Woohoo – it’s time for a new album from Finnish bluegrass/folk band Steve’n’Seagulls, and once again it’s an absolute cracker of a release, packed full of covers of metal songs performed in their own unique way. And needless to say, if you loved their debut album Farm Machine, you’re going to love this one too.
There’s something just so fun about hearing metal songs performed in this manner, but whilst the sound is light-hearted, it’s clear that the band takes their musical performance seriously and it’s a tight and well-constructed piece from start to finish. Steve’n’Seagulls have translated the songs tremendously into their own style, putting their own spin on them all whilst simultaneously staying true to the originals too – there’s no way you can mistake what song it is they’re covering!
Brothers In Farms features some tremendous cover songs, with an early highlight being an excellent rendition of Nightwish’s mini-epic Wishmaster, which is perhaps a difficult cover to pull off due to the distinctive vocals of ex-frontwoman Tarja Turunen, but Steve’n’Seagulls have made their their own with light vocals coupled with a great banjo line and a particularly nice touch is the whistles that replace the more operatic vocal sections!
Another great track is their take on The Offspring’s Self Esteem. I’m personally a big fan of The Offspring but have never managed to connect with this particular song of theirs, so listened to this song with intrigue – and discovered this was actually better than the original! There’s a bit more melody, a little bit more energy and a whole lot more fun!
All in all, another brilliant release from Steve’n’Seagulls – but to be honest, I expected nothing less.
9/10
