With these seven tracks added for you to blast off to an already festive record, SKILTRON may have missed a chance of coming back fiercely. Adding mostly demo versions and lives, this re-release doesn't stand out for it's originality. Hell, the listen is good and energetic, but there are quite few reasons to get excited about it. ''Beheading the Liars'', out and loud since 2010, has now stroked a decent return with it's joyous ambiance and battlefield stories. The five Argentinian warriors, who mix various influences (Paganism, Celtic, Scottish folklore...) to their music by ramming their glorious bagpipes, mandolin and bouzouki (yes, the Greek emblem of guitars) have been around since 2004, playing underground gigs in hopes of catching their big break. With the choir-like power-metal resembling chants encouraging us mortals to fight, freedom has never felt so close. This, and the dizzy feeling of a drunken booze bash because, well, you know... Folk-men need to be faithful to the roots of this savage genre!

A delicate, graceful melody of bagpipes opens the album, as a long-lost war tale is recited by an old, wise man. His thick accent, you would believe from somewhere across the Scandinavian land, goes on about freedom and honor. The mandolin depicts a medieval-oriented spirit and, all along ''SKILTRON", the opening theme, various imagery of combats and men's demise flash before our eyes. All shall march to the intensifying sound of the bagpipes and fight in honor of our warrior ancestors, those filthy pagans! With the very present influences of festive folk and Viking themes, the record definitely falls into Celtic Metal... But, there's a little more to it, there's a non-typical touch. In fact, minus the unconventional instruments, It's all in the rough yet highly-pitched voice. The album isn't furious nor rapid. It's a feeler, though repetitive. The 4/4 tempo, with the same drum accents doesn't elevate the music enough, making it sound rather like a general foundation than the powerful leader it should be. There's this recurrent sound, as if the band had bet everything on the Celtic instruments and none on the percussion, it just doesn't cut it. A raging drum beat can turn a whole album around, and since the rhythmical structures here are a bit deceiving, I feel the band is holding back a part of the record's potential.

In a more positive optic, pieces such as ''I'm What You've Done'' definitely grab the listeners attention: with it's prominent contrast between a groovier, slow vibe and the grandiose bagpipes leading the way, you can only be intrigue by this sort of effect. Other memorable gems would have to be ''Calling Out'', a harsh cry from the heart with it's pure melodies and vocal harmonies (with ''Crides'' further down, an Occitan version juts as haunting) and ''The Vision of Blind Harry'', a jumble of mind-blowing solos. Fluidity, skills, versatility, name it: blown away lead instruments with an enthusiastic drum and bass galloping support. I also keep in mind the instrumental ''Hate Dance'', even if the title first scared me off. It turned out to be the most festive, varied and polished song of the record. A candid melody worked up with a bouncing rhythm, switching from wind instruments to guitars. The frequent tempo changes were also a great element to the song, making it probably the best of all... Too bad it only lasts two minutes. ''Sings, Symbols And The Marks Of Man'' has gripping tempo break downs, which develop throughout the album. Further past the few first songs, the album settles for emotional (but elysian) ballades... Without forgetting the occasional beer-bash songs we all enjoy headbanging to, of course. Finally, the new element of the album: ''The Tartan Army'', this rapid war anthem made out of epic riffs, pounding drums, divine bagpipes lead and united chants. Truly a tribe song to get you pumped and ready for the muddy festival moshpits. I must say I was quite angry when the masterpiece took end after only a minute. It got me thinking this whole reissue deal. If you ask me, there just doesn't seem to be a point in re-releasing a whole album for one new, yet short song and six lives/demos. Let's consider it this way: some die hard fans may be interested in the early versions of these hits, and thus, justifies the process SKILTRON went through.

Well mates, it's time to tighten your steel cap boots and draw war paint across your face. Raise your voice and engage yourself in combat, SKILTRON wants you in the trenches. With this festive and well-rounded piece of metal, the band has placed aesthetics and enthusiasm on the same range. Fluid melodies, raucous screams, glorious group chants, flown away bagpipes or mandolin solos and galloping rhythms, all there with hopes of recreating an epic journey. It is pleasant to the ear, for it gravitates around harmony build ups and dialogues between the instruments. Maybe not the complex record you're searching for, but one who will get your mind travelling all the way to Scotland or Scandinavia. Yes, it's all good but it also puts you off. With ''Beheading The Liars'' reissue, the band unleashes barely new material instead of, let's say, B-sides which I thought would be flying all over the place. Fresh, new material would have had a much bigger impact than these fan-screaming versions of songs already on the record (even if played with great interpretation and skills). Given the demos sometimes have a raw edge (''The Vision Of Blind Harry'',), slower/faster rhythms, or old-school influences in the tone (''Praying is Nothing''), I'll have to conclude it surely isn't an in-your-face classic but still a decent release. It's an in between record, you can't quite rate it with a precise number. I'd recommend you spin the record for background ambiance while drinking your favorite beer in a dim-light tavern.