"Folk" Metal almost always means flutes and with a full-time flute player, Adorned Brood fit the profile. Kuningaz is the band's 8th album and it is pretty damn good. There's a good blend of gruff, clear vocals and Death/Black screams that suit the music well. The songs are based in Traditional Metal with forays into Melodic Death, Thrash and even some flashes of Black. There's a lot of piano, playing wistful melodies, that Adorned Brood blend smartly with the crunchy riffs. There are some great tracks like "We Are Legion" and "Victory or Valhall" which embody what good Folk Metal should sound like but others, like "Men" which sink into beer-hall, party Metal too much. In the end, the good stuff outweighs the bad, making Kuningaz a solid pick-up for Folk Metal fans.
