Band: HEIMSGARD
Country: France
Title: Following the Starlight
Label: Epictural Production
Year: 2018
Style: Pagan Folk Metal

Review:
Today I've had the luck to listen and review only good and very good materials and Heimsgard's latest effort, its second full-length album is definitely no exception from this rule. Following the Starlight continues the work Raido (also in Karne and Malevolentia) started three years ago with Ordrag and even takes it a step further. The material comes in form of a classy looking digipak with 16 pages booklet with all lyrics, and features 13 tracks in a bit over an hour of playing time. Beside the enchanting Folk inserts, epic atmospheres and Black Metal influenced guitar riffs, we're also getting much more flavor on the guitar work, plenty of melodic leads and solos that give an extra value to the whole material. Then the addition of a session (very good) female vocalist is an excellent idea as well, because together with the keyboard lines they emphasize the melodic side of this album. The balance between melody and aggression is finely crafted, no worries, there are some fast and brutal Black Metal inspired passages here and there, again very well thought and executed. Raido also does a good job on his vocals alternating rough, raspy Black Metal shrieks with epic, manly clean vocals and choirs, so all in all I'd say this turns out to be a very good album, complex, expressive, involving and catchy, well worth a chance.
Reviewed by Adrian
Rating: 8/10

Contact:
facebook.com/heimsgard
epictural.fr