As compilations go, this is damn good value for money. If you like your metal with a folk flavour and with some intelligence behind the bombast, then this Nuclear Blast compilation from 2008 is an essential purchase.As an overview of the more Pagan/Nordic/Folk influenced end of the extreme metal spectrum, there are few surprises here, but for the cheap price tag on this set, you can't go wrong.
On the Pagan Fire CD you have Bathory, Enslaved, Amon Amarth, Korpiklaani and all the usual suspects, each serviong up a choice cut that sums up their individual styles. Yeah, I'm sick of 'Battle Metal' by Turisas showing up everywhere as well, but it is in context here, and will have you raising a flagon just as it always does. There are 16 audio tracks in all, and well worth checking out to get you up to speed on some of the most important names in modern metal circles.
The DVD features eleven videos, some from bands on the CD, and some from others such as Battlelore, Einherjer and Tyr that aren't represented on the CD. As with many extreme metal videos, the quality varies, but again you are given a good cross section of material to go at.
If you're already up on the big names of the more esoteric side of the metal scene then there's not a huge amount to draw you to this package, although the DVD compilation is very cool indeed for fans of the scene. This is an ideal package for those wanting to get the gist of a big part of the current metal landscape, and also a good example of just what an important label Nuclear Blast is.
Find 'Pagan Fire' on Amazon
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