Well this is quite an interesting act. When the CD arrived and I saw the words Nordic Folk Metal written in big bold letters. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. But the end product is not as bad as I thought it would be, it’s a bit odd but then again what do you expect Nordic Folk Metal to sound like? The way to sum up Asmegin to someone who has never heard of them is to describe it a cross between Opeth, Nightwish, My Dying Bride and some native Scandinavian music.
It’s hard to really rate this as it sounds like nothing I’ve ever heard. The production is really good and the musicianship is of a pretty high standard. This helps with making Arv listenable, if even just in a curious manner. There is a range of vocal styles over the various riffs, ranging from very doom-esque screams to floaty operatic female vocals. The whole affair is rather theatrical with lots of strings and added instruments dropping in and out with the change of dynamics.
The more I listen the more I am getting drawn in to it. I also feel that I should be dressed as a Viking, whilst doing a circle pit ho down to enjoy this to the full extent. So to conclude, if you like Scandinavian metal and are looking for something slightly different or are even just interested in finding out what Nordic Folk Metal sounds like, I recommend you give Asmegin a listen as they do seem to do a very good job.
www.myspace.com/asmeginfanpage
Asmegin- Arv (CD)
