This In Extremo's Medieval Rock debut after two acoustic folk albums. When this album came out, it has been something completely new and unique that no other band had tried in such a way in Germany before.

The first song "Ai vis lo lop" has already nothing to do anymore with the acoustic version "Lulap" from the "Gold" album and is a very straight rock song. A dominant bass guitar, a melodic guitar, a tight drumming, a very raw and charismatic singer and a diversity of folk instruments share the studio for this first Medieval Rock anthem. The result is an addicting, surprising and unique killer song. Many bands created more classical folklore versions of this song that has been covered a lot of times, but In Extremo's version is by far the best one in my humble opinion because of its dynamically catchiness.

Sometimes, the band goes back to their folk roots of teh first two acoustic albums. The short and sweet instrumental "Stella splendens" or the majestic and hypnotizing album closer "Two sostra" are the best examples and show that the band hasn't radically changed but slowly progressed towards its new style.

Sometimes, the band focuses more on the modern rock or metal sound than on the folk atmosphere. "Hiemali tempore" is a very raw and aggressive metal song, maybe the hardest one the band has ever written. "Como poden" has a little folk interlude, but is also rather a straight rocker.

The best songs are those where the band is already able to fusion those two styles like "Ai vis lo lop", the epic "Villeman og Magnhild", the melancholic and slow "Rotes Haar", the overall brilliant "Palästinalied" or the funny and straight band anthem "Der Galgen".

Of course, there are also some average songs on this album like "Vor vollen Schüsseln", "Maria Virgin" or "Totus floreo", but the band has already a very own and unique style and creates some very authentic and yet original versions of many songs written in ancient languages like Provencal, Latin or Old Norwegian. Of course, the sound of this first Medieval Rock album has not yet a very good balance and sounds sometimes quite awful, but this raw style adds even a more charismatic and charming note to this milestone of a new emerging genre. If we evaluate this album, we shall not forget the status of this album and the limited possibilities that have been given to the band at that time. This album is only twelve years old but already a classic.

For anyone that is interested in folk music, hard rock, progressive and fresh metal music as well as in foreign cultures, strange languages or ancient rites, this album is a definite must have! For In Extremo fans and Medieval Rock followers, it is an unforgettable classic that should already be in your collection.

After the interesting, entertaining and inspiring "Gold" album, In Extremo made another acoustic album, this time without any exceptions, experiments or surprises a part of the funny and very short hidden track.

The style of this album is much more epic, hypnotically and melancholic than the first one. There are some vocals and short vocal presentations of a few songs like the eerie and funny "Reth / Tierliebe", but this album mostly focuses on traditional instrumentals. The only problem is that this album is longer than the first one, shows nothing really new and presents new versions of some songs that we have already known or new songs that go exactly in the same direction. There is not a single song that is somehow surprising, addicting or particular in any way. The album is floating on and everything sounds quite similar and familiar. The last kick of genius, energy and passion is missing here.

This is an album for dark and rainy autumn nights or inspiring medieval role plays, but not a very addicting, innovating or surprising record. I would call this album the weakest one of In Extremo and especially the weakest one of their acoustic albums because there is no progression in comparison to their "Gold" album and even a regression as "Hameln" always stays in the same melancholic and slow mood and I'm missing a few faster or happier songs. This album is really dumb in my opinion. The only thing that got better in comparison to the first album is the sound that is surprisingly clear for a semi-professional or self-release but the raw charme of the debut album has also gone with the less authentic and more professional sound on this record.

I would rather check out the very entertaining and much more dynamical live versions of most of the songs on "Die Verrückten sind in der Stadt" and would only recommend this album to the In Extremo fanatics.

This is In Extremo's first official album. At that time, two "In Extremo" bands with an identic line-up existed, the first one played instrumental folk songs and the other one was in development to mix hard rock to the traditional folk music. Later, on the album "Weckt die Toten!", those two bands got "fusioned".

This album has mostly been created by the band that played instrumental folk songs, only the last two songs are from the other project and have been the first steps towards the band's style as we know it nowadays.

