Concerning Old-Strife and Man-Banes

This is billed as folky, but there is nothing folkish about this pagan-themed Black Metal disc. I can hear a bit of the more expansive arrangements common to folk bands, but overall it just comes across as BM with a more melodic edge. It reminds me of the kinds of stuff Oakenshield used to put out some ten years ago - like Berserk or Blodsrit. Anyway this is competently done, and has some decent melodies, but the sound is rather thin, with an upfront guitar and less backing than I like, so the sound is quite spare. The songs tend to go on a bit and repeat too much, and the albums fails to really cook up the kind of brooding, heathen atmosphere that is really why I like this kind of thing when it is well-done. Passable.