Batavi

Wow! When I first listened to this album I couldn't do anything else but bask in this truly epic gift of music. I am a huge fan of folk/Viking/pagan metal and have a pretty good idea what I like and don't like in it and this album hit all the right marks. I've listened to Heidevolk for the past couple of years and I finally think they found their sound!

Now the music. Continuing a similar approach to their previous albums, I feel Batavi proves to be much more resolute and aggressive than ever before. First the vocals. I seriously can't get the vocals out of my head they are that good. The characteristic clean sound of both Heidevolk vocalists is far more superior this time around and the harmonies they produce are truly haunting and beautiful while the war chants are truly epic! Folk melodies build the foundation of each track while the guitars are dense and heavy with a nice full tone to them. Drums are tight, thundering, barbaric, and numbingly fast at some points. The production quality is next to none. There is no mud in the mix, especially with Peter Tägtgren at the mixing helm.

Kicking off the album is the song "Een Nieuw Begin", my personal favorite. A true tour de force itself, it prepares you for the folk/Viking metal album that is Batavi. Unfortunately, there are no other songs that stand out to me mainly because every other song on the album is a masterpiece, as if throwing you directly in the middle of some ancient battle between Vikings and Romans.

With music in the vein of Amon Amarth, Týr, Turisas, and Moonsorrow , it is sure to please anyone who calls themselves Viking metal fans!