Origin:	Starnberg, Germany
Genres:	Folk Metal

Equilibrium

This Bavarian band have risen to prominence rather quickly, having released a little-known but well-respected debut album Turis Fratyr in 2005 before signing to Nuclear Blast and busting the doors wide open with 2008's Sagas. This is majestic, symphonic folk metal, bringing to mind bands such as Turisas, Ensiferum, Finntroll (very clear influences here), and from a symphonic but non-folk angle, perhaps a bit of Bal-Sagoth. There's a lot going on, with sweeping keyboards, snarled blackened vocals, a smattering of pan flutes and assorted folk instruments, and a general feeling of grandeur. There are criticisms -- the production is almost too pristine, the album sounds more like the sum of its influences rather than something really unique, and with all of the songs adopting a similar bombastic attitude, it can all be a bit much. Nonetheless, it's an impressive effort. Many have tabbed Sagas as the penultimate folk metal album, and it's easy to see why -- for fans of the genre, this is absolutely essential.