First things first, “Visions” is a folk acoustic album. There are no electric guitars, no solos, no distortion, no drums, no basses. Only vocals and an acoustic guitar. Redundant? No. not at all. I have to warn my reader before he curses me for reviewing a non-Metal effort. After all, it’s been three years of a productive and profitable honest relationship. Remember that we reviewed Blaze Bayley’s acoustic album “December Winds.” Okay, you may say it is an acoustic album of a Metal artist. Right, shall we?
The general mood in “Visions” is intimistic, a little down south. The kind of album I generally don’t offer to people with suicidal tendencies – by the way, great band! Hum, Suicidal Tendencies. When I said it’s only an acoustic guitar and vocals I really meant it, there are no other instruments. The cadence is always slow, sometimes slower than slow, but what the hell, it’s okay though. For the ones who are into Atmospheric Black metal bands an opportunity to learn from the best and the real deal. “Visions” is low-profile, but ir doesn’t mean the music in it isn’t great. In fact, it is. Just different kind of emotion. For the ones who are into Folk Metal, here’s an opportunity to see that it is possible to make music with only an acoustic guitar. Well, Heidevolk proved that.
Lirically, “Visions” has a lot to do with the Metal world as long as it deals with common ground theme as life and death, man and nature and spirituality which are themes that we metallers love to call out. In fact, “Visions” reminds me a lot a 1970s band called America which used to record only acoustic songs – youtube them if you got interested. Great band, same vibe.
I recommend By The Spirits “Visions” if you want to try something out of the box. Really. I mean it. This kind of music is great and for your surprise, it has a lot to do with Metal.
By The Spirits “Visions” was released on August 02nd via Eisenwald.
Track Listing:
- My Sun
- Secret Trees
- Serpent’s Light
- Visions
- Holy Mother
- Fir and Pine
- Watch the Stars
- Land of Light
- Church
- Fields
- Fire of the Mind (Coil cover)
- We Are Falling (Alternate Version)
- Watch the Stars (Alternate Version)
Watch “Secret Trees” official video here:
I’m just a lucky guy who has chosen metal to live with for a long time. Metal changed my life for good. It made me more confident and stronger. Metalheads are naturally far away from the mass mediocrity and don’t accept impostures from anybody else. Metal is more than music, it’s a life changing oportunity!