundabouts really…and of course, if patients overdose they’ll have to start prescribing My Dying Bride and that opens up a whole new can of worms…
So, apart from potentially helping save the NHS (just need to think that one through a little more…), what else are we being offered with this new Equilibrium 5 track EP? Well, Folk Metal obviously, but Equilibrium have always leaned more towards the Melodic Death Metal edge of the genre – a kind of a Folky Children Of Bodom if you like. There’s Death grunts and thrashy Blast-beats all intertwined with Metal and the use of traditional folk instruments. The title track and ‘Zwergenhammer’ are prime examples of the band and their craft and fit in nicely with their back catalogue. Equilibrium really just come across as a Metal band who like to push the folk influence a bit…and why not! If you’ve got it – Fiddle with it! No, hang on, maybe not…
Crashing on, ‘Himmelsrand’ dispenses with the grunts and utilises Choral vocals which means the song comes across a little more as Equilibrium meets Rhapsody Of Fire. Don’t worry, they haven’t gone all Power Metal, It’s just Equilibrium stretching the boundaries a little further, and they nicely balance this with ‘Der Sturm’, which really reminds me of Amon Amarth. It reels in the Folkiness for some pounding riffage and galloping double-kick. There’s even a shredding guitar solo chucked in for good measure! Not a Folky in sight! There are actually 5 tracks on Waldershrein – the closer is an epic, more orchestral version of the opening title track (no doubt “influencing” a Hollywood epic film composer as I type…), which to be honest isn’t the cop-out it sounds as the track really does stand up on it’s own, but perfect as an epic outro.
And it’s all over – well it is just a 5 track EP, but well worth checking out if you like any part of the Folk/Viking/Pagan genres, there’s bound to be something on here for you, even if you just play it as a bit of silliness or light relief after, or during a few beers. Great fun.
(8/10 Andy Barker)
https://www.facebook.com/equilibrium
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