It's been just over a year since ELUVEITIE fans were rocked by the departure of Anna Murphy, Ivo Henzi and Merlin Sutter. All three had been in the band for more than a decade and the loss of Murphy was especially troublesome. As the Hurdy Gurdy player and occasional vocalist, she was the melodic yin to frontman Chrigel Glanzmann's gravel-throated yang, so her exit did raise questions about the future of the Folk-Metal titans. Now that the dust has settled though, things aren't looking as bleak as they first seemed. Not only are ELUVEITIE forging ahead with a restructured line-up, but we also have CELLAR DARLING to enjoy.

"This Is The Sound" is the trio's debut and very enjoyable it is too. Forged in the shadow of the Swiss Alps, it's an impressive collection of rock songs with a few surprises along the way. While they do fall under the Folk-Metal bracket though it'd be a mistake to go in expecting fourteen variations on "A Rose For Epona." There are traces of their previous act in here but CELLAR DARLING are a whole new proposition. For one thing they're a lot less Metal than their old band. This is the lighter end of Folk-Metal and while Henzi throws some chunky riffs in, CELLAR DARLING aren't all about head banging. They're more interested in weaving ethereal and enchanting numbers with plenty of pop choruses and haunting moments to keep things quirky. "Avalanche" for example is an exquisitely simplistic opener formed round a basic repetition of the title. It could have been irritating but instead it's infectious, catchy and utterly addictive. "Black Moon" is a darker effort but lodges itself right in the brain with no trouble at all. It's a track you'd sing while helplessly watching the world end and by the time it finishes, you're left in no doubt; CELLAR DARLING are not ELUVEITIE and that is a good thing.

The elongated "Six Days" meanwhile is an evocative trip down a psychedelic rabbit hole. It has a Gothic edge and feels like the confession of a confused Gallic woman who's just emerged from a cave, forty eight hours after unwittingly eating magic mushrooms. "Rebels" meanwhile is a swirling kaleidoscope of Folk-Rock with an excellent vocal performance and some great guitar work, while "Under The Oak Tree" is beautifully atmospheric. The pleading chorus and mournful Hurdy-Gurdy work make this an especially sad story of loss and grief and one of the highlights on here. Alongside these are more straightforward rockers like "Hullabaloo," "Starcrusher" and first single "Fire, Wind And Earth." The album's most ambitious number however is "Hedonia." This one is a sprawling seven minute epic, a multi-layered and extravagant effort with lyrics sung entirely in German. It's a brave move as it could all too easily have come across as self-important and extravagant, but it works.

Leaving ELUVEITIE was a gamble but on the strength of this debut, CELLAR DARLING needn't have worried. "This Is The Sound" is a terrific first album. There are odd moments when it seems as though every idea they weren't allowed to use in their old band is being crammed in and it does occasionally get rather eclectic, but this approach has paid off admirably. It's the cry of thousands of women who lost husbands, fathers and sons to a Roman invasion, screaming their rage at the uncaring mountains and hearing nothing in reply. Recommended.