Svarrogh / Défilé Des Âmes / Àrnica — South European Folk Compendium

Anyone who is into Neo Folk music will appreciate the idea behind this three way split. "South European Folk Compendium", is released by the wonderful Ahnstern label, and it brings together three musical acts who concentrate on the three different folklores of  their music. The beautiful booklet tells us about the participants of this project, and they are Défilé des âmes, who comes from the "Hellenic Axis", Svarrogh, who brings the  spirit of "Balkan Axis" and Arnica the "Catalan Axis".

Défilé des âmes opens this album with the bombastic fifteen minutes long track- 'The Banner of Vanity', which is a great introduction to this Split and an amazing song. The vocals are wonderfully painful and the singer is literally on the verge of breaking to tears at the peak of the song. While Defile Des Ames has only two tracks on this ten tracks long album, they use these two slots very well with great, memorable music.

Those who liked the other albums by Svarrogh will not be let down by its performance on this Folk Compendium, to say the least. This project has three great tracks on this album; with 'Yarilo's Return' being the best of the three in my opinion. This song features deep, dramatic voice, which is somewhere between singing and chanting, following a cold and somber music that can chill your blood. 'Yarilo's Return' is definitely a memorable highlight on this compendium.

Like the other two acts, Arnica bring great songs to the table as well. One of the five tracks it has on this album is "Falc En Alt", with a repetitive and even meditative drums and flute that make Arnica sound more tribal and pagan, filling the atmosphere perfectly for the dominant, shamanic vocals that its singer employs.

"South European Folk Compendium" holds three great bands with not one bad moment in it. Those who favor Neo-Folk music with a distinctive regional European tinge will surely find this album rewarding.