ALBUM REVIEW: Eriú’s Wheel – Waylander

This Irish clan of pagan bards require no introduction for anyone well acquainted with the realm of folk metal. Standing proud as one of the founding bands in the genre, WAYLANDER have survived throughout the years since their debut album Reawakening Pride Once Lost in 1998. Notably, where other acts have fallen by the wayside or lost momentum all-together as time goes by; WAYLANDER have progressively broken their musical boundaries with each release, with their most recent album Kindred Spirits awing folk metal hordes back in 2012. Now, WAYLANDER release their first concept album Eriú’s Wheel following the ancient pagan calendar of festivals.

As Samhain Comes ignites the Celtic fury of WAYLANDER’s melody driven yet furious sound, briefly bringing back to life bygone ancestors with a satisfyingly fresh tribute to the otherworld. Saul McMichael’s consistently sharp riff-craft takes the reins in Shortest Day, Longest Night producing piercing, frostbitten black metal-esque tones that retain the raw ingredients that have kept WAYLANDER so unique over the past two dozen years. As smooth as the transition of seasons, Imbolc re-ignites characteristics of WAYLANDER’s earlier releases: gracefully drifting between imagination-conjuring acoustic sections and in your face yet enchanting heaviness.

The tribal resonance of the Irish Bodhran introduces The Vernal Dance which besides being a classic opportunity for folk master Dave Briggs to showcase his musicianship takes the band into refreshingly unconquered territory. Beltine does a genius job of intertwining foot-tapping Celtic melodies with rhythmic bombardments whilst As the Sun Stands Still keeps the momentum explosive as Chieftain O’Hagan conveys primordial passages with his signature style of harsh vocals.

Just as the summer comes to an end, To Feast at Lughnasadh signals the end of a commendable concept album yet the flame will not extinguish so easily – stirring together the best parts of Honour Amongst Chaos and Kindred Spirits while incorporating fresh individual influences it cements the bands place at the helm of a genre. Finally Autumnal Blaze brings together everything positive that has ever been said about WAYLANDER – a band at times less well known than their counterparts in mainland Europe, despite their prowess but a band significantly unique and powerful enough to not be hindered by obstacles that would topple other bands.

For anyone that is familiar with WAYLANDER it will probably come as no surprise that Eriú’s Wheel is a solid, well produced and lyrically inspiring release by a sextet of talented individuals hell-bent on proclaiming Ireland’s story to the masses. Despite occasionally less energetic sections cropping up, the album continues a musical legacy that would make the Gods themselves stampede to the nearest music outlet, not to mention devotees of a genre that has consistently gained momentum over the last decade. Be sure to catch these woad-clad clansmen in the flesh for their solid and unrelenting sound is something that never weakens on the stage and indeed never weakens as time passes.

Rating: 9/10

Eriú’s Wheel is set for release March 22nd via Listenable Records. 

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