Finntroll [Blodsvept] 2013 - Extensive Album Review/Reflection

A few years back I got hooked on folk metal, & like a faithful crack addict, have been hooked ever since. Now I know this may be a little late, but whatever... Released back on the 22nd of March of this year, Finntroll's latest album, Blodsvept, had quite an amount to live up to after the enjoyable trip through the psychotic carnival affair that was Nifelvind. Any connoisseur of folk metal should remember the elating high experienced from Nifelvind - the brilliant melodies of Finnish folk mixed with the thunderous metal. Nifelvind can be seen as their epitome by nailing the balance of brutal & silly.

Enough reminiscing...
So, as the day came closer to release, I found myself questioning the band's advertisements. Gone was the slick-backed hair, silk suit, pencil 'stache, pocket watch Vreth, & in was this steam-punk garb that might look good in one of those goth/hipster nightclubs. Enter: blood pressure spike - I feared they had hit the highest peak & it was a downhill run from here. But don't get me wrong, nothing against the steam-punk outfits, just the thought of, "Christ, where are they going with this?"
Regardless, I purchased the album as a loyal Finntroll fan & upon hearing the first note of the title track, I could breathe a sigh of relief. I then bathed in the brilliance of yet another damn-good Finntroll album.
Yes, "brilliance".

01. Blodsvept
An intro just shy of thirty seconds of trees, birds, & a troll (a nice summer's day?) lets out with a gargantuan roar to introduce the first riff. & the psychotic carnival feel returns, how I have missed thee... The melody blends Finntroll's signature sound of brutal & silliness. No disappointment here. I even found myself singing along after the first listen-through (but the only thing I could accurately pronounce was 'blodsvept'...so, I screamed the shit out of 'blodsvept'). The memorable key melody enters in the latter-half of the song, which seemed peculiar to me since I expected it to be a driving force. Great first song.

2. Ett Folk Förbannat
The first few times I heard this song, I never really enjoyed that much (no clue why); but now it's become my second favorite on the album. The very memorable guitar riff opens up to beautiful keys teasing at the end of each line during the verse. I cannot listen to this one without windmilling, wrapping my hands on the nearest surface to the drums, & whistling the melodies. This song can easily get stuck in your head for long periods of time (which can be annoying, but hell, there are worse songs to get stuck in your head out there...so, it's a squatter, albeit a welcome squatter).

3. När Jättar Marschera
The song enters heavy & plods along with a black metal feel (but not quite the one of Ur Jordens Djup). Well, that just abruptly ends to give way to another fun, iconic Finntroll melody. This time, complete with a brass section. An interesting choice, but it was done so smoothly it knocked me on my ass without realising it. I found this one to be another song I needed time to warm-up to. I found that each time I listened to this one, I was only enjoying it halfway through. With the first half being good, but lacklustre; & the second, another fun, Finntroll hit.

4. Mordminnen
A rather unique song with the continuation of the brass section for folk metal even. Unique is memorable. But is this a good memorable, or a bad, herpes-kind-of memorable?
Abso-fucking-lutely good kinda memorable. A brilliant song that has one headbanging from beginning to end. One of best on the album. The brass section is the driving part of the song that makes this one of the more memorable tunes in the folk metal world. It's repetitive, but not to the point that gets dull or tedious. A good amount of repetitive.

5. Rösets Kung
...& back is the psychotic fair theme with a wonderful melody from the keys. The guitars & drums drive the heaviness of Finntroll, with the keys adding the signature silly sound that works out wonderfully. This then turns into a lull with a call-&-response thing going on that suits the song quite well. It the builds back up with heaviness until the middle of the song with the keys taking the lead role again.
...Wait, the fuck am I hearing?
It sounds like someone trying to clear their throat & do that jazz 'do-do-dadaa-da-do' thing...&...by christ, it's brilliant!
To accentuate the silliness with that. It's definitely a Finntroll thing.

