Heol Telwen are folk metal band from France, who include in their music celtic instruments like bagpipes, different whistles, bombarde. Acoustic guitars and native drum could be also heard in some of the songs. There is a really interesting mix of instruments. Of course, this is not the typical folk metal, you will think about, reading the instruments above. Because I am writing the review, it can be assumed, that there are also technical speed drums, black metal vocals and in a way dark atmosphere.
The album An Deiz Ruz came out in the beginning of March 2011. It’s actually the re-issued digi-pack from 2005. Before that the band has also a demo release. The guys from Heol Telwen are doing exactly the folk metal, I am keen on – the folk instruments sound authentic against the absolutely black metalish instrumentals and vocal parts. Even the “singing” in some of the songs doesn’t appear boring to me and suits very good. Their whole music is perfect balanced between the hard, technical stuff and the more melodic one. The lyrics are in French and English and the themes are about thing in their historical part of the world:

Face à la mer
Au sommet de la vielle falaise
Mordu par les vents

Se remémorant le passé,
Quand Ker Ys était la plus grande cité
Des côtes d’Armorique

(Standing in front of the sea,
On the top of the old rock,
Racked from the woods,
Thinking about the past,
when KER YS was the biggest city in Breton…)

Themes about revenge, heroic battles, etc. The song An Deiz Ruz is actually a Breton poem from the 5th century. I like this band and recommend it to the fans of: Finntroll, Bran Barr, Ignus Fatu, SatanaKozel, Månegarm, Adorned Brood.

Rating: 8/10