Ceolskog - Album Review: Made In My Bedroom
02 Aug 2016 // A review by Kerry MB
Ceolskog is the brain child of solo artist Adam Helliwell and
Made In My Bedroom, is, as the title suggests, a home made album.
I'm always open to listening to genres that not often cross my path and I liked the cross pollination assault that Adam has created. It's a unique Folk Metal offering that is as polished as it is whimsical. It's like hearing a Viking Metal musical, and it's really damn good.
There is a lot of story telling going on here, and its pretty clear cut with a strong traditional Scandinavian influence, which is something you don't come across very often, and I like that.
From opening track,
Leif Ericson to the sweet (and actual) cover of a lullaby,
Trollmors Vuggesang its definitely a journey, and as amusing as it is to listen to, there is real talent here. Adam is a self taught guitarist, and the quality of this album is pretty outstanding with minimal gear. Vocally, Adam shows a nice range, and although Folk Metal can be limiting in terms of ranges for a singer, there are some stand out tracks throughout.
Adam clearly shows a natural talent, and I would love to see what else Ceolskog could bring, as a fully fledged band. The potential and creativity is there, although, this album definitely deserves more thought into its title, because it simply doesn't do it any justice (although I can appreciate the obviousness).
About Ceolskog
Ceolskog is the solo project of Adam Helliwell, a singer and guitarist from Hamilton (formerly of IronStein and Z Amigos). Ceol means music in Irish Gaelic, and skog means forest in Norwegian and Swedish. The name also doubles as his hiking and nature-themed YouTube channel.
The primary genre of Ceolskog is folk metal, a cross between heavy metal and folk music (such as Celtic folk, Nordic folk, and country/western). Although Ceolskog is currently just a solo project, Adam is on the lookout for musicians keen on joining forces with him, so that it can become a proper live band.
Visit the muzic.net.nz Profile for Ceolskog