Rating: 8/10
Release: 9 October 2011
Label: Independent

Winterhymn is a probably not very well known band among a lot of us. This American formation counts six members, and their first full-length is available for free streaming on their facebook. Reason enough to give it a try!
In short, the band creates a typical European sounding folk-metal.
Very typical, because I realized only when I read their biography they weren’t an European, but a American band! The album starts with a very cheap sounding keyboard-tune, but they make this up very soon with a nice violin and powerful guitars. Grunts and clean vocals alternate frequently throughout the whole album. The grunts are not top of the bill always, this is largely compensated by the clean vocals. Because the clean vocals are extremely pleasant to listen to.
The speed, is just like the quality on a very high level. The melodies are very catchy, and stay stick for a long time. The lyrics are full of clichés, but I doubt that’s a problem in folk-metal.
I can be short about this album. A fabulous début! Fans of Ensiferum, Eluveitie and more of that kind of bands are highly recommended to listen to this album, and as said, you can do this on their facebook.

Tracklist

1. In the Troll Forest
2. Castle Kelly
3. Dispelling the Mist
4. Stand Your Ground
5. Up From the Roots
6. Under the Hunter’s Moon
7. Alesong
8. Woad
9. Blood Eagle
10. Witch
11. The Berserker’s Axe
12. Fall of Kings