BEER BEAR - FOLK 'N' ROLL ~ FOLK METALLER

We may as well start this review by acknowledging a simple fact that's staring us all in the face: Beer Bear is probably the silliest band name of all time. If the name conjures the image of an inebriated cartoon bear roaming the woods in a drunken stupor, then the EP's artwork only enhances this perception – adding shotguns and men of God into the equation for good measure! And, as if that wasn't enough, opening track, 'Folk 'n' Roll' (Фолк-н-Ролл) simply further enhances the imagery with its plodding tempo and drunken vocals.

Unusually for a metal song, 'Folk 'n' Roll' follows a typical 12 bar blues chord structure for much of its duration, which actually gives it a sense of originality. Vocally this is also a bit of a departure from the norm, the band dispensing with the black metal screams that characterised their earlier work, in favour of a deep, drunken bellowing. The effect is almost comedic, but I found it curiously listenable and it sets them apart slightly from the Finntroll clones. In short, 'Folk 'n' Roll' is exactly what one would expect from a band named Beer Bear. The song is a unique and interesting listen but not something that would hold my attention for a great amount of time.

It's a shame that with just three tracks on offer from this EP, two of them are covers – Beer Bear perhaps revealing the influences behind their new direction by covering Ensiferum and Korpiklaani (they covered Finntroll's 'Trollhammaren' on their last album). Both Ensiferum's 'Token of Time' (here known as Сын Седых Времён) and Korpiklaani's 'Vodka' ( Водка) are competently done and, perhaps more impressively, the band are able to make the songs their own. Neither sound out of place on the EP, but I do feel it's a shame that the band chose not to showcase any more of their own material – for that we must return to their 2010 release, Honey (Мёд).

Folk 'n' Roll is a typically fun and bouncy listen, heavy on the folk and light on the metal. Though the comparisons to Ensiferum and Korpiklaani are easy to make, Beer Bear can comfortably be placed in the same category – though title track 'Folk 'n' Roll' is evidence of the band's efforts to carve out their own niche within the folk metal landscape. This EP represents a promising evolution from their earlier material and suggests that Beer Bear may be able to successfully create their own unique sound and identity. Folk 'n' Roll is a very enjoyable listen, if a little brief, and provides a tantalising taster of what can be expected from Beer Bear in the future. Let's just hope they don't keep us waiting too long for their next full-length release!

VERDICT