CRUACHAN „The Morrigan's Call”

Music: Folk/Celtic/Pagan Metal
Website: http://cruachan.metalfan.nl
Country: Ireland
Cool songs: The Great Hunger, Ungoliant, Téir Abhaile Riú, Wolfe Tone

Those who have not heard of CRUACHAN should listen and read carefully, because it is one of the most significant bands covering the pagan/celtic metal genre. Founded in 1992 by Keith Fay, after MINAS TIRITH (his previous band) broke up. Sixteen years on the stage now, ten albums (five full-length) and one piece of shit, which is the ‘A Celtic Legacy’, recorded by, now their former, label Karmageddon. Without the musicians’ permission or knowledge even. A very naughty deed… it seems that money only matters. Fortunately CRUACHAN have transitioned to AFM Records.

But ‘The Morrigan’s Call’ was released via Karmageddon and they did well with the promotion and other musical stuff. The first thing which draws attention is the style, which has been evolving since the beginning of their existence and is still changing. The first records of CRUACHAN were more black inspired, just to mention the ‘Tuatha Na Gael’ which is very raw and dark. For some time now the musicians are trying to help their music lose some weight and make it more digestible. With different results, because some criticize them for that, others stopped listening to them… but that’s the way the cookie crumbles. Things change and you cannot stay in one place for ages. Therefore ‘The Morrigan’s Call’ is a very different album, even from the unappreciated ‘Pagan’. What will definitely interest the fanatics is the fact that from the first tunes they will recognize their favourite band. It is impossible to confuse it with some others from the same shelf.

First of all Keith is a fantastic chant master. His melodies are amazing. CRUACHAN are one of a very limited number of bands, who use authentic folk and traditional instruments. Just to mention bouzouki or mandolin. Others also use such gear, although only CRUACHAN are able to squeeze what is the best from them. They are the real and authentic folk musicians who combine the tradition with aggressive tune. The instrumental parts in their performance were always at the highest and left a feeling of fulfilling in ones’ hearts. How do they do it, that those solo parts sound so great, is their strongly kept secret and no one will ever get to know it. The spellbinding violin and mandolin solos in ‘Ungoliant’ stay in the head for hours. What is also interesting is the usage of some old ideas. CRUACHAN seem not only to be pagan but also a progressive band. The opening solo in ‘The Great Hunger’ is an idea… borrowed from PINK FLOYD (taken from ‘The Wall’), the opening riff in ‘The Brown Bull of Cooley’ is a typical heavy metal performance with some really heavy fills. Therefore the band proves that they are not closed within one genre, that they are still provoking the true pagan maniacs with their inconvenient style and adding some interesting melodic features (keep in mind the fantastic ‘Michael Collins’ from ‘Pagan’ CD).

But bearing in mind the band’s status and heritage, this album is really nothing new. There are lots of melodies, hundreds of butchery riffs and cool drum fills, but the overall effect does not blow away. You will hear fantastic Irish folklore embellished with Keith’s harsh pagan vocals and Karen’s sweet voice. It seems that the band’s progress is entering the final stage, where they are more melodic than pagan. One day the traditional melodies will finally end and the musicians will eventually eat their tails. They’ve started doing it some time ago, although it is not annoying, now. But two more albums kept in such atmosphere and it will be the end of CRUACHAN. Even the deal with AFM will not help here.

note: 7/10

Tracklist

1. Shelob
2. The Brown Bull of Cooley
3. Coffin Ships
4. The Great Hunger
5. The Old Woman in the Woods
6. Ungoliant
7. The Morrigan's Call
8. Téir Abhaile Riú
9. Wolfe Tone
10. The Very Wild Rover
11. Cuchulainn
12. Diarmuid and Grainne

Total playing time 46:46

Line-up

Karen Gilligan – vocals, percussion
Keith Fay – guitars, vocals, keyboard, bouzouki, banjo, bodhran, mandolin, percussion
John Clohessy – bass, backing vocals
Joe Farrell – drums, percussion
John Ryan Will – tin whistle, violin, banjo, bouzouki, keyboard