Length 59:12 | Release date 10 February 2012 | |
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Released February 10, 2012 (2012-02-10) Similar Eluveitie albums, Folk metal albums, Other albums | ||
Helvetios is the fifth full-length album by the Swiss folk metal band Eluveitie. The album was released February 10, 2012 through Nuclear Blast Records. The CD was recorded at New Sound Studio in Pfäffikon, a municipality in the canton of Zurich in Switzerland, with producer Tommy Vetterli. It was the last album to include violinist Meri Tadić.
Contents
Eluveitie helvetios
Concept
Being the band's first concept album it focuses on the Gallic Wars from a perspective of the ancient Helvetians.
Style
The album features melodic death metal combined with Celtic folk music instruments like fiddle, hurdy-gurdy, flutes, whistles, bagpipes, mandola, bodhran, and hammered dulcimer. Band member Anna Murphy has been more involved in songwriting and has been given more vocal parts than on previous releases.
Reception
Helvetios received favourable professional reviews in Germany with the Sonic Seducer magazine calling the album "pure efficiency (pure Effizienz)." The German edition of Metal Hammer lauded the tracks "Meet The Enemy", "Neverland" and "The Siege" for their aggressive Metal style and concluded that Eluveitie's musical virtues were being continued on this album. A review by the Austrian Stormbringer compared the track "The Siege" to Sepultura's style and called the album a "piece of art."
Chart performance
The album reached the top ten album charts in Switzerland and the Top Heatseekers of the United States.
Eluveitie
Guests
Songs
1Prologue1:24
2Helvetios4:00
3Luxtos3:55