It’s always great when you
discover an album that’s completely unexpected. About 95% of what lands in my
inbox from PR firms/labels/bands goes straight to the recycle bin
(extreme/black/death metal which I really don’t care for). However, every now
and then, an album stands out from the pack and grabs my attention. Ember
Belladonna’s upcoming The Grove debut
record is such an album. It’s a folk metal record, it’s different than what’s
out there, and she’s Canadian—I’m always willing to lend fellow Canucks an ear
(or two). The Grove will be released
on February 9th.
Ember Belladonna is first and
foremost a classically trained flute player. So, be warned that the flute is
the lead instrument on this wonderful album. If that’s not your thing, then too
bad for you; you’ll be missing out on a superb record. The Grove has the feel of a concept album. It’s mostly an
instrumental affair, a cinematic escape of sorts that bewitches the listener
from the very first notes that are played. “Tenalach” cracks the album open, a
gentle flute instrumental that serves as an intro to the proceedings. “Heart of
the Grove”, the centerpiece of the record, is a gorgeous, hypnotic song
featuring The Darkeyed Musician on vocals. “The Wild Hunt” is another lovely
instrumental with the full band taking part; guitar, bass, and percussion. It’s
quiet but slowly gets things moving. “Ruination” is a more dynamic number where
the band takes center stage, with the flute at its heart. James Delbridge from
the band Lycanthro handles vocal duties for this one. The title track follows,
a dreamy, flute-driven melody with tuneful acoustic guitar parts. “Spirit
Woman”, the first single, gives a darker edge to what was more of a mellow
album up to this point. Laura Inferno from The Inferno Doll sings the lead for
this track, dishing out demonic-sounding vocals. Followers of this blog know that
black/melodic death metal really isn’t my cup of tea. It took a couple of
listens to get used to it, but I have to admit that it works well with the
thematic of the song. Anyway, I know that I’m in the minority as I’m sure 95%
of you enjoy listening to extreme/black/death metal, and I’m aware that I’m just
an old man shouting at the clouds. Still, I can’t help but wonder just how much
better this song could’ve sounded if Ms. Inferno had sung it with her “normal”
voice. Up next, “Unnamed”; the evil of the spirit woman has subsided and we’re
back on the righteous path with a beautiful instrumental that sounds almost
Celtic with a strong bass presence that I really dig. The curtain comes down
with an instrumental version of “Heart of the Grove.” Oftentimes artists
release instrumental renditions of songs and it’s a forgettable addition to an
album; not so in this case. Without the vocals, we can appreciate the beauty of
this dazzling song even more. It’s the perfect way to close out this marvelous
ceremony.
We need more artists like Ember
Belladonna. She weaves layers of melodies expertly to craft a unique-sounding
gem of a record. The Grove is both
captivating and entrancing. The musical arrangements are exquisite and take the
listener on a journey to a distant fantasy world. Its short running time of 28
minutes only makes you want to hit the repeat button and listen to it all over
again once it comes to an end. I declare The
Grove to be the first must-own album of 2024!
Ember Belladonna on Bandcamp: https://emberbelladonna.bandcamp.com/album/the-grove
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