“Rattling voices linger in the haze, erstwhile bright flames now dimmed and cold.”
Swiss folk metallers Eluveitie are likely no strangers to anyone who has given the folk metal scene even a cursory glance over the past decade or so. Melding Gothenburg-style melodic death metal with a veritable menagerie of traditional Celtic folk instruments, the band’s longstanding incarnation as a 9-piece rotating cast of musicians produced a run of albums from 2008’s Slania through to 2014’s Origins perhaps unmatched in quality by any other band in the scene. The band also participated in creating a reconstruction of the extinct ancient Gaulish language, which has featured prominently throughout their catalogue. All in all, pretty impressive for what started as mastermind Chrigel Glanzmann’s studio-only solo project.
Ànv marks the 9th studio outing for this storied outfit, and the third since a reset following a split with core members in 2016. More recent departures led to further shuffles in the line-up and the outfit slimming down to a mere 8-piece. The culmination of several sporadically issued singles stretching from 2022 to 2025, this is the band’s first studio release in 6 years. Evidently, much has changed over this time; following on from 2019’s Ategnatos, the direction that this record takes is more modern than much of their previous material, but which seemingly still aims for a connection with Eluveitie’s earlier sound. With a line-up in flux, there is always a potential for a bit of an identity crisis, so, with this in mind, how does this approach translate on Ànv?
In short – mostly well, but with occasional difficulty. As with its predecessor, Ànv is characterised by a heavy focus on the metal core of the band’s sound, propelled by an agile and versatile rhythm section. With the lineup at the time of writing missing a hurdy-gurdy player to complement newcomer Lea-Sophie Fischer’s fiddle and the assortment of whistles, bagpipes, mandolas and a bodhrán handled by Glanzmann and Matteo Sisti, much of the songwriting eschews the intricacy of the traditionally highly intricate Celtic folk melodies found throughout Eluveitie’s earlier releases (though the Celtic feel is still very much present in everything the band does). With the band opting to give these instruments melody lines which are rather more simplified than the complex reels from previous records, this is obvious nearly immediately. Although some of the vitality of previous releases is lost, it signals a band seeking to further develop a new identity beyond their previous work.
However, that’s not to say that this simplified approach to using traditional instruments dominates. Aside from the by now standard acoustic interlude with “Memories of Innocence”, the album single “Premonition” effectively combines an ornamented Celtic jig with Alain Ackermann’s hard-hitting, agile drums and powerful guitars from Jonas Wolf and Rafael Fella. Updated for the band’s modern incarnation with a pounding bridge and an acrobatically melodic solo from Wolf, this fusion of classic Gothenburg riffing, Celtic melody and expressive vocals from Glanzmann and frontwoman/harpist Fabienne Erni is reminiscent of the best of the band’s “classic” material and is easily one of the record’s standout tracks. These nostalgia-laden ingredients of the updated Eluveitie formula, recalling Everything Remains (As It Never Was) or Helvetios, are further used on tracks such as “Taranoías” and single “Exile of the Gods”. “The Prophecy”, with Gaulish lyrics delivered in Glanzmann’s typically cragged, weatherbeaten screams, punctuated with Erni’s emotively broken clean singing, particularly calls to mind Everything Remains or Slania. Pulling out all the stops, it provides a darkly atmospheric respite from the more hook-focused tracks which make up most of the record and proves that Eluveitie can still write dramatic and pensive material.
Another sign of the band seeking to keep, yet transform, their prior sound is the inclusion of several vocally driven tracks, a feature on all previous records. Ànv is no exception to this trend, with several tracks propelled by Erni’s powerfully theatrical vocals. One of Eluveitie’s continuing strengths is a knack for writing earwormy melodies and making them stand out, even on their heaviest tracks. “Awen” sets Erni’s stellar vocals to a violin and whistle accompaniment very reminiscent of “Quoth the Raven”, throwing in something akin to a breakdown towards the end of the track. The inclusion of “Venez Danser”, a cover of Swiss singer-songwriter Stephan Eicher, provides a nicely laid-back break from Eluveitie’s typically dense songwriting, while still keeping the overarching vibe of the record with the ever-present extended range guitars and folk instruments somewhat dialled back, and is an unexpected yet welcome nod to the band’s proudly Swiss identity. Nevertheless, Ànv takes this hooky sensibility and runs with it almost to the point of exhausting what this side of the band has to offer. “All is One” in particular is an uplifting, slightly sugary ballad which wouldn’t seem out of place on a record by Erni and Wolf’s poppy Illumishade project. While not a bad song by any means, compared to other material on the record it feels like perhaps a concerted attempt to write another fan favourite like “The Call of the Mountains” with an updated lineup.
The rest of the record, apart from several interludes, consists of tracks firmly rooted in Eluveitie’s newer modern metal identity. Wolf and Fella’s extended range guitars throw an extensive library of active, agile riffs and sometimes even a small hint of djent into the mix, punctuated by Ackermann’s busy yet tasteful and melodic drum parts. Kay Brem’s bass, felt more than heard as a result of the decidedly contemporary production style, rumbles along beneath the fray. While demonstrating clear virtuosity wielded with surprising restraint, the rhythm section when needed know how to sit back, providing a rock-solid foundation for the rest of Eluveitie’s myriad instruments and textures. All in all, the instrumental prowess on full display across the record, and particularly on “Aidvs”, is easily a highlight of the record. Occasional recourse to by now standard modern metal extended range guitar and kick drum patterns on tracks like “Exile of the Gods” largely do not hinder the effectiveness of the writing. All except for on “Epona”. A remake of a track from Evocation II: Pantheon, the band’s second acoustic album and their first with a new core lineup, the only difference on this new version is the inclusion of electric guitar and significantly busier double kick drums. Due to the song being written for acoustic instruments, the guitars do not have much space to interject anything aside from accompaniments, and a shoehorned half-time section adds very little. Even an impassioned and confident vocal performance from Erni unfortunately cannot redeem here. The necessity of including what feels like a rushed afterthought on a record clocking at over 59 minutes in with sixteen tracks is questionable, and ends up unfortunately disrupting the otherwise coherent flow of the album’s back half.
Like its predecessor, Ànv is a slab of polished and modern folk metal, with the Celtic melodicism noticeably toned down. As arguably the most defining aspect of Eluveitie’s identity, this is somewhat disappointing from an otherwise strong record with several standout tracks. Overall, this is a good album – barring certain missteps, the record is impressively catchy and enjoyably diverse, even if at times it doesn’t quite succeed in bridging feelings of uncertainty about its identity. Ànv is certainly a milestone for Eluveitie, and should certainly not be overlooked in their discography.
6.5/10
Ànv releases today through Nuclear Blast Records and can be ordered here.