This week sees the release of “d’Olde Roop”, the debut full-length album from Blackened Folk Metallers MONDVOLLAND, on the Netherlands based Apollon Records label. The subject matter of the nine-track album, whose title means “The Old Call” in the Eastern Dutch dialect, deals with two distinct historical periods in the Hamaland, the central eastern region of Gelderland, which is where the band originates. Drawing inspiration from local stories and myths, the first period covers the early Middle Ages, when much of the local written folklore was destroyed by the Frankish kings who had, by this time, converted to Christianity.The second period covers the time when the area had been Christianised for centuries, but the folklore was still very much “heathen” in nature, and many popular beliefs and customs, which were ingrained within the subconscious psyche of the population, were considered to be “satanic” by the Church.
Guest musicians on “d’Olde Roop” include Laurens van der Zee from the Dutch folk legends FOLKCORN, who played four different kinds of flute, and Irma Vos, live member of HEIDEVOLK, on violin. Artwork is by Awik Balaian, an Armenian artist living in the Netherlands; whose work the band felt complimented not only the music, but also the concept behind the album. Track listing for “d’Olde Roop” as follows:
1. Stemmen in de avond
2. De vuurman van Papendal
3. De roep der gevallen helden
4. ‘t Oudreemsterveld
5. Daar, waar Donar dondert
6. Vastelavond
7. De witte juffer van Kernheim
8. ...als de grijze sluier over de wouden danst
9. Hoefslagen in de verte
MONDVOLLAND was formed in 2005 by Martijn (clean vocals, guitars) and Mickeal (screams, bass, guitars), and started life by alternating covers from established Black Metal bands with original material written by the two founders. It had always been Martijn’s intent to provide a place for the local traditional folk music within Metal, because, as he explains “we felt that the so-called 'pagan/folk metal’ had became too one-sided and mediocre. Pseudo-bombastic keyboards and self-proclaimed, stereotypical, “Vikings” from all over the world was not something that interested us. We wanted to combine the music we created with lyrics about local sagas, myths and history. We wanted to breathe life into the old soul of the Lowlands”. The duo was later joined by Harold on guitars and Patrick on drums, and it was this line up that recorded “d’Olde Roop”. Patrick recently quit the band and has been replaced by KAMPFAR drummer Ask.
More information, including tracks from “d’Olde Roop”, can be found on MONDVOLLAND’s MySpace page at http://www.myspace.com/mondvolland . Upcoming live dates:
05 June: Release Party, The Stage, Arnhem, NL (with FOLKCORN & HULDREFOLK)
11 June: Azijnfabriek, Roermond, NL (with ARKONA, HEIDEVOLK, GRIMM
22 Oct: Dynamo, Eindhoven, NL
Website: http://www.mondvolland.com/
MySpace: www.myspace.com/mondvolland
Source: Newsletter
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