Year : 2023
Style : Folk Metal , Celtic , Power Metal
Country : Argentina
Audio : 320 kbps + all scans
Size : 105 mb
Bio:
The roots of this band date back to the year 1997, when Emilio and Matias formed a 4 member band named Century. This project became of lesser importance when both joined Feanor, and was finally postponed in 2001 when the two musicians became full members of this band. The year 2004 saw the re-awakening and continuation of the project and furthermore a name change from Century to Skiltron.The band's name is derived from the term schiltron (also sheltron, shiltron or schiltrom), which refers to a formation of soldiers carrying pikes and polearms held in front of them to fight off approaching cavalry. In the First War of Scottish Independence, the Battle Bannockburn was won by the Scots using an offensive variation of this military formation. This modified tactic was a response to the crushing defeat that resulted from the schiltron's traditional defensive use in the Battle of Falkirk sixteen years earlier.Bagpipe player Pablo Allen also took over woodwind duties when Diego Spinelli left Skiltron.Four members of the band departed in 2011 and started a project in a similar style called Triddana.Skiltron played their first ever European show on August 25th 2012 when Emilio Souto and Matias Pena performed a short set with Martin Walkyier and members of Achren at the Wallace Day celebration in Elderslie, Scotland.Skiltron have made their first two albums available for free download through Don't Pay Music.Keeping with the band's affiliation for Scottish history, they contributed the song "The Ballad of William Kidd" to the Running Wild tribute: "Reunation - A Tribute to Running Wild".
Album:
There’s no need to start with the band’s lore: the name Skiltron has rightly been amongst the greatest names in the field of folk metal, for the good and relevant contribution the members have been giving to the genre since their very first steps, managing to become a great influence to upcoming bands throughout their 25 years of life. With this in mind, we celebrate their 6th album “Bruadarach” after seven years of waiting!Released via Trollzorn Records, the band delivers us their typical combination of heavy metal, power metal and vigorous folk bagpipes, with Celtic pride. Now, this time the various components are spread through the various songs according to the feeling recalled, although most of the tracks are anthems of independence and battle: all fine for them, so let’s get slightly deeper. There’s the very first song “As We Fight” – raging fast with fierce mood, as usual for power metallers. Next track “This battle is my own” turns out slower than the previous and features very classical metal parts such as a calm guitar solo and verses without electric guitar just with an atmospheric sound of keyboard in the background and, of course, the deep vocals; I’ll also add that’s been my favorite track of the whole album. Right into a new track “Where the Heart Is” and we get flooded again with fast bagpipes and guitar solos. If that was not for the more folky parts I’d close my eyes and think to be listening to an heavy metal album from thirty years ago, just to let you understand. I think they’ve done a good job of alternating slow and fast tempos throughout the whole album.Another song “Proud to Defend” follows and again, if I close my eyes I’d pretend to be listening to a march from the depths of the Celtic roots into some Irish national ceremony – all filled with the usual dose of heavy metal and so on. A filler instrumental between the two halves of the album plays right before starting with “I Am What I Am” which immediately recalls the 3rd track This Battle is my Own for themes and rhythm; what’s interesting here is the 3/4 Tin-Whistle solo bridge near the end of the song. 8th song A Treasure Beyond Imagination walks on the same path as the previous one (both with a slower tempo than average) and leaves more space to flute and bouzouki.Soon after 8th track “Rob Roy” starts with almost the same structure as As We Fight and this could sound repetitive at the beginning especially while listening to the whole album straight, but the band has the right supply of ideas to deliver through the songs and make them different from each other even when they are based on the same key. For instance this time is the turn of a speed solo and a swingy chorus “Rob, Rob…”, while on Haste Ye Back we finally got a full 3/4 tempo-ed track… time to march again in Celtic fields.These are the moods you’ll find in the new Skiltron album; great listeners of folk metal probably already know the kind of music to find here although I’d say that drums have certainly been improved this time. I mean they were still there on their earlier trials but this time they got heavier and heavier and contribute directly to the songs’ strength. Listen to Bruadarach with headphones or on a stereo and you’ll get what I mean.That’s all folks! A final personal note: Celtic is not my first go-to when it comes to folk metal, but I’m sure others will enjoy this just like me, as this is certainly another win for Skiltron.
Line Up:
Paolo Ribaldini - Vocals (2022-present) - See also: Leverage, Seraphiel, ex-Odyssey, ex-Paolo & Jouni, ex-Sacred Heart
Emilio Souto - Guitars, Mandolin, Bouzouki (2004-present) - See also: ex-Feanor, ex-Tengwar, ex-Folkearth
Ignacio López - Bass (2011-present) - See also: Hipnos, Ignition, For Everness (live), ex-Seliger, ex-5th Element, ex-Minuetum, ex-Crytical, ex-Hyedrah, ex-Tersivel, ex-Lord Kraven
Pereg Ar Bagol - Bagpipes, Tin whistle (2014-present) - See also: Boisson Divine
Joonas Nislin - Drums (2020-present) - See also: Frosttide
Tracklist:
01. Triumph and Devotion 02:20 instrumental
02. As We Fight 04:42
03. This Battle is My Own 04:54
04. Where the Heart Is 03:59
05. Proud to Defend 06:26
06. Turadh 02:09 instrumental
07. I Am What I Am 04:12
08. A Treasure Beyond Imagination 04:40
09. Rob Roy 05:00
10. Haste Ye Back 04:07
11. Saor Alba 01:25 instrumental
Download links for all albums only on our blog here: http://goodmetalandhar.do.am/
