If you take Led Zeppelin as an example, there is no serious contradiction in blending folk music with metal rock but Cruachan are a far cry from Stairway to Heaven. The demarcation between the two genres in their book is described as a fusion but is anything but a subtle blend of styles.
Many tracks might lull an unsuspecting listener into humming along merrily to the delicate acoustic melodies until, with delicious abruptness, the band lurch into rowdy heavy metal riffs that ride roughshod over the mystical airs that precede them. The effect is both bracing and hilarious, in a good way. It is as if they reach a point when they collectively decide ‘fuck this whimsical stuff for a lark, let’s rock’.
At a time when too many bands boast (inaccurately) of defying genres, Cruachan make no such flimsy claims. Instead, they relish the juxtaposition of delicate Irish folk music with black metal.
It all borders on parody at times but it is done with some panache. Each of the 12 tracks is a one word noun complete with the definite article. Standout tracks are The Hawthorn and The Crow and, true to the album's title, it begins with The Living and ends with The Dead.
Given that these Dubliners have been reeled and rocked their way through various line-ups since 1992, building a solid fan base in the process, they’ve obviously hit upon a winning formula. This is their ninth album.
To mark the band’s 30th anniversary,the band submitted a song for consideration as Ireland’s entry in the Eurovision Song Contest. The bid was not successful but got them enough mainstream media attention which will hopefully help see them through another decade.
