Hailing from Ostrava, Moravia in eastern Czech Republic, Silent Stream of Godless Elegy is the most multifarious act on the top 100, from their wordy name to the large band population. They're also the only real folk metal band, featuring traditional instruments, folk-inspired melodies and the beautiful and gypsy-like vocals of one of my favorite vocalists, Hanka Hajdová (née Nogolová) from whom you heard earlier in Forgotten Silence. They've been around for over 20 years already, having formed in 1995. I first heard them in 2004, initially on "I Would Dance" a terrific example of Slavic folk metal from their album Relic Dances of that year, and immediately delved into their back catalog.
Musically, I'm going to introduce SSOGE as I was introduced to them, with "I Would Dance" from 2004's Relic Dances. The opening drum setup and characteristic slow, heavy riff featuring the violin and cello, first playing in octaves, and then weaving between one another and together lead into a deeply growled first verse at 0:32 backed by ethereal wordless cleans. Hanka takes over the spotlight at the chorus at 1:01 with the first, and most simply arranged, chorus. After an abbreviated recap of the intro, the second verse at 1:41 is like the first with the addition of string embellishment. The second chorus at 2:09 includes additional vocal parts in harmony with and as accents to the chorus's melody. Another recap of the intro leads into the string-dominated bridge at 3:07 during which a double time feel accompanies more wordless backing vocals at 3:38. The final chorus at 3:55 continues over the double-time feel and now includes the string section, the growled vocals and the multiple layered cleans, capping a steady build throughout the song.
Like when I first found them, I'm looking back now at an earlier offering. This is "Old Women's Dance" from 1998's Behind the Shadows. It's rawer and lacks Hanka's enchanting vocals, but the use of the strings is still interesting and unique, and the male vocals are varied, enthusiastic and enjoyable. Plus the song just rocks.
And for fun, a cover of Led Zeppelin's "Kashmir"...
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