6. Skövlarens Död
An eerie fog emerges with the intro of this song presenting a great atmosphere. Complimented by melancholic keys which persist for the first half. Like När Jättar Marschera, it sheds its skin to something completely different. As much as I enjoy this new riff, I would have much rather seen the melancholic keys hang around for a little bit longer. I think we could have been good friends given time, but instead we are restricted to a very short time span. Overall, it's good. Nothing great, but not bad either.

7. Skogsdotter
...I don't even know what to say...Fucking...Wow.
The keys, the guitar, the drums - brilliant!
When this song begins I need to headbang & drum with the flat of my hands on a desk or something. & the song proper enters & every section of my brain screams the same thing, "FUCKING HEADBANG!" You just cannot say 'no' to this.
Another melody begins as Vreth does his usual snarling-Troll vocals over them. It blends so efficiently. The song then dances back & forth between brutal, palm-muted chugging to silly, folkish keys. Then we hit this divine chorus with the keys & brass section again that just turns into eargasm. One must windmill & snarl along with this, it's law as far as I'm concerned. With the song being so brilliant as it is...I cannot help but think this was written for Nifelvind & somehow entered a wormhole to be deposited on Blodsvept (Yes, I'm still going on about Nifelvind).
Not only is this the best song off  Blodsvept, even the artwork by Skrymer in the booklet is the best - some topless redhead with horns...who could refuse that???

8. Häxbrygd
The greatness continues into this next jewel of Blodsvept. In a stark contrast to the previous song, there is no faffing around here. The brutal, heavy atmosphere is established early with the heavy use of snare that entrances listeners to headbang. The brass section returns to bring forth yet another great melody (this thing is turning out to be a stroke of genius). After the first minute, everything is brought together - with the guitars, keys, drums, & vocals - the song is quite mesmerising. & then the song just keeps getting better. Every time the chorus returns, it gets a bit more intense, yet so subtle that one does not notice until twenty-or-so listens after. A worth song to follow Skogsdotter.

9. Två Ormar
The song begins with a rather typical Finntroll feel - the heavy & the silly. & the feel continues along with the drums keeping a nice gallop-y beat. When the brass section returns yet again for a fun little teaser, before we take a trip down memory lane to visit the psycho carnival (see, it's not just me...it's a damn good theme). Listening to the riff reminds me of the music video for Under Bergets Rot. Just a whole lot of looney, silly, & (Finn)trolling.
...Yeah, that was bad. Won't happen again.

10. Fanskapsfylld
The first time I listened to the album through & through, I completely missed the song. It just sounded like a continuation of Två Ormar. It's a short song with not much to say. It's got a fun melody, it's repetitive, then it  changes halfway through to something completely different (a thing I shall call Blodsvept Syndrome - see När Jättar Marschera & Skövlarens Död). But the two melodies seem to compete for dominance in my head when I listen to it, rather than work together. Maybe it's just the song was too small for two good, driving melodies?

11. Midvinterdraken
The intro sounds like it's right out of one of those demented, weird Tim Burton movies. Very haunting. For Finntroll, it works out well & is quite memorable indeed. The guitars then jump in to mirror the keys. All of this, sounding very well. It's unlike the typical Finntroll songs, but a very strong song for the album. This ends the album on quite the good note. A step in a different direction & it payed off - a tip of my hat.

In conclusion:

Questions must be answered, is Blodsvept a good album?
Definitely
Is it Nifelvind?
No, but very close.
Is it worth the $22.50 I paid at HMV for it? (other music stores available of course)
Yes, & more.
Is it good enough to be played over & over & over & over & over & over again?
Indeed it does. & when the neighbours complain about the noise, (Finn)troll them harder by turning up the volume.
I lied, it happened again (the terrible troll pun).

Highlights:
Skogsdotter
Ett Folk Förbannat
Häxbrygd
Rösets Kung
Mordminnen

Eternal Shredder gives this album a 9/10. 10 points for being another epic Finntroll album and -1 points for not being Nifelvind. Sorry, but that's just how it is.

Cheers!