Label: Self released
Date: December 23rd, 2022
To the fans of Nordic mythology and Scandinavian weather we have here the perfect EP. This Swedish gang named Eldfaerd is a new hope for a still new genre of atmospheric metal with symphonic elements. They wander between Skalmold and Danheim or Tyr and Wardruna. Most beautiful fact is that they have their own mark and don’t look alike those bands at all. The EP is called “Skymningsland” and I hope this will become a full length album very soon.
Too many people are big fans of Vikings. Every blonde guy is a Viking and girl is a shield maiden. I think even people from Scandinavia are bored with us from the South of Europe pronouncing those words incorrectly and they surely get goosebumps when they see us wearing Thor’s hammer as necklaces. Trust me, I do too sometimes.
A few facts almost no one notices are: first – Swedish, Norwegian and Danish languages – those languages are made for fairy tales and epic songs about heroes. Here also, by listening to the music of Eldfaerd I got an impression that the singer is telling a tale very important and epic. With folk instruments and atmosphere that is picturing the cold north, I though I am already there, in some Swedish field, ten centuries behind us, just living my life.
I have one conclusion, that every band or folk music group from Scandinavia is presenting us their own feelings about their culture. I had separate and very different feelings on concerts of Tyr and Scalmold and I think I would too, when I get an occasion to see Eldfaerd. There we get to second thing people don’t notice. The soul of this music that gets to the deepest parts of history and gets listeners very emotional sometimes.
Musically, in those four songs much has happened. My attention was caught, of course, by folk moments that give a totally specific dimension to this EP. They are not something you will hear in the first place but surely without them this EP would just be one more in the sea of the same.
The essence of the EP is in the first song called “Själafrid”. It’s made for audience to sing together and it sounds like a prayer to Gods in some moments. My favourite is “Djupa Skogars Hav”, the most “metal” song of all four. Facts that divide it from others is its syncretic melody. Symphonic parts the most. My impression is that they put the most effort into this song. It’s like the band’s “precious one”.
Eldfaerd is not one of those bands that will experiment with their music. I suppose and I think they shouldn’t. They showed us what they’ve got here. We expect more songs but not so different from these. By listening to their previous single, published one year ago, I noticed maybe a bit more “metallic” style on the new EP but nothing else. I am not saying that’s bad, because Eldfaerd has their own mark and I will always notice them among the others.
As I am already on the list of their fans and as a journalist, my advice to them would be to put a bit more folk elements. I think then the songs will be completed and with more Scandinavian spirit in them. Maybe that’s too much for their taste but here, that’s my warm advice. Eldfaerd is a young band, much more music and occasions are in front of them. I will continue to impress myself with everything about Scandinavia, especially music and of course to be the biggest fan of their mythology and Eldfaerd can go to studio and surprise us with more of their music.
