Review Summary: Native american folklore is brought to life by a superb folk metal album.
Folk metal is a genre mainly known for its European representatives, which narrate the heroic stories of Celtic warriors and pagan gods. These epic narratives serve as a way to delve deep in the ancient history and traditions of cultures of days past.
Nechochwen makes a transition of this way of making music into Native American culture, telling a story mostly left untouched in the genre of metal.
As if it was a campfire tale, the album begins with a calm acoustic guitar that bursts into an energetic combination of drumming, electric guitars and mad growls. This first song,
The Serpent Tradition, establishes the dynamics of the album. A smooth ebb and flow of heavy and calm moments, combining traditional Native American instruments and acoustic guitars akin to nature with modern instruments constructed with steel and powered by electricity. This contrast of opposing forces goes in hand with the lyrical content of the album, which narrates the disturbance of Native American peace when colonizers arrive from the sea, murdering and capturing everyone in their path.
Songs like
Lost on the Trail of the Setting Sun depict the horrors of the massacre of Native Americans. Beginning with a sound scape of screaming women and gunfire, and then progressing into the most aggressive performance of the album,
Nechochwen accurately portray a heated and hopeless battle, as the sun hides and all that is left is gloom and despair. The same mood can be felt on
Traversing the Shades of Death, a suffocating, impending piece that exposes a group of weakened people attempting to survive the looming darkness above them. And even the moments of respite seem bleak, such as the beautiful but tragic
October 6, 1813, guided entirely by acoustic guitars, flute and clean vocals. A group of natives are pictured weeping for their fallen leader Tecumseh, hoping for him to rise again and give them strength in withstanding the onslaught.
The last 3 songs of the album make a switch in their theming, leaving the aggressive instrumentation and the bleak lyrics behind. As if the narration is suddenly lit by hope, the acoustically serene
Skimota appears to be a contemplation of the divine, which oozes comfort and relief. Then, the energetic and upbeat instrumental
Skyhook performs a grand transition accompanied by sounds of wind, as if an ascension to the heavens was occurring. The album closes with
Kiselamakong, a song with doom metal influences, followed by a narration that contemplates the grandeur of nature.
Traditional and modern instrumentation alike, this album sounds excellent. Unlike the raw qualities of the black metal inspirations of this effort, the production is crystal clear. The exceptional drumming has a potent sound, while the electric guitars merge together with the rest of the instruments without taking them over. Acoustic instruments resonate gorgeously, and specially, the sporadic flute segments charm the ear. The vocals, that lie on this delightful musical bed, perfectly evoke the emotions of each song. Growls are fueled by anger and despair, whilst clean vocals are coated with melancholy and a faint glimpse of hope.
As this folkloric tale comes to an end, it is difficult to feel something different from awe.
Nechochwen managed to combine opposites into a remarkable a record, that exposes a tale unknown by many. It is easy to forget that the country well known for its fast food, capitalism and commercial music has a rich and interesting cultural tradition at its roots. The quality of
Heart of Akamon proves that there is still much to discover and create from this tradition.
