The idea of blending Metal and Folk music has never really taken off in America. For whatever reason, it just doesn't enjoy the same mainstream appeal as it does in Europe, and only a scarce few bands in the States, notably AGALLOCH and WINTERHYMN, have really embraced these two great forms of music and gained some kudos for it. However, this is not to say that there aren't a great array of bands producing great music in this style. Take New Jersey natives WINDFAERER for example; over the course of ten years, a demo, an EP, and two full lengths, they have made a name for themselves by mixing together the dulcet, melodious tones of Folk and the sharp, powerful and altogether much harsher sounds of Extreme Metal. And 2015 saw the release of what could arguably be their magnum opus, the jewel in their musical crown; their highly impressive and interesting sophomore record, "Tenebrosum".

"Celestial Supremacy" is a really powerful opening statement, perfectly blending harsh tones with cleaner ones to great effect. The music, in general, has a really melodic tinge to it, and even at its fastest and most ferocious, this song is incredibly tight and accessible. It has a really crisp production, and a few hints at musically progressive traits, which suggests a lot of promise. The bulk of the song is a speed-driven piece of Melodic Black Metal, imbued with some really cool, atmospheric flourishes. With its eclectic mix of sounds and styles, this is the type of song that it's impossible to not appreciate and enjoy. Where the opening track was fast and fierce, "Finisterra" is a much more mid-tempo, measured affair, and much closer to a traditional Melodic Metal track, with slick leads and confident rhythmic hooks. It has the sort of thick, monolithic and beefy guitar and drum work that is typically the preserve of Viking Metal bands. This is a really solid track, with an amazing violin solo and plenty of great hooks that keep this nearly eight minute long opus interesting from its first note to its last. "Tales Told in Oblivion" is another really epic sounding song, peppered with a Black Metal snarl and some dancing, infectious guitar licks. There's quite a few serene Folk elements intertwined in amongst the more aggressive aspects of this track, from cleaner, almost acoustic guitar sections through to some well utilised violin pieces. Overall, this has a huge, bombastic sound, and it raises the bar fairly high for the rest of the record. The albums fourth offering, "Santeria", is a very intense slab of Metal with some really good technical violin passages. The violin really comes to the fore on this track, and it provides all of the major hooks and focal points for this tune, and it's a testament to the technical prowess and song writing ability of B. Karas. Some of these violin lines are played with the sort of skill and dexterity normally allotted lead guitars, and it's really cool to see the violin take such a prominent position in the songs mix on this track.

The seventh offering on here, "The Everlasting" is a dense, impenetrable cacophony of full throttle, intense Metal music, with a few well placed violin lines that really help to beef out the already substantial sound on this track. This track has some really visceral, dark sounding Black Metal shrieks that really work well with the overall violent, speed-driven approach of the music. This is an amazing piece of music, and even though it is one of this albums longest offerings, it is so engrossing and interesting to listen to that it feels much shorter than its seven and a half minutes, and leaves the listener intent for more. The albums second to last tune, "Morir en el olvido", is a really grandiose, powerful and ultimately catchy piece of tightly performed Melodic Black Metal which, at certain points, surges forward at such a relentless pace that it sounds borderline chaotic. It makes great use of a variety of different tones and musical ideas to great effect. It does an excellent job of preparing the listener for the albums ninth and final track, "The Outer Darkness"; This is perhaps the darkest and most aggressive song on the whole record, with authoritative, primal drumming and impressive, solid guitar playing. The bleak, hideous howls of the vocals are only broken up intermittently by a few melodious violin lines that provide brief moments of softness in amongst the excessive barbarity of the rest of the music. It's an absolutely monstrous final statement that closes this album in a blaze of vicious glory.

To describe this album purely as a Folk Metal record is a bit limiting. The Folk elements are certainly there, but just as AGALLOCH and bands of their ilk aren't solely Folk orientated, this record has some very diverse and impressive sound thrown into the mix, from Black Metal and Melodic Death Metal, and even a few moments that rest on the outer reaches of what could be called Progressive Metal. This is an incredibly powerful, diverse collection of music that showcases plenty of musical talent and a lot of ideas that are amazing to listen to. It's the absolute pinnacle of WINDFAERER's output so far, and it will be interesting to see what they follow up a record like this with.