Zero Tolerance Magazine
Given the quality of Rivelin, it's surprising to find that Monuments is another self-release. That said, you wouldn't know it- like Rivelin, this is a mature, beautifully-packaged and -recorded piece of work. Monuments is a dizzying blend of folk, rock and (not very black) metal in an occasionally Eluveitie-like way. Possibly the worst thing about Monuments is it's almost unceasing richness and depth of sound; after a while, the listener is so swamped with layers of guitar, bass, flutes, keyboards and rasping vocals that the bare, minimalistic interludes are an incredibly soothing relief. 4/6.

TheMixEclectic.com
Late last year, in the depths of winter, Northern Oak unleashed their new album on the world. The more astute of you may have noticed that I already briefly mentioned it in my round-up of wintery black metal, along with a vague promise of a review "soon". This is that review.

When we found out about the new album release party at Corporation, it was decided that we must attend. A masquerade ball with folk, metal and burlesque? What could possibly go wrong? Sadly, the worst that could possibly go wrong; we didn't make it. Undeterred, I bought the CD online instead.

If you've only heard some of Northern Oak's demos before, you're in for a pleasant surprise. The production quality is in a different league to some of the earlier material and really lets the songs shine. Of the 12 tracks on the album, only 2 have never been previously released in some form on demos or EPs, but you really wouldn't know it. This is a polished record.

The gorgeous album art by none other than Travis Smith, the man behind some of Opeth's best artwork, adds to the high quality of this production. Having each song's page from the booklet as the MP3 artwork is a great touch. It takes the concept of album art in MP3s beyond simple identification and uses it to mesh the imagery, the music and the lyrics into a cohesive whole.

The music itself shifts between softer folk melodies and hard hitting metal riffs. Neither as soporific as Agalloch, nor as brash as Eluveitie, it's somehow both relaxing yet energising. A half growled, half whispered vocal over the gentle first half of Nivis Canto kicks up to a powerful riff-packed finish. The black metal rasp of Arbor Low gives way to almost an orchestral arrangement in Cerridwen's Round. The folk gives way almost completely in The Scarlet Woman to a great black metal track with intricate riffs layered with a harsh, thumping vocal.

Like all good folk metal, the songs are more than just their melodies and harmonies. They are entwined, too, with stories; with people, places and events. There are some well known classics included, such as Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and the whore of Babylon. Others include a warriors defeat, an introspection of the impermanence of things and a consideration of the ancient rituals of Sun God worship.

While it's entirely possible to enjoy this album without ever listening to the words, it's an even greater pleasure to read the considered, thoughtful lyrics and read the tales that go hand in hand with the emotion locked in the music. On the other hand, if you'd rather dispense with the lyrics entirely, the band have also made an instrumental version of the Monuments available in MP3 format with every purchase.

Northern Oak clearly care very deeply about their music, and this is made even more apparent when reading the band's own write-ups about each track on their music page. This care and attention to every detail is what has helped build this album up and make it more than the sum of its parts.

The album is available for mere pence at Northern Oak's music page, along with a pressed and printed CD version that worth the asking price for the artwork printed throughout the booklet, illustrating every track. And for a few extra quid you can also get one of their awesome t-shirts. Hopefully we'll see Sheffield's finest purveyors of folk metal and waistcoats at Bloodstock Open Air this year. Head over to the Bloodstock forums to give them your support. 

 

 

Phil @ SonicAbuse.com

When you receive an email from a band claiming to be a Sheffield-based progressive folk metal band, the instant reaction is to be interested because if there is one thing that the north of this country has excelled in producing it is doom, heavy metal and folk-orientated acts. Unconvinced? Consider this: Paradise Lost, Anathema, My dying bride, Old Corpse Road and Cradle of Filth all come from the Midlands or beyond and all are first class metal bands with loyal followings and some truly excellent albums to their name. To this list, I am tempted to add Northern Oak on the strength of their latest (and second) offering 'Monuments' which goes further towards the typical goal of marrying folk and heavy metal elements into a truly spectacular whole than many other leading exponents of the genre, while the band also successfully tap into the grim atmosphere of vintage Paradise Lost to create a truly absorbing listen. Have I got your attention yet? Read on, because Northern Oak are more than deserving of your time.

