Blackened Folk Benchmark

Nokturnal Mortum is a band that has been shrouded in controversy. I could go on and on about their NSBM roots, less than culturally-sensitive lyrics, and more recent reform; but I'm not. I'd prefer to stick to the music, and damn that music is good. Despite not agreeing with the content, I enjoy the music of all of NM's output, from the schizophrenic Nechrist to the more straightforward To the Gates of Blasphemous Fire. The union of black metal and folk has always been pretty unique in the execution. But with Voice of Steel, Nokturnal Mortum not only topped themselves, but in my opinion the entire genre.

Once again, I find myself struggling to grasp the right words. From the introduction's use of insect noises and bizarre horn call, to the resulting shindig of various folk instruments and hand drums; no one does atmosphere like these Ukrainians. This ultimately explodes into sounds of blacksmith hammers, a raucously catchy fiddle melody, and crushing power chords. The end result is quite possibly my favorite folk metal song ever, “Voice of Steel.” Haunting backup chants, perfect fusion of various heavy and traditional elements, and a vocal performance channeled straight from Valhalla. 10 minutes isn't long enough

And that's just the first song. If “Voice of Steel” is the call to arms, “Valkyrie” is the battle. This blastbeat-driven piece of symphonic madness sounds like 10,000 horses galloping through the enemy like a warm knife through butter. I don't know who we were even fighting, because the opposition was decimated before I had time to put my helmet on. Think Emperor meets Bathory and Amon Amarth.

It's incredible just how many styles get crammed into this album while still flowing together into one progressive masterpiece. “Ukraine” has one of the most infectious singing parts that would have been cheesy as hell if anyone else had done it. Both “My Dream Islands” and “By Path of Sun” absolutely nail upbeat melodic portions with a trifecta of keys, flutes, and guitar. But even at their most canorous, these compositions maintain an unmatched heaviness that kicks like Sleipnir. It's a black metal Renaissance fair.

But enough words. Just press play. This is one of those “two kinds of people” situations: those who like Voice of Steel, and those who are wrong. Find out which one you are and then spare some gold pieces to add it to your collection. I loved it so much I paid premium to have it shipped from the Russian Federation. It was worth it.