“Alkonost is another pagan metal highlight from the former Soviet Union”

Nothing more, nothing less, just “another” one… I heatedly agree! Except that I can’t find the “highlight” quality.

Alkonost really try, you got to give them that. Unfortunately that won’t keep my bile inside me… Actually, I would have felt better if they just really sucked. It’s far easier to rant about something you hate, than something that just went awfully wrong, but started with good intensions. Here goes:

One thing I find hard to forgive is the extensive use of synthesizers instead of real instruments. I’ve grown fastidious listening to “pure” folk music and brilliant folk rock/metal bands, playing actual flutes, lutes, alp horns, bells, banjos, hurdy-gurdies and a plethora of other exotic and/or medieval contraptions. Call me conservative, but it just sounds a hell of a lot better than a computer. Some passages in “Noch’ Pered Bitjov” even sounds like Europe! 

Aside from the machine-music, Alkonost sounds like a less talented, slow-motion version of Kivimetsän Druidi (reviewed September 08). It contains some diffuse references to Tristania and Within Temptation, and wants to sound like Troll, but never comes near that goal. The female lead singer, Alena (one of the sales-points in the press material), is good enough, but it takes more than that to impress people familiar with Garmana, Gjallarhorn or Hedningarne. The 80’s-style synth and Alena are attended by the standard rock equipment: drum-kit, guitars and bass, and backing growls. None of it excels.

It was bound to happen, I think. Russia and Finland are the two main exporters of good folk metal.

The market is there, and every album that can boast a north-eastern origin, and has a campfire on the front cover, will be an instant sale. This is the musical equivalent to canned champagne or artificial caviar. 

The general picture of Put’ Neprojdennyj is that of non-alcoholic beer. It tastes fine, and looks like the real thing, but it lacks something fundamental. This album will not provoke your senses, I’m afraid.

Put’ Neprojdennyj was originally released in 2006, and I wonder if the “Heart Stone’s Blood” album from 2007 (the latest) is any better. Hopefully it is.