Graveland

[legion]

As with any BM, I'm usually skeptical as to which release best defines the artist in question.  I remember I took a chance with Burzum years ago, and essentially, I'm happy that I did.  Filosofem still remains as one of the more important albums ever released, imho.

Now, as of late, I've been most curious with Graveland.  What release best defines Graveland, if I were to start with an initial album?

I found this review of their latest release to be helpful:

http://www.chroniclesofchaos.com/reviews/albums/2-4077_graveland_fire_chariot_of_destruction.aspx

[Cynical]

"The Celtic Winter" and "Carpathian Wolves" are probably the ones you want to start with.  Much of his later work tries too hard to be epic and comes across as a bit contrived, whereas those two (and also "Thousand Swords", although it's a bit too "eary candy" at times) are far more honest albums.

[nAMELESShERETIC]

i would start with celtic winter without hesitation. carpathian wolves, thousand swords, and even following the voice of blood would be great additions to any metal lover's archive.

[legion]

Yeah, that's what I was mostly hearing about the later material.  Although I must admit, I'm leaning more toward epic sounds.  There's nothing wrong with a "triumphant" feeling of sorts.  Are there any orchestras involved?

[nAMELESShERETIC]

"thousand swords" can be downloaded here:

http://www.officialworldgonemad.com/reviews.gravelandthousword.html

[nAMELESShERETIC]

no orchestras in the traditional sense, but there are various orchestration themes here and there throughout the catalog of releases

[nAMELESShERETIC]

a couple short samples for celtic winter here:

http://www.officialworldgonemad.com/reviews.gravelandcelticwin.html

and samples for following the voice of blood here:

http://www.officialworldgonemad.com/reviews.gravelandfollowing.html

[legion]

Thanks for the links.  I'll check them out later after download.  Is there a link as well for "A Celtic Winter", seems as though that is the overall favorite?

[Dylar]

Thousand Swords is probably their most distinctive (and, I think, best) contribution to the genre.  In many ways, it is an electrified Slavonic folk album composed in a narrative fashion (sort of the black metal equivalent to the debut from Darken's folk/ambient project Lord Wind).  Easily one of the three or four best metal albums ever recorde.  Carpathian Wolves and The Celtic Winter are also excellent, though they are a bit dependent on works by other artists (DarkThrone and Burzum) for my tastes.

[Cynical]

Errm... CW and TCW are much closer to s/t era Emperor than they are to Burzum or Darkthrone.  They're not reliant on a pulsing ambient beat (in fact, much of those two are in waltz time), and the structuring and usage of repition is much more in line with early Emperor.

[Niko]

The Celtic Winter full length:

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=4TO128J4

plenty more to hear in the Audiofile section


Darken is nothing if not consistant&reliable, and even his worst works are more reccommendable than 99% of BM

[Viriatus]

Celtic Winter and Carpathian Wolves are standard but excelent black metal with keyboards similiar to early Emperor. Thousand Swords and Following The Voice Of Blood are epic with a more original sound. The more recent albums have better production and are similiar to Bathory's Hammerheart but with "black metal vocals". The most interesting of these is Creed Of Iron.

I would recomend listening to Carpathian Wolves and Thousand Swords. Celtic Winter is also very good.

[wulf66]

Does anyone actually like the twangy guitar tone on "Following the Voice..." ?

[nAMELESShERETIC]

Does anyone actually like the twangy guitar tone on "Following the Voice..." ?

i think it's a brave step, especially in black metal, and i feel it fits the folk style strumming on that album perfectly.

[in abyssia]

a couple short samples for celtic winter here:

http://www.officialworldgonemad.com/reviews.gravelandcelticwin.html

and samples for following the voice of blood here:

http://www.officialworldgonemad.com/reviews.gravelandfollowing.html

Officalworldgonemad. I lke the site, my first time i've come across it. Who runs it? Very ANUS-y.