This is an entire album of old-time Folk Metal goodness, and it all springs from the mind of one man. Evidently, OAKENSHIELD is the result of a traditional music lover, Ben Corkhill, deciding to add a dash of Irish / Scottish flute and violin to distorted guitars.

Opener "Northreyjar" is all synth strings, flutes and bells with a touch of primitive percussion. It sets the proper merry mood for the musical trip that follows. "Earl Thorfinn" adds heavy guitars to the sound, yet flute and violin still play a part in the musical sections of the song. The vocals debut in this track, and they are a tad growly. But, instead of the typical brutish vocals, these sound a bit more like someone grunting with a sore throat. Thankfully, sung vocals are layered in during the second half of the song, and occasionally throughout the album. "Jorvik" continues the formula with violins and flute providing musicality to a heavy song chock full of croaked lyrics and metal riffing.

"Mannin Veen" is an interesting instrumental that is aided by its lack of the typical "verse, chorus, verse" structure. The musical emphasis during the song moves to different areas: sometimes flute and violin, sometimes traditional Heavy Metal and sometimes melodic Rock. "Wen Heath" starts all acoustic guitars and flute, but bombastic drumming and guitar soon join in. Sadly, the frog-burp vocals make an appearance soon after. In the almost seven minutes the song lasts, it covers plenty of ground. "Clontarf" sounds like a character from "The Muppets", but it actually is just another four-minute formulaic Folk Metal song.

"Eternal As The Earth" and "The Raven Banner" are the final two songs on the album. Both are longer tracks, and they show off a bit of experimentation. The tempos are a bit slower, and these tracks feel a tad more epic than the rest of the album. Maybe they were saving the best for last?

Here, we have a well-performed album with high production values. With one member playing 90 percent of the music on the album, you can definitely see how this stew of folk metal is a labor of love. I would think fans of this ilk of metal could find plenty to enjoy...minus the croaking vocals, of course.