Alvenrad
Artists
Skaldic Folk Metal from the Veluwe (Netherlands)
ALVENRAD was started as metal band by Jasper Strik and Mark Kwint in 2012. Beforehand, the two musicians had explored different folk (rock) approaches with their projects/bands Faelwa and Stormsterk. After their debut album "Habitat" (2014), which combines various styles between Seventies folk & hard rock as well as nature inspired black metal, drummer Ingmar Regeling (The Good Hand) joined the band as permanent member. ALVENRAD played its first gig on the Trollmusic concert evening in July 2016. On the second concert, opening for Empyrium and Les Discrets in Oberhausen in April 2017, the band presented Thijs Kwint on Bass. With fresh blood in the band, the music has improved on all levels, and ALVENRAD recorded its second album "Heer" in Luidheim studio.
Drawing inspiration from visionaries such as early Vintersorg, Borknagar and Empyrium as well as rock and metal giants like Jethro Tull, Uriah Heep, Iron Maiden and Skyclad, ALVENRAD's deeply melancholic approach is nevertheless powerful and encouraging. Nowadays you can find traces of speed and traditional metal alongside variatons of folk prog - all played with remarkable passion.
"Alvenrad" is an old mythological term in Dutch for "sun", describing the (sun) wheel of the elves. On the one hand, ALVENRAD pays tribute to the myths and the folklore of its homeland, the Veluwe in the Netherlands. On the other hand, there are many philosophical and artistic inspirations under the sometimes rough, sometimes fragile musical surface, e.g. Thomas Mann's novel "The Magic Mountain" or Rob Riemen's essay "Nobility Of Spirit. A Forgotten Ideal".
Releases on Trollmusic:
"Habitat" Digipak CD (04-04-2014)
"Heer" CD Box Set (12-08-2017)
"Heer" : Press Quotes
"An epic album with no comparable acts and a look into the future of where folk and progressive music are headed together."
9/10 - Jeff Addison - Folk-Metal.nl
"ALVENRAD schicken sich an, Folk Metal neu zu definieren. Musik mit Herzblut."
14/15 - Jan Fischer - Legacy
"Dit tweede album is door het overwicht van het orgel (en piano en mellotron) misschien geen voer voor de gemiddelde folkmetalfan of metalhead, maar wie daar doorheen luistert krijgt een muzikaal feestmaal voorgeschoteld."
Filip van der Linden - Rockportal.nl
"Those who thought that folk metal turned into a genre without challenges, should put on his/her headphones and enter this parallel world of ALVENRAD!"
84/100 - Vera Matthijssens - Lords Of Metal
"Poetisch, gefühlvoll, ungewöhnlich und Metal – ein echtes Entdeckeralbum."
8/10 - Lars Schuckar - Deaf Forever
"ALVENRAD sind genauso sperrig, wie wahnwitzig, oft mit einem Augenzwinkern doch auch immer mit Tiefgang."
12/15 - Jens Dunemann - Twilight Magazin