Power of Metal.dk Review

Грай/Grai
О земле родной/About Our Native Land
Rating
Style: Folk Metal
Release date: 7 December, 2012
Playing time: 52:02
 

BURDS’ UPROAR is a name that in a high extend opens the door for inspired by nature folk metal. This is music which capsulate the treasures of the ancient cultures and at the same time expands the global. The whole style follows this tendency and here we are – a label from Netherlands re-releases this Russian folk metal album.

While listening to GRAI you will remind about the most famous in Europe Russian folk metal band – ARKONA. However the sextet from Tatarstan reaches a realm far into the Russian folk traditions and deeper into the Russian mentality. The dynamism of the songs is not underestimated and the album is dynamic. But there are also balladic compositions full of ethno-instrumentalism and Slavic feeling of doom.

In the frame of strong guitar sound and metal basis of the music and the melted voices of the three female vocalists GRAI freely pour out their folklore inspirations. The flute of Leta is recorded in a way that sounds like an ancient instrument which emphasizes the pagan motives. As if the aggressive singing of Sadist supplements the register of his bass. The keyboards do not miss to use the accordion blend but complement the nature picture with epics and suggestions.

The praise of nature, the cult to harvest and the magic forces of the woods lead the album in the ancient beliefs. Like the runes logo into a solar disk the paganism spout out from the music but the suggestions are different from the Nordic ones.  Walked round the Slavic sanctuaries in the first 6 songs the album dives in a spiritual inexpressible experience that could be accommodated only in the music. The praise of the country approaches the top of the universal message and its music form is optimistically sad in a Slavic manner. When GRAI decide to combine this sadness with slower songs (2, 6) the music comes out from the standard rock sound. In the bonus track for the Dutch release they achieved to combine slow and sad song with strong metal riff which makes evident the development of the band toward today’s date. 

 „About Our Native Land” has the potential to turn its creator into a phenomena! This type folk metal, although it’s spreading in the global cultural situation, definitely is addressed to the admirers of the gender. If you try to taste it you will find a piece of Russia!

P.S. The author dares to interpret the translation of the some songs’ names in comparison to these written in the release.


Tracklist

01. Песнь O Земле Родной/ A Song about our Native Land

02. Пшеничная / The Wheat Song
03.
Зимняя Cказка / A Winter Tale
04. Весна / Spring

05. Вредь Лесов / Forest All Around
06.
Лешак / Hazel Woods

07. Уходи Далёко, Горе / Leave us, Sorrow
08.
Плач O Долюшке / Lament about The Lot

09. Воин Xрабрый, Ясный Cокол / Brave Warrior

10. Вставай C Kолен / Rise From Your Knees!

11. В объятиях Мары / In the arms of Mara

Label: Vic Records
Distribution: Vic Records
Reviewed by: Rock Thrashler
Date: 6 January, 2013
Website: www.myspace.com/graifolk