Cruachan - Tuatha na gael

"Tuatha Na Gael" is a wonderful genre hopping album full of twists turns and new surprises to greet the listener with each wonderful listen. The folky intro fools you into a sense of security, then the Metal follows with folk inspired Black Metal-riffs that cut through you, and helped by that awful production which Black Metal-greats like DARKTHRONE use to perfection leaves you dazed and confused, but in love and wanting more.
"Tuatha Na Gael" is a wonderful genre hopping album full of twists turns and new surprises to greet the listener with each wonderful listen. The folky intro fools you into a sense of security, then the Metal follows with folk inspired Black Metal-riffs that cut through you, and helped by that awful production which Black Metal-greats like DARKTHRONE use to perfection leaves you dazed and confused, but in love and wanting more.
"The First Battle Of Moytura" kicks in and may sound boring with first listen, but with patience this will grow on you and soon you will fall in love as I did. The folky intros and Metal-loaded tracks will blow you away one by one, but for me I really fell in love when I reached "Tain Bo Cuailgne" with its DARKTHRONE-influenced riffing and vocals which would give way to some great whistle work and folky guitar for a while. Then it changes again with a very beautiful flute, tin whistle, synth and drums section which you can just relax to and listen to its harmony and tranquillity which is a sharp contrast with the Metal of earlier. The folky Metal will return after and lead into another DARKTHRONE-inspired section. This song is a masterpiece.
The folky instrumentals "I Am Tuan" and "Brian Boru" are well played and fit perfectly on the album bridging the gap between Metal and folk. I have only seen this done better in one place and that is WAYLANDER's "King Of The Fairies" off their "Reawakening Pride Once Lost"-debut.
CRUACHAN are like no other, the closest I can offer is PRIMORDIAL or GEASA, but they're again so different to those, but similar due to the Celtic folky influence found within. Overall this is an album you must experience and enjoy for yourself as nothing I can compare it to will suffice. It truly is a unique work of brutal AND beautiful music.

Tracklist:
1. I Am Tuan
2. First Battle of Moytura
3. Aeves March
4. Fall of Gondolin
5. Úchulainn
6. Táin Bó Cuailgne
7. To Invoke the Horned God
8. Brian Boru
9. To Moytura We Return
10. Return
11. Erinsong
12. Ó Ró Sé Do Bheata Bhaile