NIDHOEGGR – Arise
- Posted on 19-12-2021
"Arise" by the Swiss act Nidhoeggr, which is their sophomore full-length opus, is a relatively entertaining foray into folk metal with a few touches of pagan metal and death metal added for good measure.
Its brisk pace and galloping rhythms add an uplifting feel to its eleven compositions and the melodic death metal influences that often rear their heads bring a sense of aggression and bombast to the proceedings. Now, folk metal is rarely something that blows me away and "Arise" is no different really, but this is a pretty decent offering containing plenty of epic melodies and muscular riffs, good arrangements and a production that packs a punch.
The record does lack contrasts and some darker and more brooding passages would undoubtedly have injected some light and shade into the songs as well as some more interesting textures that would have made it a more intriguing and captivating listen. It does tend to feel a bit same-y and predictable now and then in the sense that the tone and vibe of it varies little throughout; there are no real surprises as such, and it is just too damn bouncy and jolly some of the time to these ears. Still, this crunchy-sounding disc is worth exploring in more detail if bands and outfits ala Thyrfing, Finntroll, and Svartsot appeal to you, but it is not necessarily something that yours truly will revisit in the future.