The instrumental songs are really calm and traditional. "Für Bo" has been created by the band in memory of an ancient musician from "Pullarius Furcillo" with whom the In Extremo band leader Michael Robert Rhein had been working for over four years along side with Teufel from "Corvus Corax" and "Tanzwut" before Bo died in a car crash and the two remaining band members had internal disputes and rivalries that haven't been resolved until today. A part of this interesting and original song, all songs are cover versions of old folk music. The most addicting song is probably "Tourdion" that is a little bit more diversified and faster than the other ones as well as the epic opening medley "Ecce Rex / Bandary" that resumes the band's style in one single song.

The last two songs include heavier guitars and a modern approach to the traditional folk tales and the sound is not better than a demo version and really awful. Both of the songs are already quite similar to the later versions that appeared on "Weckt die Toten!", especially the "Como poden" part is quite straight and pulls you into a new atmosphere and direction in comparison to what you have heard before.

To conclude, this is a very inspiring and traditional folk album with two heavier songs in a really raw and straight version. This first album shows already the talent of the band and what would come later. The album is easy to listen to, short and sweet and an interesting gimmick at a very low price for all those who like traditional folk music or who are true In Extremo fans. Those who are looking for commercial folk metal like Eluveitie or Elvenking won't probably appreciate this album or should at least carefully listen to it before taking the decision to purchase this album.

The first song already shows the new direction of the band. Just like their colleagues from "Subway to Sally", they deliver a much straighter and darker album than the last ones and go away from their charming folk roots that made them so special.

Don't get me wrong, songs like the opener "Des Königs Henker" or "Salz der Erde" have great choruses and are brilliant live anthems, but the riffs are too simple and the band loses its uniqueness by adapting such an Industrial Metal style. Many songs on this album sound quite similar and there aren't many surprises.

The strongest part of this album is the middle part. The very unusual, ethereal and hypnotizing melancholically ballad "Tote Augen" delivers something completely new and unique, "Tritt ein" is a positive folk anthem and works really well during the band's concerts and reminds me of the older and later works of the band. "Mondlicht" is a little bit harder and straighter but has some surprising folk parts and really romantic and intense lyrics as well as a great chorus. "Ecce gratum" and also the bonus track "Equinox" are average acoustic folk songs that give you some chills after many aggressive songs. The album's sound is really too loud and not well produced and concentrated on the ordinary riff shredding of the guitars and that's why the acoustic songs, even if they are not really convincing, give a well deserved break to the fans.

The main problem is that the album focuses too much on the guitar play, but Saltatio Mortis don't have excellent guitar players and are more convincing when they focus on the folk parts. They concentrate on their weak points rather than on their unique sounds. There are still four or five really good songs on the album but half of this album's songs are too hard, too similar, and too ordinary.

This album is one of the weaker records from Saltatio Mortis and I wouldn't recommend beginning with this album to get into this band, I would recommend picking the great follow-up "Aus der Asche".

After many internal problems and line-up changes, Saltatio Mortis came back with this record and broke free, forgetting about the hopeless past and complications. This album sounds more positive than the last one, they go back to their roots and concentrate on the folk instruments, traditional lyrics and epic choruses. The creativity is back.

The opener "Prometheus" is easily the best opener the band has ever done, the pipers are dominating this epic song and the chorus is extremely addicting. Singer Alea sings in a much diversified style, sometimes he incarnates the mystical storyteller, then the enthusiastic singer and even a dark or harsh personality.

"Spielmannsschwur" is the new band anthem and talks about freedom and passion. This song is short and sweet, has amazing sing along parts and a brilliant chorus for the crowds. "Uns gehört die Welt" goes in the exactly same direction and has the same topics and musical styles.

Songs like "Sieben Raben" or "Varulfen" tell traditional folk stories and are a lot slower, darker and concentrate on a mystical atmosphere. This is true epic Medieval Rock, music to discover, to dream and think about.

Even if the second half of the new album is not as strong as the first part and delivers the typical band songs, the first five creative songs deliver a feeling of passion that many bands can't transmit. This positive album is finally more diversified, more folk, more party than the last album that went too much into a depressive Industrial Metal style. This one is by far the band's best album!