Folge dem Wind — To Summon Twilight

What’s with French bands taking German names? If I had to guess, I’d wager it’s because German is just simply more metal than French. Anyway, this is the first time I’ve had the pleasure of listening to Folge dem Wind, or “Follow the Wind” in English. They’ve been active since 2005 and until now, they’ve remained relatively underground despite releasing a demo, two full-length albums, and being signed by a reasonably well known label. Based on their stellar performance on To Summon Twilight, this is likely going to change.

Oh, where to begin with this album? I suppose it must be said that To Summon Twilight sounds a bit like a more guitar-driven version of fellow Frenchmen Peste Noire, though without a lot of their latter-day strangeness. That’s not to say that the unhinged, face-melting black metal on To Summon Twilight is completely normal, no, it does contain a bit of that avant-garde strangeness that accompanies a number of Code666’s releases, but it’s kept to a minimum. Kilvaras’s vocal performance also reminds me of Famine’s vocal style, though harsher and a little less high-pitched. Kilvaras mixes it up with some deep-throated roars layered with the breathy shrieks, and even a part that brings to mind Abbath on “Coming With the Fog”. The blend of hysteria, hate, and pain in the vocals is completely riveting, fucking fantastic stuff.

The similarities to Peste Noire end there, and the black metal found on To Summon Twilight is actually fairly unique. Not that it’s completely groundbreaking or anything, but it goes a bit beyond your typical second-wave worship. The tracks have a suffocating, oppressive feeling, and this combined with the deranged shrieks and insistent, writhing riffs conjure mental images of a nightmarish journey through an insane asylum. It’s been a while since an album has genuinely made me feel unsettled, but Kilvaras and the hellish guitar work of guitarists Keolhan and Aekon has done it. That’s not to say that To Summon Twilight is based entirely on atmosphere, though. To claim so would do injustice to the strong performance on each track, especially the fantastic, somewhat melodic riffing on “Coming With the Fog” and “On Dark Paths Our Faith Stays Strong”. Svarthyr’s drumming provides the backbone for this release and despite the clear production, the drums sound nice and full. The drumming is quite varied on this release and Svarthyr hammers out blast beats and slower, militaristic parts with equal ease. 

To Summon Twilight is actually Folge dem Wind’s shortest full-length to date, but at 45 minutes it’s no slouch, and it manages to keep the listener occupied for the entire duration. The unhinged ferocity is slightly at odds with the clear production on the album, but it works wonderfully. Each instrument can be heard clearly and adds deeper, technically proficient levels to the chaotic and frenzied music. This, along with the lack of completely orthodox song structures, is what really captured my attention. Folge dem Wind has plenty of moments of somewhat typical, black metal tremolo sections, but breaks halfway between some tracks, small, avant-garde sections, and plenty of tempo changes are what really kept me hooked.

This is one of those rare albums that holds your attention from beginning to end, and it actually has something going for it beyond a first impression. Repeat listens are definitely required to fully appreciate To Summon Twilight and its deranged beauty beyond the superficial. This album is definitely one of the better things I’ve heard so far this year. It has everything going for it; stand out vocals, killer instrumental work, and an uncommonly evil atmosphere. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to see if the rest of their discography can hold a candle to this release.