I can think of quite a few significant Neo-Folk or Folk oriented band from the UK - probably more names come to mind than from any other country. Must be something in the water... WOLCENSMEN is a UK Neo-Folk project that carries on this venerable British tradition. Don Capp, the man behind the project, has previously involved been involved in different Metal projects (he's guitarist in the Black Metal band WINTERFYLLETH), but because of his love for the folkier, acoustic side of bands like ULVER or EMPYRIUM, he tried his hand at composing this kind of music as well. (Capp is also quite a prolific graphic designer who designed covers for a number of Metal acts - you can see that on the great visual presentation of the album as well.) The popularity of a demo that he recorded has led him to record and release the album "Songs from the Fyrgen" and because the album did really well too we are getting a re-released now.

I think that Capp's music can be best described as a mix of Medieval, Folk with a bit of Ambient added to the mix. The melodies and compositions are somewhat similar to more refined Medieval / Renaissance music, rather than primitive Traditional Folk - but I don't know enough about Folk music on the British Islands to be able to draw the line between Folk and "high culture" music. It seems to me though that it wouldn't be completely out of place if Capp would cite Ritchie Blackmore as his inspiration, but I guess that doesn't sound as cool as citing ULVER or OPETH. In any case, the music is quite sophisticated - well composed and arranged. I'm not surprised at all that WOLCENSMEN is getting noticed.

The first song "Withershins" opens with a melancholic, soft tones of an acoustic guitar, that remind me of Renaissance lute music, but then vocal chants are added that give the song a more primordial vibe. This short piece ends with a piano a dark piano outro accompanied by the sounds of a howling wind. Next comes the seven minutes long "The Fyre-Bough". The dreamy melody is simple but powerful, the instruments nicely join in with the vocals - Capp has a very nice, resonant voice -, the song gradually gets more layered and there is a beautiful atmospheric mid-section. "Hoofes Upon the Shymmeringe Path" stands out to me because of the emotional chorus with nice vocal harmonies - it just sounds epic and glorious.

The ten minutes long number "'Neath a Wreath of Firs" has a more somber, darker tone and melodically it is kept rather minimalist. There is a compositional shift in the middle of the song takes a BURZUM inspired ambient turn that sets the tone for the second half of the album. In the second half of the album the ambient and minimalist tendencies come more to the fore. "The Mon o' Micht" sound like some ancient war song: the vocals are prominent, accompanied only by a primitive drumbeat and a simple synth melody that reminds me strongly of old-school RPG music or Dungeon Synth. "Snowfall" is an instrumental piece with beautiful flute and guitar melodies. It's almost all acoustic, percussion only comes in the last third. "The Bekens are Aliht" is melancholic Folk song, almost a ballad, but it opens with the Dungeon Synth-y keys that add an epic, heroic atmosphere.

The only problem that I have is the song "Sunne" that, put frankly, sounds a bit corny to me. It is an attempt at an ancient worship song, it is very muscular and upbeat, with male voices chanting in unison. I think it is this unison of voices that sounds irritating to me: I feel like there is something hollow about it. It doesn't happen to me in any other song where one voice sings and some vocal harmonies are added etc. - I guess my modern ear can tolerate a single voice expressing itself, but it is immediately skeptical to a unity of multiple voices, because such unity is just not what we moderns live with. But this is my only quip with the album, otherwise I like it front to back. It has strong melodies (it is not too ambient or wishy-washy, in other words), lush instrumentations, it is well-rounded. It is a work of somebody who is doing his thing and found a way to express himself. This album will certainly find many fans among Metal listeners.