Covers albums, eh? They’re always a little hit or miss; sometimes they can be very good but other times they’re absolute garbage. Thankfully, The Great Old Ones by Wolfhorde definitely falls into the former category. Featuring covers of Moonsorrow, Amorphis and Finntroll, my interest was piqued almost immediately as I was intrigued about whether they’d do Moonsorrow justice in particular.
The first track is their rendition of Finntroll’s Jaktens Tid and it’s a good take on the track; it stays pretty true to the original (I can’t work out if the joiking featuring is actually Jonne from Korpiklaani or not…!) and the high amount of energy and passion in the performance is top-notch.
Up next is their take on Moonsorrow’s Kylän Päässä and just…wow. I will freely admit that I was a little sceptical on how this one would sound, but the cover stands head and shoulders above the other two on the EP. A highly emotive and driven performance, Wolfhorde have put their own spin on the song whilst simultaneously staying true to the original – the balance is just right. The vocal line in particular is fantastic, especially the clean line (they add a hell of a lot of power) and the slightly sinister sound to the keys gives the track an extra sparkle.
Closing the EP is a cover of Amorphis’ Sign From The North Side, which rounds up things rather nicely. The heaviest of the three, it’s a little more in-your-face as a result and it’s a punchy track that will get your head nodding along before you can stop yourself!
As a whole, The Great Old Ones is a lovely tribute to three of the bands that influenced Wolfhorde. And after we also enjoyed their previous album, we’re already looking forward to what’s coming up next from this talented band!
9/10
