'Engla Tocyme' is the third full length release by brothers Athelstan and Wulfstan. At just under 40 minutes in length, it can be only be described as a tumultuous expression of Anglo-Saxon pride and culture.
Whilst the production is not up to the same 'summery' feel as releases such as 'Steadfast' or 'Ours is the Kingdom', the combination of Forefather's harsher earlier production and the bright cheery song writing featured in their newer material does little to put the listener off this album. This sound fits perfectly with the dreamy, mysterious mood of the album and works perfectly to capture the listen in tales of conquering brothers, mighty battles and the majesty felt by the brothers towards their Anglo-Saxon heritage.
In terms of musicianship, this album is sound. Although the drums are programmed, the level of skill in their writing more than makes up for this fact, with a good insight being shown. The guitar riffs also are skilfully written to invoke a strong atmosphere in the listener's mind. Catchy guitar riffs are present throughout the entire album, played flawlessly over a solid foundation of rhythm guitar, bass, and steady drums. At no point do these riffs feel like they are repeating themselves, with each song feeling as fresh as the last. Every riff is unique and fresh, catchy and atmospheric; I can guarantee that if this is your first experience to this band, it will push the boundaries of what you expect of a folk metal band.
Much use is also made of keyboards on this album, with one song (The Swan's Road), being written entirely on this instrument. In the rest of the album the keyboards are reserved to background choirs and string arrangements. Since the (arguably) overuse of keyboards in much folk music is a common occurrence now-a-days, this comes as a breath of fresh air, and brings the rock emphasis back into folk metal, void of the clichéd 'jokiness' found in a lot of the music found now.
Vocally, this is a strong album too. Making more use of clean vocals than in earlier material, Wulfstan's vocals suit the feel of the album perfectly, with the occasional use of harsh vocals to add emphasis to certain songs. More use is also made of spoken passages in Old English, adding again to the overall mood of the album.
The album also flows perfectly. Each track leads into the next without any feeling of interruption. It's very easy to stick this CD on, and drift away for 40 minutes. Whilst not related directly to the music, the artwork on this album is also fantastic; really adding to the mystery of the Anglo-Saxon times. Definitely warrants a purchase of the physical album. This album marks the turning point in Forefather's sound, heralding a change from the previously more black metal influenced material to a full blown English folk band.
Sample:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yq-Kei_U920
