Protecting nature and promoting traditions - A review of Suld's The Memory of Nomadism

Suld is a folk metal quintet from Inner Mongolia in China whose band name means Unleash and not Special Use Land Designation as some people believe. This band is one of many combining traditional Mongolian folk instruments such as the morin khuur, lyrics about nature and nomadism and traditional throat singing with contemporary heavy metal instrumentation centered around melodic guitar play, galloping bass guitar sounds and tight drumming. The Memory of Nomadism expresses a nostalgic return to the untouched beauty of Mongolian landscapes and promotes environmental protection to save nature. If you have ever seen pictures of modern cities like Ordos and Ulaanbaatar that emerge like monstrous entities of steel and glass in the middle of endless steppes, you can understand the band's longing for a return to a more rural spirit.

The music underlines this feeling of longing, nostalgia and wilderness perfectly. The folk instruments sound melancholic yet resilient. The vocals vary between hypnotizing throat singing and cautiously hopeful clean vocals. The guitar work at times smoothly supports the folk instruments but takes a more vibrant approach here and there. The rhythm section can be calm and peaceful but quickens up the pace at the right moments. Highlights are the diversified opener and title track ''The Memory of Nomadism'', the engaging and rhythmic ''The Beautiful Mongolian Horse'' and the appeasing and imaginative ''Oasis''. 

Suld's The Memory of Nomadism offers a perfect mixture of traditional instruments and contemporary grit and provides a truly significant message. Mongolian folk metal was believed to be a temporary trend but turns out to be alive and kicking with this vibrant release that even beats some recent records of genre veterans like Tengger Cavalry and Nine Treasures. If you want to feel free like the beautiful horses on the cover artwork, go get this album and discover another gem of Mongolian folk metal.

Final rating: 77%