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SKYFORGER has been one of the leading Pagan Folk/Metal bands in Europe for quite some time now, energetically welding various Metal styles into a cohesive whole. Their subject matter ranges from heroic stories culled from folk legends to a whole album dedicated to the men fighting the Russians (“Latvian Riflemen”). But what above all made their previous records unique to me were the haunting folk intros, based on traditonal Latvian music.

Needless to say, I was overjoyed when they announced this album, which consists entirely of acoustic reworked versions of some older SKYFORGER songs as well as traditionals. Among them are several hymns to Perkunos, the Baltic deity of thunder and fertility, analogous to the Norse Thor, as well as a lot of songs about horses, the traditional warrior’s best friend in battle. The instrumentation consists of giga, a Latvian instrument that is a forerunner of the cello, kokle, an 11-string Latvian hybrid of harp and guitar, acoustic guitar, various flutes, bagpipes, mouth harp and ‘wardrums.’

Skyforger are notable for being proud of their nation and culture without having a political agenda. And the fact that this album was supported by a grant from the Culture Capital Foundation of Latvia shows that this small country (much like its Baltic neighbors) has the healthy will to preserve and encourage its folkways.