It’s time for the CD Release Party (or Straalschijf Ontketen Feest) for the newest member of the Heidevolk Discography. The Dutch formation has already played some of the song at the Paganfest tour but now it’s time to get this thing official.

Rhovanion
Starting this evening is the Dutch folk-metal band Rhovanion. The last few years these guys have been playing a lot of gigs, expanding their fanbase massively. So it’s awesome to see them on such a big venue. In their typical fast and jolly style it’s hard to just stand and watch these guys. There’s always movement going on in the crowd and even some moshpits even though the evening had just started. Fast guitar riffs, flutes and a violin are what defines Rhovanion and with their new vocalist they got more violence up front too. Ofcourse they play some songs every (Dutch) folkmetal fan knows them by like Rhovanion or Daugobelion but I personally love their newer song called Arminius.
Hopefully we’ll see more of them soon, so in the mean while, look them up and support these guys.
8/10

Celtachor
Next up was Celtachor. Hailing from Ireland they would kick some folk-blackmetal up our asses tonight. I had high expectations from the band since I really like their last few albums and I’d never seen them live before. Unfortunately something was missing, I don’t really know what but it never really got to me. Though the sound was good and the performance even better, it all got kind of boring. But since Celtachor also uses quite some whistles, played by their vocalist Stephen Roche, it was still a good show. Because those whistles where just awesome! They’re the best thing about the music on record as well and live they just did wonderful. In the end it was still a decent show.
7/10

Heidevolk
The big guys of the evening, Heidevolk. This was the moment everyone in the Luxor Live had waited for. Accompanying Heidevolk tonight also Sneeuwstorm Ensemble was on stage to give voice to all the violin parts, which was a great addition to the show!
Heidevolk ofcourse started with the opening song from the new album Velua, Winterwoede. After which they continued with some more of the new songs. Personally I think it’s not their best album so far, but they can’t get away with it if they don’t play the entirety of it on their release party.
But the reaction on the crowd when we got Saksenland and Nehalennia gave away I wasn’t the only one with double feelings on the new album.
Heidevolk also had an goodbye party tonight, since it would be the last gig with guitarist Reamon and vocalist Mark. On behalf of folk-metal.nl, thank you guys for everything you’ve done for folkmetal, Dutch metal bands and all the awesome evenings we got the honour to attend. You both will be missed.
Last time I saw Heidevolk was on Paganfest with their stand in guitarist Kevin and vocalist Jacco, I thought it wasn’t all as steady on stage and in sound as it used to be. This last show with Reamon and Mark gave the wall of sound we’re used to, showing how much force lies within the sound of Heidevolk.
Plowing trough all the new songs some of which are quite good and some I don’t really like, Heidevolk still brought them much better live than on the CD. But to be honest I must say I got really happy with Het Wilde Heer and Het Bier zal weer Vloeien. And ofcourse, being born and raised in Gelderland, Het Gelders Volkslied always cheers my heart.
But something I noted on Paganfest and I noted it again, not a single song was played from the Batavi album. Which is a shame because I think it’s the best album they’ve got. I don’t know the reason behind this, but it better be a good one.
9/10

In the end there was time for a little encore as well, since Rowan already gave away they would come back the crowd didn’t really try to make enough noise to force them. The encore however excisted out of 2 songs, both covers. The rebel yell by Billy Idol, I really didn’t see how this was an improvement to the setlist, I could give at least a dosin songs I’d rather hear instead of covers, especially this one. And the second song is the famous song by Normaal called Vulgaris Magistralis, I said enough about that one in the past so I won’t do it again.

In the end Heidevolk was awesome as they’ve always been, the sound was absolutely perfect, the stage performance is always great and these guys just know how to give a party and to get the crowd going. A special evening too because it will be the last time of Heidevolk as we knew it. Unless the setlist wasn’t the way I would like it, I still had a wonderful evening thanks to these guys!