Starting in 2009 as a Folkish Black Metal project, this Danish band SYLVATICA has slowly developed their sound through a series of EP and single releases - finally upgrading their skills into a full-fledged band in 2012. "Evil Seeds" is their debut full-length, an 11 track affair that clocks in at a modest 57 minutes. At this point I would describe their sound as more in the Melodic Death Metal vein, although the Folk strains certainly come through on a lot of the instrumental sections and transitional parts.

The 7:04 "Psychopatica" lives up to its title, ending with acoustic guitar and real piano lines, but floating between Power/Speed riffs, occasional blast beats for emphasis, and a boat load of Folk melody as guitarist Jardén Schlesinger growls and screams the lyrics as if escaping from imminent danger. They chose to slow things down for the more culturally oriented "Winds of Decay", the main riff evil in an older MERCYFUL FATE / CELTIC FROST way, but the bulk of the arrangement is in line with what you've come to know and love from ENSIFERUM.

SYLVATICA prefer to mix up their speed and tempo changes, which I think helps the listener in terms of being on the edge of their seat as to what will happen next. Sometimes bass driven on "The Ascension", other times guitar trilling madness against Pelle's insane doom to blasting percussion abilities on the highly melodic instrumental "God of the Gallows" - the trio has a way of injecting the right folk parts and dynamic transitions while keeping things heavy and hook-oriented. There are times where I would hope for more variation in the vocal patterns - some of the verses for "Lucifer" as an example just mirror the riff, when I think Jardén could be a little more original in terms of his gruff growls.

If you love KALMAH and ENSIFERUM, "Evil Seeds" has enough to appease your senses. I predict SYLVATICA will not remain unknown for long.