Music Review // Brynilde "The Sound of the Winter Sun"

https://open.spotify.com/album/6iVGj2huh4inGc62VP0Pys?si=P9OS154JSBmMxmEXA7QhNA&nd=1

The music of Brynilde has a distinct sound which can put it into this genre of gothic folk rock, which not many other artists live in but there are certainly some crossovers to be aware of here.   With pianos and dramatic strings, this can come off sounding like Evanescence at first, but then it kicks in and as the album progresses I can also hear artists such as Fiona Apple coming through.  

With big builds on "Priestess or Shieldmaiden" there is an emphasis on the vocals which makes me think of Enya.  Acoustic guitar notes which are fast paced and percussion are also there.  "The Red Shoes" starts off reminding me of the Metallica song "Until It Sleeps" and while that theme remains there are also some piano keys and it just picks up the pace in a fun way which is unlike Metallica.   This, to a certain extent, can remind me of Jennifer Grassman.

"Ungracefully" starts with some big chords which feel like we're getting closer back to metal and that makes me think of One-Eyed Doll.   "Hecate" is a quieter piano number while "Thorns" has those waves crashing and sitar strings to start with humming vocal melodies.   It begins to feel a little bit like something out of Lord of the Rings and then the last song has this huge drumming sound and the percussion here overall is not to be overlooked.

What I like most about this album by Brynilde is that at times the songs can feel like these big stage productions- like the way a rock band would play with an orchestra.   And then at other times, it just feels like the most minimal of sounds as it reduced to perhaps the vocals or piano keys only.  But regardless of what level the song is on they always stay on the same path and deliver the same rocking results.