Germany has been a hot bed for metal for a hell of a long time.  From the more mainstream like the mighty SCORPIONS to the always brutal thrashings of the mighty DESTRUCTION - Germany has produced some of the very best there is.  A Viking/Black Metal tour-de-force calling themselves FALKENBACH (name Translated as Falcon brook) steps from the Germanic shores to stomp their imprint on the world and leave false metal bleeding and in a heap in the corner.

Viking metal in of its very nature is an odd mixing of two completely, only having actual talent to back up everything. FALKENBACH is a band that embraces the two sides firmly, and then has made it their very own. With breaks of brutal rhythms, an array of wonderful instruments that fill the music not to mention having complex and haunting melodies, it is a powerful and very engaging music.

From the BATHORY inspired epic of "Where his Ravens Fly" to the brutal Black Metal explosion of "Time Between Dog and Wolf", These two clearly showcase the two sides of the musical coin, and how they coexist and then meld in perfect harmony to make music that is both inspiring and soul terrifying at the same time. Smart and scary... sort of like any good Stephen King book.

Love this album, FALKENBACH has made a good slab of Viking/Black Metal that entertained me and made me satisfied that I had listened to quality metal.  I have to say that I am more partial to the Viking stylings of the likes of ALESTORM and HAMMER HORDE, but this still is impressive and needs to be heard by many more Metalheads everywhere.