Skovblod – In the Valleys of Winter
I’d like to introduce Skovblod, a band of two talented musicians: one responsible for lyrics and vocals, the other for all the music. A Danish/German collaboration, Skovblod released its second studio album, In the Valleys of Winter, on December 1st. The music draws inspiration from progressive metal, death metal, djent, and even a touch of folk, all within a concept that explores the relationship and interdependence of mankind with nature. Aksel Terkelsen is clearly a brilliant musician who knows what he’s trying to achieve, and Sebastian Beronius’ vocals fit perfectly into this music.
Comprised of seven tracks, In the Valleys of Winter possesses a thematic unity that could be considered a concept. The tracks, which unfold in a series of snatched riffs that hint at djent, classic melodic death metal, more emotional folk-inspired sections, and furious outbursts reminiscent of bands like WOLFHEART, convey moods that oscillate between melancholy and epicness. The opening track, Rite of Passage, is a good example of what Skovblod is all about: steady synth layers filling the background, guitars switching between clean, brooding passages and heavy djent chuggings, vibrant drums guided by these guitars, and Beronius’s clean &brutal transitions allowing Skovblod to keep everything more dynamic with ease. I haven’t listened to the first record so I’m not comparing or anything but I found Beronius’ vocals to be a perfect match for Skovblod, so I’m glad he’s on board.
Second track The World, was the first song that made me pay closer attention to Skovblod with its folk-inspired main motif with a riff pattern I found similar to Wolfheart again. Despite its 6-minute runtime, it’s quite fluid and has a really smooth solo as well. Perplexity, on the other hand, is a massive 9-minute song, subtly blending djent riffs with folk guitars, evolving into a sort of modern AMORPHIS/Wolfheart hybrid. Also, I think Journey’s End has the most catchy main riff of the record and its a great closer since it gives the urge to give it another go. By the way, I always try to mention some big bands to attract more attention when I’m introducing a newcomer, but Skovblod has a much more distinctive sound and its not copying any bands at all.
The album, which is mostly operating at mid-tempo, features two instrumental interludes, both close to three minutes. Frankly, Force of Nature and A Drop of Winter aren’t essential pieces in my opinion, and they further break the momentum of an album that already lags a bit regarding tempo. I’d prefer at least one of these tracks to be a fast-paced, relentless outburst like that short part at the beginning of Hope. Alas, I always prefer more blast-beats over anything else, so maybe its just me haha. Aside from the rather monotonous drumming, the slightly mechanical-sounding production, and the aforementioned things about the interludes, I think Skovblod have delivered a clean, effortless, and enjoyable modern progressive/death metal album. An easy, but quite rewarding listen.
