Trold returns to the forest with their second album.
Signed to Target Records, the Danish band featuring Allan Madsen (vocals), Jesper Myrup (guitar), Christian Christiansen (guitar, Sylvatica) and Frederik Weile (drums, Apathist, Heidra) – accompanied by Esse (vocals, ex-HateSphere), Lars Thiesgaard (words) and Laura Emilie Beck (violin, ex-Huldre) – has once again called on Frederik Uglebjerg (mix/mastering, ex-Svartsot) to give the final touch to I skovens rige.
We enter the band’s universe with I Skovens Rige, an eponymous introduction in which a voice greets us and leads us through Folk sounds to Med Høtyv Og Fakkel, which combines saturation with festive tones. The track is as catchy as you could wish for, and doesn’t hesitate to accelerate or, on the contrary, to be more accessible on the unifying choruses, whereas Troldmanden immediately delivers much darker, more aggressive sounds. There are also some imposing moments, such as when the vocalist starts laughing before the heavy break, but we quickly return to Folk’s festive side with Til gilde under bøgen and its burp that presents the crazy dance that easily recalls the influences of Norwegian trolls without hiding its darkness. Tusind År I Dvale follows with a slightly groovy epic sound and furious drumming, but there’s also a unifying final that promises nothing but rage for the live shows, before a gentle pause is allowed with the start of Vår, which nevertheless returns to its heavy-rooted leads. The rhythm remains fairly simple, but is enough to make the track enjoyable, before we come to Utysken, where a few Pagan/Black roots re-emerge from time to time during the most virulent passages, before transforming into enchanting notes on Mod Den Endeløse Skov. The track mixes violence and heavier passages to motivate the troops and lead us to the sing-song final, before Skovfesten return to playful tones to present the warrior charge and sometimes even diversify it to reinforce it. The mysterious introduction to Bødlen, an orchestral composition a little too cheerful for its name (“the executioner”), makes up for it with its uncompromising rhythm and visceral accelerations, while Gamle Ask returns to its catchy duality and carries us along in its mad rush. Keyboards also play an important role in the majestic final, before Tudseleg closes the album with an ending effective jig.
There are two schools of Folk Metal: the joyful and the warlike. Trold perfectly combines the two, allowing I Skovens Rige to place light-hearted additions as well as powerful rhythms and vociferations to support their message.
85/100