Svartby’s Latest Release, Elemental Tales (2012)

It’s a good sign when you blast quality metal and you instantly have the urge to dance.  Elemental Tales, the 2012 release from the Folk Metal band Svartby, is no exception.  Despite being from Russia, the name Svartby finds its roots in the Swedish phrase meaning Blackvillage.  Their previous two releases have been entirely sung in Swedish making Elemental Tales their first full-length album to feature English lyrics.

Not unlike Nekrogoblikon, Svartby is entertaining and fun to listen to with their upbeat riffs and polka-like folk melodies.  Elemental Tales starts off with a fantasy-folk introduction, “Impby,” with sounds that put you in a hidden meadow in a magical forest filled with the mischievous laughter of imps.  It sets the mood and adds a lot of atmosphere for the rest of the album which is best listened to in one setting.  As the title implies, the natural elements tell the story throughout the album–from Fire and Water to Mud and Stones.  ”Scum from Underwater” is a thrash-fest that grooves and smashes all while a pleasant chorus of folk instruments brings polka dancing to the mosh pits. Songs like “Done with the Wind,” “Flaming Balls,” and “Boulder Massacration” bring the same kind of atmosphere with an added bit of darkness reminiscent to a few tracks on Finntroll’s Nifelvind.

The album has two track in particular that have personalities of their own: “Mushroom Rings” and “Elemental Tales.”  The self-titled track brings adventure into the album, as it features a heavy and mysterious introduction that blends perfectly into the rest of the morbidly hilarious song.  ”Mushroom Rings” feels like a mixture of Oriental and Slavic tune with a catchy riff that breaks into a melodic chorus; it was so good I played the song three more times on repeat! Elemental Tales also features a whispered ballad, “Sleepy Devils” as well as two other instrumentals in addition to the introduction–”Ash and Dust,” a very dramatic acoustic song with soft choirs and an ambient pan flute, and “Imp Slam,” which seems to compliment “Impby” as an exit track.

Although the album has a short run-time, just over 30 mins, it’s by no means sub-par.  It has a well-defined character and it can always bring a smile with its fun and comedic sound.  You’ll headbang till your neck snaps off and you’ll dance until you get paralyzed!

Elemental Tales also features beautiful artwork by Tatyana Stasenkova and Alexey Natyokin.

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Svartby would like everyone to have the opportunity to hear their latest work, so they have allowed us to host the album on our site.  Please click here to download.