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SKILTRON
Into The Battleground

Hellion (2013)
Rating: 4/10

I can take or leave folk metal to be honest, not really having been bothered or convinced by the numerous bands doing the rounds over the years. Skiltron however – who hail from Argentina – have garnered my attention with their brand of folky rock. These guys formed in 2004 and are somewhat veterans of the scene, with Into The Battleground being the fourth release from the band.

“But are you convinced by these guys?” I hear you ask. The answer would have to be a resounding “No”, I’m afraid. While I’m of the opinion that there’s a place for all manner of musical styles and instruments within the heavy metal fold, I’ve yet to be warmed by the sound of mandolins, bouzoukis and bagpipes alongside raging electric guitars and warlock vocals.

Don’t get me wrong; it all makes for an interesting listen, but it begins to grate oh so quickly. I’ve got nothing against these sorts of bands, but I guess my ears just aren’t ready for this overtly folky sound which is immediately apparent on ‘Lion Rampant’.

For some reason, I feel as if I’ve intruded upon a hobbit’s birthday party when the vocals, guitar and drum make way for those Celtic jigs and the like. The same could be said for the foggy whine of ‘The Swordmaker’, which begins with interest, only to be interrupted by the sort of Scottish bagpipes I’d be more accustomed to around the misty banks of Loch Ness.

I do understand that these folky injections are very much part of the band, but literally every track provides the same experience, detracting from the fact that this is also meant to be a metal record too.

Tony Thurlow’s vocals are unremarkable but still do a job, as do the drums of Matias Pena who is accompanied by the sturdy bass of Ignacia Lopez. Hearing an Argentine band sing songs about Scotland just seems a little strange if you ask me though, and the Celtic cheese really does begin to ooze when one succumbs to the wheeze of ‘On The Trail Of David Ross’.

There are times on Into The Battleground, however, when the band do get it right. For instance, ‘Besieged By Fire’ is a straight up pulverising rocker with thrashy elements and gruff vocals. Even when it does shift its pace, it’s still a nice melody that is punctuated by a mellow mandolin. Soon we’re back to a thrashy barrage nonetheless, making ‘Besieged By Fire’ the best cut on the record.

Sadly, the strangled cat returns with ‘The Brave’s Revenge’ and ‘Mearrsadh Air’, the latter being an all-out midnight fireside jig. The Irish feel of ‘The Rabbit Who Wanted To Be A Wolf’ provides an intriguing twanging bounce, meanwhile, but again we’re craving some type of metal ingredient. The nearest we get to this is the god-awful croon of ‘Loyal We Will Stand’; the track attempts to work as part-ballad, part-rocker and part-jig, but to no avail.

Into The Battleground is one of many folk metal albums I find myself scratching my head at. Despite their popularity across the world, Skiltron and their bagpipes pass me by like so many folk ballads have done over the years – best confined to the fog-enshrouded banks of the Highlands, but not the fiery depths of heavy metal Hades.

Neil Arnold

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