The first sign that Northern Oak are going to be something rather out of the ordinary is the astonishing care and attention that has gone into the presentation of the record despite the absence of label support (a neglect bordering on the criminal) and the booklet has not only some fantastic cover art reminiscent of the work done for The Vision Bleak but also full lyrics and a suitably leafy band shot. Also included in the package (behind the CD tray) is a brief exposition of the life of the album’s inspiration, one George Eadon Deakin, an English poet who lived in the mid eighteen hundreds. Such liner notes aid a deeper understanding of the music contained on the album and highlight the fact that Northern Oak’s attention to detail travels beyond fine packaging into their musical endeavours, something that becomes obvious the moment you place the disc in your player and allow yourself to become enveloped in the band’s multi-layered and engrossing work.

Opening with the heavy progressive metal of 'Sun god's wrath' which successfully adjoins King Crimson, Emperor, Eluvetie and Burzum into a folk-tinged blast of icy cold black metal, all the elements that metal fans require are here from blast beats to vocals torn from the depths of hell, yet offset by a folky grandeur that dovetails perfectly with the progressive artists tendency towards story telling. The musicianship is of the highest standard and the production, too, is refreshingly excellent with each instrument afforded depth and clarity and no element sounding out of place. It is a fantastic, ambitious opening gambit that draws you deep inside the heart of Northern Oak's unique music and keeps you there until the final track has faded into memory – it is that good. 'Gawain' is next and it begins as a gorgeous piece of sun-soaked pastoral progressive music before black metal interludes ravage the atmosphere with icy blasts of Arctic wind that chill the bones and strip the very leaves from the tress. Meanwhile the intelligent lyrics offer up aspects of the story of Gawain and the Green knight told in the first person and imbuing the character with a noble bravery and honour that harks back to a bygone era of chivalry and valour. Speaking of harking back to a bygone era, 'into the forest' with its picked guitar, flute and spoken word parts is a throwback to the days of tales told around the campfire, setting the scene perfectly for the gentle strains of 'Silvan lullaby', a poetic gem that sits comfortably amidst the heavier elements of the album thanks to the clever writing of the band. Here, when the guitars do come raging in, they never overpower either the melody or the traditional instruments used and it is this skill that makes Northern Oak so special.

Another aspect of Northern Oak's success is the fact that they have made a convincing album. The tracks flow beautifully from one to the next, allowing you to drift into their beguiling fantasy world as easily as if you were reading from the works of Tolkein. With the folk sections played so convincingly that the band could feasibly decamp to a folk club and the heavy aspects so seamlessly adjoined to the whole the best way to enjoy 'Monuments' is to whack on a pair of high-end headphones and allow the real world to vanish for an hour or so. 'Arbor Low' makes good use of atmospheric percussion and flute and recalls the mighty grandeur of Negura Bunget, conjuring up images of treks across snow-capped mountains, while the gruff vocals and guitars provide the darkness upon the horizon, particular as the song develops and the guitars cut huge swathes through the melody propelled by churning drums and eerie synth. ‘Nivis Canto’ is, however, far more eerie opening with the gentle picking of guitar strings echoing amidst the raging wind before, oddly, shifting ground entirely into a strange hinterland that exists between Smashing Pumpkins' 'Porcelina of the vast oceans', Mogwai and Darkthrone. It is an inventive, fascinating track that has myriad moods and ideas over the course of its lengthy duration. Following an instrumental interlude, the band unleash 'the scarlet woman', a lyrical epic with brutal vocal styling and riffs dragged straight from the coldest reaches of hell yet offset with the perfectly arranged flute work that is as effective in this context as My Dying Bride's violin was on their masterpiece 'Turn Loose the swans'. 'Death in the marshes' is equally evocative with the skeletal composition here creating a mood all of its own which draws you deeper into the bands involve song-writing and story-telling. 'Pavane in G minor' is another instrumental interlude before the band signs off with the wonderful coda of 'in these hills' which sees the album out on another lyrical epic and leaves you wanting more.

It's hard to say what the best aspect of Northern Oak is. Musically, this is excellent and far more cohesive than similar works by, say, Eluvetie who, while very good, never manage to integrate their music quite so spectacularly as this or, to put it more simply, Eluvetie sound like the prototype for Northern Oak's more refined, intelligent approach. For those looking for a metal bludgeoning, there is plenty to admire, but the depth of composition and song-writing skill on display here means that there is always far more than just a meaty riff to look to. The lyrics, in particular, deserve special mention as they have clearly been laboured over and loved and it is a pleasure to read something so intelligent and well thought out as the works here which read as if they have been put together by an English scholar. The concept too is compelling, with references to a variety of English legends and folk-lore populating the narratives and maintaining interest until the album’s close which arrives with an almost unseemly haste until you realise that you’ve actually lost over an hour to it. Ultimately, perhaps it is the old-world charm that the band exude with a level of authenticity rarely matched (except by the masterful Old Corpse Road who work a similar furrow) that works best here – whatever it is, 'Monuments' is an utterly compelling listen from start to the hidden track at the tale-end of 'in these hills' and with the artwork providing every reason to go out and actually buy the CD this is also the sort of work that is best played as a whole, allowing the various moods and atmospheres to swirl around you. Northern Oak, like OCR, are one of those bands that reminds you exactly why the UK has such a strong name in the metal world and 'monuments' is a landmark album that should be compulsory listening in every home across the country – it truly is a genre classic and it deserves recognition.

