Eluveitie - Ànv

Angry Metal Guy 50

Unlike a certain Angry Metal Overlord, I really liked Origins. Up to 2014, I had only a dim awareness of Eluveitie, save that they were a Swiss group that did not believe in keyboards. Origins was my gateway into folk metal, an album I found exciting and refreshing, and Eluveitie’s live show in support of it is still one of my top concert experiences. For over twenty years, Eluveitie has been a force in folk metal. Armed with many instruments and a metal core, they are now on their ninth full-length album, Ànv. What have these giants of the genre cooked up for us this time?

The hallmarks of Eluveitie’s sound are all present on Ànv: melodeath riffs from ye ole aughts, the violins, Chrigel Glanzmann’s shouts, and Fabienne Erni’s cleans—it’s the Eluveitie you love or love to hate, continuing their trajectory from Helvetios through Origins and up to Antegnatos. As ever, the Swiss octet blends traditional Celtic folk, Gaulish themes, and modern metal into their music. “Aeon of the Crescent Moon” and “The Prodigal Ones” are instantly recognizable as Eluveitie, with fast-paced riffing, vocal duels, and Lea-Sophie Fischer’s violin, either keeping pace or layering in emotion. Another familiar hallmark is the use of folky interludes like “Memories of Innocence,” a jig with an eastern feel that gives Glazmann’s mandolin and whistles their moments to shine alongside Fischer’s lively fiddling.

It’s all familiar, and a touch predictable too—Ànv feels safe as Eluveitie albums go. It’s odd to remark that an album performed by an octet playing more than fifteen instruments between them is predictable, but if you’ve followed Eluveitie at all since Evocation, you know what to expect. “Premonition” is standard Eluveitie fare and could have easily fit on Origins. It features In Flames-esque riffs that are more texture than flavor, followed by a brief flute appearance and lively violin over the chorus. “The Harvest” follows a near-identical formula, but executes it more intensely, which makes it a stronger song; this time, one that would be at home on Helvetios. “Ànv” feels like an outtake from Evocation II—Erni’s singing is passionate, but the formless music makes it forgettable. In each case, you know what you’re in for before the song reaches the minute mark.

There are a few genuine surprises on Ànv, but I’m sad to say I dislike most of them. “Taranoías” is a hard-hitting beast of a song right up until the minute mark, when Erni takes over from Glazmann’s furious growls and performs what I keep thinking is the chorus to a different song. “All Is One” similarly sounds like it’s found its way to the wrong album. Here, Eluveitie perform their best Nightwish impression, reaching for emotional highs in a very clichéd fashion. In neither case is the decision bad in isolation, but both are tonally mismatched from the rest of Ànv. What’s particularly frustrating is that in both examples, Erni is the odd musician out, despite being a very strong singer, evidenced particularly by her terrific performance in “Awen.”

But the most surprising part of Ànv is that it doesn’t feel all that much like folk metal, especially when compared to past Eluveitie albums. Often, it feels like modern melodeath with a violin. The flutes and hurdy gurdy are produced so weakly as to slide under the radar in most songs. Much of the folk rests in the three metal-less interlude tracks, none of which feel essential. Instead, songs like “All Is One” suggest an interest in a poppier, more “modern” sound.¹ In this sense, there is something akin to a division in Ànv, making for a disjointed listen of good songs (“The Harvest,” “Awen”), forgettable songs (“The Prodigal Ones,” “Aeon of the Crescent Moon”), folk tunes (“Anamcara,” “Memories of Innocence”), and “All Is One.”

I’ve been a fan of Eluveitie for some time—I know that authenticity is important to this band. And don’t get me wrong, Ànv is certainly folk metal and certainly Eluveitie. It is also inconsistent and signifies a direction that I hope Eluveitie are not set on. I’ve loved this band for the way it blends folk and metal music. Unfortunately, that makes it very difficult to feel much love for Ànv.



Rating: 2.5/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Nuclear Blast Records
Websites: eluveitie.ch | facebook.com/eluveitie
Releases Worldwide: April 25th, 2025

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