Metsatöll – Äio

Releasedate: 03-03-2010; Label: Spinefarm
By: Elvira Visser

Metsatöll is an Estonian band that was founded back in 1999 by three members. The name Metsatöll is an ancient Estonian euphemism for wolf. It took some years for the band to found the current line up as the band is now performing on stage. It was in 2004 when Atso took up the place behind the drumkit.

As a first taste of Metsatölls new album Äio the band has released an online single with a video, ‘Vaid Vaparust’ in January. They have recorded their album in an small farmstead in Hargla, South Estonia to give the songs on this album a touch that cannot be achieved in a big city. On their tracks they sing about their local natural religion. They sing about when the Blatic ice lake broke its way into the ocean and most of the current territory of Estonia appeared from under the water.

The pagan folk music the band creates does remind me a lot of the Dutch band Heidevolk, the same way of singing/telling the stories about their history. They have the same sort of rhythm in the sung sentences. On this album the band worked together with the together with the National Male Choir from Estonia, which gives the tracks another layer. On the album you can hear traditional Estonian Folk instruments. Some of the tracks are more folkish sounding and on others the metal is more present which keeps the albums interesting from beginning to end. Some of the songs like ‘Rohu’ have very catchy choruses which sticks in your mind. After 11 years they still know how to deliver a varied CD but they bring us nothing new or special. The guys of Metsatöll delivered an album for those folk/pagan metal fans who need something new in their collection, because it is a very decent album.

Line Up:
Markus – Vocals, guitars, lokulau
Lauri – Torupill, flutes, kannel, ängipill, mouth harp, guitars, vocals
Kuriraivo – Bass, bass mandolin, shrieking and screaming
Atso – Drums, stink drum, vocals

Tracklist: 01 Ema hääl kutsub (Mother’s Voice Is Calling) 02 Kui rebeneb taevas (As The Sky Bursts Asunder) 03 Tuletalgud (Feast Of Fire) 04 Vaid vaprust (Only Bravery) 05 Äio (Äio) 06 Vihatõbine (Rage-tainted) 07 Kuni pole kodus, olen kaugel teel (Until I Arrive At Home, I’m On A Distant Road) 08 Vägi ja võim (Of Power And Might) 09 Minu kodu (My Home) 10 Nüüd tulge, mu kaimud (Come Now My Kindred) 11 Roju (Old Buffoon) 12 Kabelimatsid (Chapel Boors) 13 Verijää (Blood-ice) 14 Jõud (Might)

Links:
Metsatöll Official