Turisas - Turisas2013 (CD Review)

01.For Your Own Good
02.Ten More Miles
03.Piece By Piece
04.Into The Free
05.Run Bhang-Eater, Run!
06.Greek Fire
07.The Days Passed
08.No Good Story Ever Starts With Drinking Tea
09.We Ride Together

Mathias Nygård (Vocals)
Jussi Wickström (Guitar)
Jaakko Jakku (Drums)
Jesper Anastasiadis (Bass)
Olli Vänskä (Violin)
Robert Engstrand (Keyboards)

Just in case you have been on another planet for the last 16 years....Hailing from Finland, Turisas (named after a Finnish God Of War) formed in 1997 and then released 3 demos, one of which contained an epic version of 'Thse Were The Days' by Irish folk singer Mary Hopkin.
Ever since the debut album ”Battle Metal” (2004) came out, the band has become known as one of the most energetic, innovative and exciting metal acts both on record and onstage. Turisas has made its name through hundreds of shows and headline tours in Europe, the US, Russia and Latin America, and wherever the guys have set their foot, they have triumphed.

Often labeled as simply a folk/metal band, the band defies easy genre definitions. Incorporating elements of symphonic power metal along with elements from prog, punk and death metal.

The album ”The Varangian Way” came out in 2007 and was followed by ”Stand Up and Fight” in 2011.

This ones a bit weird or perhaps i should say "ecletic" ?
The first track sounds like something from a musical, a very operatic vocal over some piano work, it picks up to a quite poppy sound.

'Piece By Piece' picks up to the old sound (a bit) but just seems way to commercial, whats happend to their edge?

'Into The Free' has some of that epic vocal work and quite fast drums but still kinda seems "off".

The weird 'Run Bhang-Eater Run!' is a great ethnic sounding song then its full on old school style Turisas, Awesome!

But overall this is a very patchy album, not what i expected from them at all.

Rating 6/10

For Fans Of :  Finntroll, Ensiferum, Korpiklaani, Gogol Bordello

TURISAS,RAVENS CREED,WITCHSORROW - Barfly 20.08.08 (Gig Review)

Turisas
Ravens Creed
Witchsorrow

Barfly Camden 20.08.08

So the vile and repulsive emo/indie pop mag kerrang do a rare thing... Something Metal!
Arrive at 7 they said, so i did, then at 5 past 8 the first band take to the stage.
Witchsorrow are purveyers of Doom, slow, pounding chrords blast from the Gibson SG backed by powerfull bass and drumming.They ended thewir set with an amazing reworking of Mayhems 'Freezing Moon'.Why this band have no recordings to buy is something of a mystery to me.

Next up Ravens Creed fronted by Orange Goblins Ben ward and featuring Frazer Craske from Sabbat, Steve Watson from Iron Monkey and Jay graham from Skyclad.
The band dont so much play songs as attack them, a great mixture of punk/black metal/death metal with Ben pacing the stage and towering over the audience (Managing to scare off the only 2 kerrang readers at the front !).

Finally Turisas take to the stage, i guess they are the "Marmite" of metal at the moment, i have seen them seven times now and i like a nice thick layer of the black stuff.
This was possibly the best gig they have played,they entertain the crowd and have fun, something lacking in the emo world.
Of course everyones fave Vikings knock out the classics "One More" and after a lounge instrumentle telling everyone to grab a partner for the last dance, they launch into "Battle Metal", oh and of course "Rasputin".
One surprise in their set was a cover of 'Those Were The Days' the Paul McCartney penned song for folk singer Mary Hopkin which was on their original Heart Of Turisas demo a few years back.
All in all one of the best gigs i have been to in a long long time.

STU

Witchsorrow

Ravens Creed

Turisas