The mighty Pagan/Folk Metal warriors of CRUACHAN are living up to their reputation once again with their December 2014 release "Blood for the Blood God". With the power of thunderous steeds galloping across the lands and the traditional sounds of medieval instrumentation, you'll gladly sacrifice your time to enjoy the melodious fury brought forth on this album. There's surely something for almost any Heavy Metal fan because of the different styles incorporated into the music across the twelve Celtic-influenced tracks.

Opening up with a flurry of notes from an acoustic guitar and a mandolin in "Crom Cruach", the listener gets the sense that this album is full of traditional styles and rhythms. Followed by more standard Metal music with the songs that follow, the album begins to take structure and assert itself as a great addition to the CRUACHAN discography. The styles I heard across the album include Pirate, Heavy, Folk, Pagan, Black and Viking Metal. I applaud the variety!

As I previously stated, there is a range of classic instruments featured on this album. Let's face it, there's not much else out there more brutal than the Irish Flute. Jesting aside, the orchestration and inclusion of each musician's instrument is well placed and though to some, the heavy instrumental parts can seem gaudy, they never become such and they bear testimony to the skill of musicianship their operators possess. The double-bass drum riffs are a special treat to me since they're not present every second of the album but create an atmosphere of heaviness that is greatly appreciated. The music is judiciously composed as well, seeming more fitting of classical sheet music than the spawn of a series of jam sessions, though even if it were, it would translate perfectly to the sound coming off of the paper.

I've got to touch briefly on the vocals. Anyone familiar with Irish Punk Rock bands will appreciate the sound and should easily associate it with the FLOGGING MOLLY vocal style. Needless to say, it's AWESOME. Maybe I'm biased though since my family heritage is Irish but that's beside the point.

The theme of the album appears in each song, giving the sense that these guys know exactly what the hell they're doing. I even loved the theme of the eighth track, "The Sea Queen of Connaugh" in which the lyrics told of pirates and their queen, reminding me of a song that ALESTORM might have written.

So while you're roaming the ancient Druid battlegrounds of the Emerald Isles, your soundtrack is conveniently provided by the Dubliners of CRUACHAN, so be sure to have "Blood For The Blood God" handy along your trek!<