Duir are an Italian folk/black metal band and this is their debut EP.
Here we have 31 minutes of music that’s largely rooted in black metal, but has a firm folk side to it.
The music is raw and underground, but makes use of this to successfully craft endearing music that encompasses both the cold heart of black metal, and the jaunty, colourful side of folk. These two contrasting interests that the band have support each other surprisingly well, and even though I’m not a huge folk fan, I found myself warming to the material on Obsidio quite nicely.
The songs are quite catchy and memorable, with hooks aplenty. As the folk aspects work to enhance the black metal rather than overly steal focus away from it, the material on this EP is really quite enjoyable. There’s a lot to like here, and the mix of simple black metal and ostentatious, sometimes epic folk, has found an unexpected admirer in yours truly.
If you take the dark core of a traditional black metal band and add the occasional use of folk melodies, bagpipes, keyboards, and clean backing vocals, you’ll have a good idea of what Duir get up to on Obsidio.
A recommended listen.
Wonderbox Metal 