It is always nice to listen to a collection of songs from various artists in one album. Most of the times, you are dealing with new bands and this gives you an impulse to find out more about them. Well, Metalmessage IV is a compilation that is dealing with underground bands. So let's see if this CD is worth buying.

If you see the artwork that Jean-Pascal Fournier made, you will understand what those bands are playing. We have two druids in a mystical forest and in the middle a cauldron, it is obvious that we are going to deal with folk/pagan metal. As for reviewing the album and the bands, it would be fair for the bands to talk for each one separately:

GJENFENRDSEL  - Those guys are coming from Norway with a nice song that brings in mind old-school Black Metal with only fragments of folk elements. Not the best of the album, but it's interesting.

FOREFATHER  - A mid tempo Black Metal song from those Englishmen, with a, let's say, majestic atmosphere. Clean vocals, nice drumming and one of the best songs in this compilation.

 THARAPHITA - A nice try by a band that comes from a country not well known in the Metal scene. The music that those guys from Estonia play, will bring in mind bands like TURISSAS. The Viking Metal they are performing is not bad, but on the other hand it's nothing special. A nice song though.

GALAR - Yet another band from Norway. Nice Black/Folk Metal. Here we are dealing with a mid tempo composition with Black Metal vocals and some clean ones in their native language. A really nice song.

OAKENSHIELD - One of the best songs in the compilation. This one-man band plays Black Metal, with beautiful folk melodies. The flute binds perfect with the electric guitars in this mid tempo song. Looking forward to listen to more stuff from this guy.

IRMINSUL - Back in Scandinavia, this time in Sweden. Nice Viking Metal with a nice chorus. The classic organs and guitars give that folk-ish touch the song needs. The guys are preparing their debut album, so let's just wait and see. I believe that they have better songs than this one.

SLECHTVALK - Pure fucking Black Viking Metal! This one is a hell of a song, with Black Metal bases & great brutal vocals. I liked the ending of the song with the piano. Can't find something bad in this composition. The only thing I have to do now is to search for their releases.

FOLKEARTH - Starting with a nice folk melody, I was expecting something more. The production is not at the standards of the other bands. At some point the songs seems incohesive, especially during the solos. Their 'folk' Black Metal is nothing special, so on we go with the next one.

THEUDHO - This band is coming from Belgium, giving us a song that combines Black/Thrash and Pagan Metal. Nice ideas with good production, making a really good composition.

ALKONOST - Another nice surprise, this time from Russia. The band plays Pagan Black Metal, with brutal and clean female vocals. The song has nice rhythms and beautiful melodies. Their native language they use is perfect for this song.

SLARTIBARTFASS - Bagpipes...Hell yeah! Get ready to join the war! Those Germans are playing Black metal but with some folk elements. Some parts of the song will make you think this reminds me of something but the band has its own sound. They already have two albums that are worth buying.

SKYFORGER - Those guys are coming from Latvia. This is the most folk-ish song of the compilation. No electric guitars, no drums, no 'metal'. Just folk instruments and vocals. This is pure folk music. A beautiful composition. If you close your eyes you will find yourself in a forest were everyone is gathered around a big fire. If you like something outside Metal then those guys are for you. Pure folk! They have my vote.

SIROCCO - They are coming from Cork, Ireland. Their vocals remind me of AMORPHIS in Tuonela but their music has a more Thrash/Folk orientation. A nice song to close this compilation. My only objection is the duration of the song. If it wasn't almost 9 minutes, it would have been a very good one.

Overall, this CD is worth buying. You will definitely find more than one or two bands that you'll like and listen to their work. The rate I have at the end is for the compilation as a whole. But I think that most of the bands deserve it.