Review by Kostas on June 21, 2023.

Northland is for sure not an unconventional name for a Folk Metal band, and their debut album may be of little interest to some, due to a ridiculous number of other bands in the scene failing to glorify the north with a proper release. However, many will be caught by surprise here. To be honest, "Northland" has to be one of the best Folk Metsl albums ever released, as well as one of my personal favourites.

It all starts off with the haunting introduction of "Revenge" warming the listener up and preparing them for the adventure that's yet to come. And then, what? Boom! Aggressive harsh vocals, awesome guitars, well-written bass... Everything is so good from the very first minute, it's literally hard to believe. Of course the violin and accordion are the instruments that make "Northland" special and give it a separate identity, making it sound even like the poetic narration of a long forgotten fairy tale. A fairy tale which conveys many beautiful messeges through its simplistic yet interesting and enjoyable lyrics. It is really hard to say who the best musician in the band is. Everyone plays professionally and all instruments have something different to offer. But if I had to pick up one person, it would be no other but Daniel Mateu. A drummer who can do magic with music and make every moment of this band's self-titled album pump like the heart of a warrior.

From the epic melodies of "Where The Heroes Die" to the uplifting sing-alongs of "The Old Town's Inn", there is something in"Northland" for every demanding metalhead out there. I tried very hard to find downsides in this release and still the only things I could spot were the mediocre male vocals of "Distant Path" and a rather unneeded interlude named ""Lord of The Flies". Mixing and mastering are perfect, with everything sounding where and as it should.

To sum up, in 2010 some unknown guys from Spain managed to release an album that is amazing in every way. If you like Folk Metal, but you struggle finding bands and albums that sound perfect, then it's your lucky day. Your search is over. Northland and their self-titled debut are here to haunt you forever.

Rating: 9.5 out of 10