Pagan

Most of you fellow-metalheads must be familiar with the following scene. Talking to your buddy about random metal bands, suddenly you happen to evoke the name of Skyclad, and hear a comment like “Skyclad? They ain’t bad... but you know, Cruachan are way better!”. Now ashamed of your ignorance you seek for an album from the aforementioned band... only to find it has little to do with Skyclad, apart from the fact both acts mix metal with Celtic elements; a characteristic they’re only sharing with a good hundred of other bands. Otherwise while the British band leans toward traditional metal, being the emanation of a former NWOBHM act, the Irish one in its heaviest moments shows several black metal elements, including screaming vocals and blastbeats. Not to say Pagan is a bad album. Who cares if it doesn’t sound like Skyclad: given Skyclad already exists we don’t need another one.

So be it. Cruachan is an Irish band, and proud to be so, what may constitute their main charm and strength. While there’s still room for improvement, Pagan undoubtedly exhibits a strong personality. Lyrics exclusively deal with Irish history (“genuine” history as well as legendary), with the exception of the closing track, apparently an older Cruachan song with Tolkien-inspired lyrics. Irish folklore is one of the richest in Europe, so why bothering with sub-par Tolkien themes?

Folk melodies which are abundantly scattered over the whole record sound very Irish as well, almost too Irish to be true... Indeed, not less than four instrumental tracks, three of them being devoid of any metal element, serve to strengthen the ambiance with their flourish of bagpipes, flutes and fiddles. Let’s especially mention Summoning of the Sidhe and its three minutes of haunting flute: genuine beauty!

People familiar with other folk metal acts may point out similarities with Subway to Sally’s Irish-sounding debut as far as the folk parts are concerned (the metal parts showing nothing in common though). The fiddle part in 1014 AD for instance is identical to the violin solo of Barleycorn, not a single note is missing, suggesting the same traditional source. For a far more unexpected comparison though, Pagan also reminds me of Galadriel’s Empire of Emptiness. A doom band, what the fuck? The sound, of course. Singers from both bands sound nearly identical, be it the growling male vocalist or the chanting female singer. The guitar sound is also very similar (If you’re familiar with Empire of Emptiness, listen here to A Thousand Years: isn’t the beginning furiously Galadriel-sounding?) Most important, the production is equally poor on both albums. Drums are so muffled down they seem to come from some remote shore, vocals often sound awkward and the bass is forever lost. Actually, what strikes first is the huge difference in the recording treatment of the “folk” and “metal” instruments. Pipes, flutes and the likes are recorded loud and clear while the guitars, drums and vocals sound misty and iffy. Thus as soon as the traditional instruments enter the rest is relegated in the background, what is a tad frustrating as you’re usually listening to folk metal to hear the “folk” and the “metal” altogether!

This weak production doesn’t deserve the band, as it may turn away several listeners although the songwriting would deserve some attention. There might be no overwhelming masterpiece here but there is no weak song either, and while every track is made from the same wood it doesn’t hinder the band from a certain variety. The title track for instance is altogether highly black-metal coloured, majestic and melodic, and shows a sumptuous flute-driven middle part; on the other hand Viking Slayer, where the emphasis is put on guitar riffs, leans more towards traditional metal. The Gael begins like an eerie ballad, driven by acoustic guitars and female vocals, before speeding up a bit when the fiddle enters, while Erinsong is a light mid-tempo march, equally devoid of male vocals. Further pointing out the particularities of each of the thirteen songs would be pointless, those quick examples only serving to show the creative richness of this release. A release whose worst track isn’t certainly this exhilarating pub song:

Some say the devil is dead, the devil is dead, the devil is dead
Some say the devil is dead, and buried in Killarney
More say he rose again, more say he rose again
More say he rose again and joined the British Army!

...To serve cold and enjoy with a pint of Guinness, of course.

Highlights: Pagan, The Gael, Viking Slayer, Some Say the Devil Is Dead...