Band: Ingrimm
Title: Böses Blut
Label: Black Bards Entertainment
Distribution: Sonic Rendezvous
Release date: September 21st 2010
Review: CD

Regensburg, Germany-based Ingrimm were founded by vocalist and lyricist Stephan ‘Fenris’ Zandt (ex-Darkseed, Furunkulus) under the name Igni Et Ferro. Throughout the years, Ingrimm grew into a professional band, and both live and on studio recording the band knew to please its audience – there does even exist a fan club, the Ingrimm’s Children (no further comment – it).
The 2006-released promo-MCD Feuerteufe drew attention of the German Folk / Metal label Black Bards Entertainment. The first result of this collaboration was Ihr Sollt Brennen (Nov. 2007), and in 2008 the band recorded the second full length, Todgeweiht (review posted early September last year).
After the promotional tour for Todgeweiht, Ingrimm immediately started working on their new album, this time with returning bass player Mugl. Being ‘in a flow’ with intensive touring and writing new material, the band couldn’t but ‘grow’ during the compositional process, and perfect their sound, their so-called Medieval Metal.
As from the first song on, Ingrimm show their true face. The band combines melodic Death / Black-edged Metal with medieval Folk-elements. The latter implements the use of different traditional, historical and folkloristic instruments, among which hurdy gurdy, flute and bag pipes. These instruments are very important in Ingrimm’s case and can be considered main instruments, along with the guitars, bass and drums, in contradiction to many bands that make use of such instruments just to add something to their (Metal) music. And the way musician Hardy uses these instruments is rather unique too; I mean that he does not just ‘play’ – he really performs.
Some songs, or parts of, are melodious and catchy, others are much more rocking and groovy, and a few times it does sounds rather harsh, thrashing and stomping too. It means variety, and variety you get, with one solution: it is so coherent in its totality, and therefore it will please a huge audience.
The vocals vary too. Main vocals are melodic, yet Ingrimm also make use of grunts, screams, growls, as well as harmonies. Fenris experiments much more this time, yet it shows, positively.
And in case you like concerts: Ingrimm are a persuasive, driven live-band!

75/100

Ivan Tibos.