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SCYTHIA
For The Bear EP

Self-released (2012)
Rating: 6/10

For The Bear is the latest EP from Canadian folk metallers Scythia. The band have released two full albums, a Christmas single, and now an EP in their short history and with each new release they evolve in spades.

For The Bear features two new songs, three remixes, a cover of ‘Mattawa Reel’ and… ummmm… a medley of video game music that spans the last 20 years (which admittedly sounds a little like Weird Al Yankovic to me).

Let’s start with the centrepiece here, the title track. This is easily one of the, if not the singular best, songs Scythia have offered up so far. Musically, it bounces and headbangs its way through some of the best dark, mid-winter, ale-drinking bar sounds ever put to audio. It feels like a Viking barfight… or at least what I imagine one to have felt like. It has an animal rights pinning to it as well that helps separate the band from the myriad of folk metal offerings out there today. Lyrically, it reminds me in a small way of Tourniquet’s classic ‘Ark Of Suffering’ (originally featured on 1990 debut Stop The Bleeding).

The other new song here is ‘Sailor’s Accolade’. The song kicks off the EP with a heavier edge that is way more aggressive vocally than many of the band’s other tunes. If these two songs are any indication of what’s to come, then Scythia will be moving up the food chain with their next album.

The remixes here are nice as well. The band’s calling card, ‘Fierce Rider Of Scythia’, ‘Black Death’ and ‘Dies Irae Pt. 1’ are all from the band’s 2010 debut …Of War. The whole album would benefit from a remix and these songs prove it. That said, other than sounding better, they are the same and in that respect come off as filler. The cover of ‘Mattawa Reel’ (an instrumental) sounds great, with its bombastic charge and head-bobbing sound. As stated before, the video game medley that ends the EP seems goofy to me, but in gaming circles it’s likely tremendously cool, so I’ll reserve judgement on that one.

Overall, this is a fun EP. Would I have preferred to have heard five entirely new songs? Definitely. ‘Sailor’s Accolade’ and ‘For The Bear’ are great though and they more than whet your appetite for what comes next, and I’m guessing that’s the primary purpose here. Top it all off with spectacular cover art and you have a good EP with some great moments.

Mark Fisher

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