By Johnny Bakes
Split EPs are a pretty effective way for bands to quickly expand their respective fanbases, and are also a great opportunity for fans to check out two bands for the price of one (or just use their streaming service…). Often split EPs will be a collaboration between two bands from a similar area, but not this one. This here is a cross-continental folk metal collaboration! With just one song from each band this could be considered more of a tease than real flavour of the bands, but let’s see if it’s enough to leave you wanting more…
First up – Bhleg. Bhleg are a mysterious folk metal duo from Västra Götaland in Sweden and with Scandinavia being such a hotbed for folk metal with its rich cultural history, I’m expecting good things. And I’m not disappointed! The track starts with traditional drums and female chanting before really kicking off with some blast beats and shredding. The vocals are harsh and guttural, not unlike Chrigel from Eluveitie, and pair well the combination of fast shredding and slower sections that are rich in traditional folk sounds and instruments. It certainly sounds like there is the inclusion of the Holy Grail of folk instruments – the Hurdy Gurdy. Production-wise I think there’s some room for improvement as the drums do get washed out a little bit, but as a one-track sample of what these guys are capable of, it definitely leaves me wanting more!
Now onto Nechochwen… this is another two-piece hailing from West Virginia, US. Being an American folk metal band, I’d really like to see some Native American influences, which I think can be hard in places. This track starts off with a chilled guitar piece before getting heavier while maintaining the slow pace. A great contrast of clean and harsh vocals makes this stand out from Bhleg’s contribution, and the inclusion of subtle chanting adds another layer to the atmosphere. Then out of nowhere comes this bombastic guitar solo that caught me completely off guard! Another change of pace at the end bringing in this blast beats just to make sure you were paying attention and then it eases out with another before guitar piece. I liked the variety throughout this song, and, like the previous track, it has certainly spurred me on to check out more from this band.
So overall, while being a very short split EP, it does enough to get you interested in both of the bands. If folk metal is your thing, it’s certainly worth checking out if you aren’t already familiar with these bands!
- ‘Sorlande Sky’/’Majestic Translucence’ is out now. You can get your copy HERE.
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