En Tierra Firme - Ars Amandi

'En Tierra Firme' is Ars Amandi's second album, and only really enjoyable if you're a heavy metal fan with a real love of folk. This Spanish band is far from unique in mixing classic folk instruments with electric guitars and the other heavy metal staples, but they have to be admired for their persistence in treating both genres with equal respect, even if the end result is mostly unsatisfying. Folk metal itself is a misleading genre, often used to encompass anything from the thunderous, lengthy dirges of Viking metal bands to happy polka music with an electric twist, and Ars Amandi lean significantly towards the lighter end of the scale. The singing is high ...