Having now arrived upon their debut full-length album a couple years later than intended the patient souls which inhabit Stuttgart, Germany-based heavy/folk metal quartet GRENDEL’S SŸSTER leave their perch on high and descend with a reasonably original, altogether charming first longplayer. Still quite a far leap from the usual fare yet spirited in its folk rocking step their approach remains steadfast yet intensified as ‘Katabasis into the Abaton‘ introduces itself. Vibrantly illustrated with armaments in hand and sometimes valiant tales to tell their work pours forth through the oaken gates to start and ends around the campfire where they are most naturally suited. For all of the talk of sub-genre, eclectic influences and such that could occur surrounding their wares the most important aspect of these fellowes’ work is the songcraft itself, catchy-as and rousing in its still richly nuanced dance.

Grendel’s Sÿster formed in loose association around the start of 2015 with much of the original lineup having met and made friends at a folk music festival, eventually finding their collective joy when jamming together on holiday. The core trio that’d presented on their first couple of EP recordings fell into place around 2017 when their original vocalist had to bow out and Caro took over, her voice being a natural compliment to the vision of guitarist Tobi and drummer Till. The impression that I get from interviews and the music itself is that their default setting is more sentient, thoughtful and clever than the average metal goon crew having some clear sense of self built around a love for Scandinavian folk spiritus, the emerging German nodules of 70’s revisionist folk rock, and a spectrum of music where meaning and performance receive far more thought. Though the cadence was a bit sluggish and thusly related to their version of early 80’s heavy metal’s epic stroll one could pick up on the care and conviction put into their first single as well as their debut EP (‘Orphic Gold Leaves / Orphische Goldbl​ä​ttchen‘, 2018).

By the time I’d discovered the band’s work they’d been on the cusp of releasing their second EP (‘Myrtle Wreath / Myrtenkranz‘, 2019) a release which’d included old German folk standards, references to ancient mythos (be it Vedic texts or Tolkien) and Jungian psychology and sometimes all feeding into one song. It’d been charming on introduction, a bit maddening when left on repeat too many times, and overall an original heavy metal adjacent idea that’d been refined to a decent standard. While I believe they’d found their general knack for structure, use of repetition and patiently constructed pieces the real boon felt in the step to a full-length album is pacing. Not only does ‘Katabasis into the Abaton‘ arrive with a bit more gusto, the actual tempo increasing across the board to a hearty epic heavy metal shuffle but the reveal from song-to-song flows with its own sense of immediacy as we stride through its ~40 minute stretch. After having spent so much time wearing out their prior release in the process of review my biggest point of concern was whether or not Grendel’s Sÿster‘s sound and approach could hold up across a full-length span of time.

A non-linear adventure. — Though I’d like to elaborate on how Jung, folklore/mythology and personage link up in brilliantly enriching ways one of my favorite aspects of Grendel’s Sÿster‘s second EP was the level of depth they’d seeded within the jaunty, jig-worthy bounding of their work, just enough nuance to peck at on repeat listens to set the experience apart from the usual canon-obsessed traditional heavy metal fare. Though one’d tend to suggest they are storytellers based on the general function of the epic heavy metal saunter and folken directive implied we’re never served a clear beginning, middle and end in terms of tales told. Needless to say that an increase in pacing results in more elaborately sketched patterns on their overall canvas, more intricately stated work here. Keep in mind, though, that I’ve not heard or explored how the actual cadence or greater use of enunciation found on ‘Katabasis into the Abaton‘ changes on the German version which is included on the digital and CD editions of the album.

The major note to take off the top here is that this is (initially) more of a heavy metal album experience than expected as I’d gone into this record assuming it’d more-or-less amount to a folk rock album with a couple of slow-weaving strides in the 80’s ‘epic’ heavy metal tradition. The result is more immediate, taut in its delivery of its early moments and engaging throughout as they’ve chosen to emphasize the cutting yet kind timbre of vocalist Caro‘s diction and use it as their main weaponry to start. Of course this is a well-armored, chest beating guitar album just as well as we step into opener “Boar’s Tusk Helmet” yet the much improved harmonies delivered by the vocalist are proud and warming as we roll our first morale check. Folken extended-phrase’d narration in the first person on standout piece “The Plight of a Sorcerer” is girding here, still a heavy rock/metal piece in its stomping chorus driven reveal but we can ease on the sub-genre discourse a bit at this point as those comparisons to groups like Tanith (second LP, especially) or Slough Feg both hold up and require some extra qualifiers. The pause and reset moment that characterizes this song is easily one of my favorite parts of the full listen.

From song-to-song the pace might quicken briefly beyond a Celt-punk kicked step (“Night Owl’s Beak”) in our push through the buzzing step of the first four pieces but that exuberance and rousing use of vocal harmonies is mostly reserved for Side A. The real gems of this album all press on in a row and that’d been where the joy of their music was most palpably set, something differently stated and lively beyond the expectations set by ‘Myrtle Wreath‘. Over on Side B we find a more reverent mood, slower pacing and slightly longer pieces starting with the exceptional ear-worming olde folk of “Golden Key (Won’t Fit)”, which’d been one of the major highlights of the album per my own experience. Though I was less excited by the remaining three songs, and keep in mind I’ve not heard the digital purchase exclusive track “Hymn to Marsyas”, the whole of the full listen was consistent and made great sense as the full-length introduction to Grendel’s Sÿster.

They’ve managed enough of a strong personae here that I’d have to concede this is their own thing, a gig which we could reduce to “folken traditional heavy metal” but it isn’t plainly either one of those things and not a dry sub-genre mash in any sense for the sake of its own personality. What it is is memorable, charmingly delivered, thoughtfully written music which side-steps the feigned amateurism or hand-me-down songcraft we often get in the spectrum of traditional metal underground. Per my own experience there are a handful of brilliant, unforgettable songs here and a few which are nearby that same standard but can’t quite live up to the front-loaded run of the first five pieces. The charm of the lyrics and their cutting delivery is enchanting, immersive up front and unable to leave the trenches by the end so I’d found myself both stoked on this record but also unwilling to give a full-on recommendation beyond the ultra-niche ear. A high recommendation.

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