It only takes one act that has had some success with something quite unique and different for the genre to become quickly saturated with an endless line of clones. Such is the case of the broadening Celtic/Pagan/folk metal scene over the last few years. Where once there were only a few trying their hand at the relatively untapped sound (such as Skyclad, Primordial and Geasa), there now appears to be a growing number of acts on the scene, with bands such as Finntroll, Turisas and Ensiferum leading the way for others to follow.

Another band making their presence felt in the current scene is Irish act Waylander, who happened to be one of the movement’s earliest founders alongside Skyclad back in the day, but soon disappeared after releasing two critically acclaimed full-length albums (1998’s Reawakening Pride Once Lost and 2001’s The Light, The Dark And The Endless Knot).

Armed with a new line-up (vocalist “ArdChieftain” Ciaran O’Hagan, bassist Michael Proctor and drummer Den Ferran are the only original members, with guitarists Saul McMichael and Ade Mulgrew, and mandolin/bodhrán/tin whistler Dave Briggs joining the ranks of the group in the last three years), Waylander return after a lengthy seven-year absence with their third album Honour Amongst Chaos.Knot).

Unlike most of the newcomers to the Celtic/Pagan/folk metal scene, Waylander’s sound is essentially rooted in the melodic death metal sound for the most part, with their folk influences being worked into the song structures. What this essentially means is that musically, i>Honour Amongst Chaosmore than stands up on its own, rather than falling apart when the folk influences are stripped away.

Both musical styles work seamlessly with each other throughout the album as all of the nine tracks are filled with huge blackened riff and exotic instrumentation, with “As The Deities Clash,” “Walk With Honour,” the epic 10-minute centerpiece “To Dine In The Otherworld” and the anthemic closer “Brú Na Bóinne” the true standouts on the album.

A lot of today’s folk metal acts drift too far into the cheesy side of things to have any real impact or longevity. But in the case of i>Honour Amongst Chaos, Waylander have proven that folk metal can be powerful, without resorting to the standard clichés or corniness of the newcomers.

www.waylander.org