Elvenking - Heathenreel (2001)

This is indeed a curious one. Elvenking are a band from Italy, and they combine a very strong element of folk and progressive metal with their power, and even incorporate death growls every now and again, although these are thankfully kept to a minimum.
It all comes together in a bizarre, wild, almost uncontrolled way that makes it really hard to get into, and yet it remains fascinating throughout. My Christian beliefs do have me struggling with the album title, and also song titles like "Pagan Purity", but there's good will to burn here all the same.
It's hard to listen to this and not picture dwarves dancing around a campfire (or should that be elves?), and while the record really comes across as something of a hodgepodge initially, there is much to discover here, and I hope I eventually come across more treasures within its grooves.

***1/2