Rhys' Reviewz

Sheffield Medieval Folk Metallers Northern Oak have released their sophomore album with a highly sophisticated collection of musical compositions, namely the harsh vocals leading to an assumption there is either Black Metal influences or Doom Metal influences, none the less, the intricate combination that this all English group exerts is of the same level as Germany's Subway To Sally although on an alternate perspective, the two Medieval metal bands have different views on 'Medieval music', hark a different sound entirely. But one album to be at peace with, melodies, atmosphere, entrancing tunes, just a few ingredients this sextet as included, leaving this album to be one of the 'Monuments' in the Midlands.

[8] RHYS STEVENSON

LouciferSpeaks.com

Folk Metal is a genre that has me divided. When it's executed well, I love it. I get all excited about it and start name-dropping the band that's created it into pretty much any conversation I have (for example; "Would you like a sandwich, dear?" "Oh yes, please. Did you know that Band X is rather good?"). However, when Folk Metal is not created to my standards (i.e., when it's a bit... 'soft'), it tends to wind me up. I end up getting that feeling when I want to run into the band's recording studio or rehearsal space and scream "STOP! PUT DOWN THE FLUTE BEFORE I SHOVE IT UP YOUR ARSE!" at the top of my lungs. Now, to be candid, I hate playing 'Hide the Flute in the Orifice' (it can be messy and isn't the best use of my time) so I tend to avoid a lot of Folk Metal. However, there are times when I just have to pay attention. When Northern Oak contacted me, it became clear that this was going to be one of those times. Now, I'm not going to lie to you… the reason why I was keen to listen to (and subsequently review) this album was because I liked the artwork. Yes, I know, I'm very shallow. Deal with it.

So, we've gathered that the artwork is rather pretty. Go on, have a look above and admire it. Now, what's the music like?

The first listen to "Monuments" made me go 'OOOOHHH!'. This is a hugely positive sound and one that should be made as often as possible – especially when listening to Northern Oak. Yes, there is a flute but it's been teamed up with some of the most savage vocals you could hope to hear and driving guitars.

The band have that uncanny ability to make music that takes the listener away from their dreary day-to-day existence and deposit them in a far off land. The music is often beautiful, it's at times threatening and bestial but it's always completed to an incredibly high quality. In fact, everything here has been created to this incredibly high quality – the music, the artwork, the lyrics, the production. "Monuments" is most definitely the full package. I get the feeling that Northern Oak are a band of perfectionists and this certainly works in their favour.

Genre-wise (because, y'know, it’s important that we stick labels on things) Northern Oak are a Folk/Black Metal band. I think that's fair to say, and to be honest, it's pretty much the way that they describe themselves. But, as you listen to the album and become immersed in it, you're treated to other influences and other (for want of a better word) 'things' that separate this band from other bands of the same ilk. Northern Oak definitely have their own identity and their own sound.

Northern Oak have created the kind of album that Folk Metal fans will go nuts over. It's also the kind of album that could have more sceptical members of the metal community changing their minds and warming to the genre.

Rating: 92%

Autothrall @ FromTheDustReturned.com

Calling a metal album 'relaxing', regardless of its sub-genre, might be taken by some as a bit of a rip, but in the case of Northern Oak's sophomore Monuments, the term is only too accurate in describing its chill and beautiful atmosphere, drawn directly from the band's native English environment and fashioned into a heady concept album which creates a sort of window to a window, each track a dying Victorian scholar's rumination on some folklore or his own storied past. This at once casts the album into a unique and breathtaking glow, as the band's compositions speak volumes in both desperation and happiness, arriving in myriad structures that conjure both rustic regret and the triumph of melancholy.

