Cruz Del Sur Music will issue vinyl of Grendel’s Sÿster's Myrtle Wreath / Myrtenkranz

Grendel’s Sÿster

Myrtle Wreath / Myrtenkranz

Cruz Del Sur Music [Vinyl Reissue]

Release: 25 September 2020

A seamless blend of classic metal and pure folk from this emerging German power trio! Re-release of German trio Grendel’s Sÿster’s Myrtle Wreath / Myrtenkranz EP — a collection of German and English-sung folk metal that’s eclectic and epic! “Follow the atmosphere.” It is a simple guideline for Grendel’s Sÿster guitarist and primary songwriter Tobi when composing. He often finds himself pulling all-nighters, aided and abetted by black tea and a daylight lamp to ensure the mood is just right. All he needs is a tiny fragment of a melody with a numinous quality and eventually, a new Grendel’s Sÿster song is born. Music as unique as Grendel’s Sÿster requires a special touch — they marry metal, folk and acid rock in such a manner that it would appear the band has been together for decades, when, in reality, they came together in 2015 after a series of impromptu jam sessions tucked away in the Vosges Mountains region in France. The 2016 Night Sea Journey/Sayings of the High One single was their first release, followed by 2018’s Orphic Gold Leaves/Orphische Goldblättchen EP. Their 2019 Myrtle Wreath / Myrtenkranz EP is what caught the attention of Cruz Del Sur Music, leading to its proper reissue this September.

Grendel’s Sÿster’s inimitable style owes as much to their wide range of influences (from early Blind Guardian, Warlord and Lordian Guard, to artists such as Svanevit, Triakel and Planxty, all the way to classical and renaissance music) as it does the chemistry within the band. The foundation is laid by drummer Till, whose precise timekeeping and flair for fills often keep Tobi on his toes. Having previously played with Tobi in cover bands, vocalist Caro was the ideal choice to front Grendel’s Sÿster after original vocalist Kathi departed in 2017. Tobi admits that he wasn’t sure Caro was into metal before approaching her to join Grendel’s Sÿster, but she surprised him by not only showing enthusiasm for the style but also possessing the uncanny ability to understand vocal phrasing and harmonies with little guidance. What separates Grendel’s Syster from other folk metal bands is that they don’t rely on traditional folk instrumentation. In fact, there’s not a trace of it on the EP. Instead, the band’s reliance on atmosphere, melody and compositional breadth is what helps them get their point across. To go one step further, the topics on Myrtle Wreath / Myrtenkranz are mostly about history, mythology and folklore, avoiding many of the pitfalls of the current folk metal style. (No drinking songs to be found!)

The EP’s cover art is from Dutch painter Lawrence Alma-Tadema, depicting an anecdote from the Historia Augusta, which is a collection of Roman biographies written in Latin. And, as if to further display Grendel’s Sÿster’s special quality, Myrtle Wreath / Myrtenkranz features both a German and English version of the EP in one package. Myrtle Wreath / Myrtenkranz is more than just the organic marriage of metal and folk. It’s an EP without boundaries, both bold and captivating at once.

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Myrtle Wreath / Myrtenkranz EP by Grendel's Sÿster