Ревью альбома "VEN Remastered" от Metalnews (Английский язык) (04/05/05)
Schwyz, Schwyz? The neighbours with their strange pronunciation doesnt actually count to the tops of export countries concerning Metal but what comes over the mountains from time to time can easily be proclaimed as qualitative high quality. Similar like it was with Samael years ago Eluveite present theirself as profoundly talented, fresh, new and interesting. But the difference consists of the fact that the nine-headed brood is not well known to anyone in this country and on contrary to their compatriots, it is not about Dark Metal but Pagan Metal with a huge portion of challengingly arranged folk. The only 3 springs counting band (found by mastermind Chrigel as a studio project in former times) had produced the rotating self-financed disc in 2003 which was re-mastered in the following year by Fear Dark. When you think of Pagan Metal nowadays countless bands whirr through your head from Major-Label-?Heroen?, to groupings which are just trying to release themselves from underground or to bands which are just in doing to make themselves a name there but at the same time being dilettantely at work in such a way that love to all gods can pass. In short, there are some precursors, less of good procreation bands and too much crap ?. But it is different with the Swiss guys. Fast mangy Metal meets beautiful melodies eliciting of different instruments. So they go to battle with whistles, bagpipes, violins and a fistful more different old instruments. Rapidness and ugliness go hand in hand with atmosphere and beauty. Instrumentation like it takes place on Vn is looking for the likes of her. What Eluveitie realised with their album of scarcely half an our is not easy to find again, cause in a time where big medieval bands have to steal riffs from international successful Industrial-Rockers and the pagan-part is trying to limit theirself to an underground-troop of brown soles, the course is strongly being altered through these six improbable intensive songs and most of all presented by a very upright group of people. You are formerly able to hear the battle roar, clang of swords and bonfire in the evening after finishing the battle feel the field, country and fireplace in the mud hut If you should approve the spirit of this music to someone than to this congenial band which is fully committed to a specific time and specific attitude to life! Here is exactly done what you would imagine Pagan Metal should sound like! A brewage for dreaming away, singing along, drinking mead and Head-baning up the horns 6 of 7 points Shilrak