There are of course exceptions to the album's soothing nature, in particular the opener "Sun God's Wrath", a storm of sullen bombast which introduces us to the meticulous riffing, fluid bass lines, haunting flutes and ample synthesizers, all anchored in the rasped vocals and solid hand and footwork of the percussionist. Northern Oak throws a lot at you: a hybrid of black, folk and progressive metal, but the varied instrumentation is so seamlessly integrated that you would never know the things to be distinct from one another. It's interesting that it opens with such a heavier track, because for much of Monuments' 54 minute play-length, we're treated to elegies of slow, lush sadness and majesty that stand at a nexus of Falkenbach, Jethro Tull and Pink Floyd. "Gawain" with its steady escalations, impressive guitars and strangely addictive flutes; "Into the Forest" an narrative with an accompaniment of flutes, synths and acoustics; "Arbor Low" with its ale-spun guitar melodies and brief outbreaks of speed; "The Scarlet Woman" with its deeper, death grunts and morbid constitution.

Strangely, then, that I found the album even more compelling when it grew even more abstract, in particular "Nivis Canto" with its solemn pacing, spectral vocal percussion, and gorgeous bass lines that eventually explode into a mountain-scaling paradigm of pagan inoculation. "Death in the Marshes" is like pure Tull with a trace of On Thorns I Lay's guitar tone; and "Cerridwen's Round" a medieval bliss whereupon the flute ducks and weaves through the synthesizers and cautiously plucked strings, a more than perfect backdrop for any archaic tavern fantasy. Credit should also be given that the lyrics do the music justice, poetic and historic discourse threaded through the bite of the vocals. Monuments simply throws so much at its listener that I'm amazed how much actually sticks, how little slides off the skin...

Almost miraculous is that Northern Oak has composed this without any of the stout silliness that pervades so much of the folk metal realm. You could easily close your eyes and picture yourself binging on acid through an obscure glade, sunlight optional, but there no brownies and elves waltzing through the eves here, nor a snickering redcap in sight. It's a sad and serious album, even the flute playing. The mix is fairly organic, and I can see that some might be put out by that fact, but nevertheless you can hear everything quite clearly and the lesser fidelity does wonders to transport the listener into this swath of lost history and magical soil. I won't cite that the album is perfect, as I found a few tracks less revelatory than others ("Silvan Lullaby" in particular is not the cream of this crop), but it should be damned interesting to hear what they have in store for the future, and the band is just as worthy as A Forest of Stars or The Meads of Asphodel in micromanaging such versatile components into a sense of bewitchment.

Verdict: Win [8.5/10] (may I leave my mark and shape)

Dimiarch @ HeavyMetalCosmos.eu

Northern Oak is an English metal group from Sheffield. They were formed in the beginning of 2006 and after releasing some demos and a self financed full-length album "Tales from Rivelin" in 2008, they return in the end of 2010 with their second work "Monuments". This new album is also self-released, but it looks much more professional than its predecessors.

The band describes its music as progressive folk metal, but I don't believe that's enough to get an idea about what they play. Northern Oak have many different styles in their music, moving from folk metal, to black / death metal, doom metal, acoustic music... Their production is somehow primitive, fitting more for an underground black metal band in my opinion! Most of the time they are in mid or slow tempo, having some faster outburst and some more acoustic tranquil parts. Their music is enriched by beautiful flutes that carry most melodies, as well as by keyboards, but they are mainly in the background. Acoustic guitars have also important role in the song melodies, while their vocals are mostly screaming brutal ones and they sound very raw, making a huge, but interesting, contradiction with their music. The song structures are quite complex and I hardly recognize any refrain or repetition in them. They have mixed many different things in their music and they did it with a weird “amateur” professionalism (I can't describe it better)! Their songs have many interesting melodies; especially the more acoustic instrumental parts with the brilliant flutes are amazing. I believe though that a better production and better vocals would have helped them a lot, making their most extreme parts equally good. Anyway, the overall result of this mix has a unique atmosphere and I can say they have a personal sound, something very important these days. In other words I am not implying to remove the extreme parts, but to improve them :) Their lyrics deal with their love for nature and philosophical topics. Each song is a story by a Victorian scholar in his death-bed, remembering events of his life or other stories that come to his mind in his last hours...

Northern Oak is a very complex and ambitious band. I believe they can make something really big in the future, especially if they manage to balance their influences and improve their production... "Monuments" is a very rich album that fans of underground extreme folk metal should check. It comes with a pro-printed 16-page booklet and you can buy it directly from the band's site: http://northernoak.co.uk, where you can also download their previous works. You could as well check their myspace page for some songs: http://www.myspace.com/thenorthernoak

Verdict: 8/10