Eluveitie – Ànv – The Metal Resource

3 June, 2025 John Jackson 0 Comments 1 category

Folk metal legends Eluveitie are back with Ànv showcasing a changed sound that leans heavier toward melodic death metal but remains unmistakably Eluveitie in overall sound.

Ànv is the ninth full length album from Eluveitie, the Swiss folk melodic death metal band that has been blending traditional Celtic folk, Gaulish themes, and melodic death metal into their music since 2002 with their first full length Spirit coming out in 2006. Over the years, the band has played around the world in some of the biggest stages including the Wacken Open Air Festival and even was named the best live act in the Swiss Music Awards in 2014. As one might imagine with a band that incorporates everything from hurdy-gurdies, to flutes and bagpipes and whistles, it takes a large band to cover that sound space and currently the band has eight members and over the years there have been over 20 former members.

Ànv was recorded in 2024 at Newsound Studios in Pfäffikon, Switzerland.and mixed in mastered in fall of 2024 at Fascination Street Studios in Örebro, Sweden.

Despite being a fan of folk metal, especially those with Celtic themes and influence, I have not really been following Eluveitie since I reviewed Origins in 2014, and going into this review, I had certain preconceived notions about what I was going to hear. On first listen, I was a bit surprised as there seems to be much more of an emphasis on the Gothenburg-style melodic death metal over the folk metal I thought I remembered from 2014. Much of that impression is due to the traditional instruments being somewhat lost in the mix unless they are the main focus or key element to the arrangement of the song. In some ways, the collection of songs feels like they are from two different albums, which did bother me at first but then I came to appreciate the variety although I would have liked to have the folk elements come through in the whole of the album. Looking at the current plays on Spotify is interesting and maybe telling as well with tracks 1-6 ranging from 200 thousand plays to over 1 million plays for “Awen” while tracks 7-12 are largely less than 200 thousand plays. In general, the traditional folk tracks are the less played across the album but that drop off after track 6 definitely stands out.

The album kicks off with “Emerge” that serves as an instrumental intro track and really gets going with “Taranoías”, a song that starts out with a ferocious drum and machine gun like guitars supported by guttural vocals for the first minute or so and then Fabienne Erni’s clean vocals come in for a chorus changing the tone of song completely. Verse two reverts back and then traditional instruments make an appearance later in the song before Erni’s soaring clean vocals come back and are joined by Chrigel Glanzmann’s growls again.

“The Prodigal Ones” is next and is one of the recognizable Eluveitie songs on the album with some fast riffing and vocals trading off between Erni and Glanzmann. The guitar work in the main riffs and the solos stands out in this track.

The title track “Ànv” is next and is a beautiful showcase for Erni’s vocals, highlighting her range and ability to convey emotion even in the Gaulish language. The subtle choir backing is a great touch, adding more depth and layers to the quiet yet powerful track.

“Premonition” is another easily recognizable Eluveitie track with heavy riffs, pounding drums and traditional instruments including flute and violin and a scorching guitar solo. Later in the album, “The Harvest” follows much the same formula but leaves out the clean vocals in the chorus, opting for melodic death metal the whole way through.

At the time of this review, “Awen” is the most Spotify streamed track on the album and for good reason. Erni’s vocals are soaring in the chorus and strong throughout and the song itself almost has a hard rock feel to it, likely broadening its appeal to a wider audience.

“Anamcara” and “Memories of Innocence” are two of the folk interludes on the album that on the surface may seem out of place but within the context of the band really do work on the album. “Memories of Innocence” is a phenomenal jig highlighting great performances from the mandolin, flute, and fiddle. “All is One” continues the folk feel after “Memories of Innocence” with another brief jig-like opening that sets the stage for Fabienne Erni to come in with some clean vocals and soaring choruses backed by what is more power metal and near power ballad-like music toward the end. Not what I was expecting but keeping the traditional instruments throughout and makes for a nice closure. The album closes with “Aeon of the Crescent Moon” and “The Prophecy” both heavier tracks that manage to keep the traditional instruments more present in the mix.

A smart guy I know once said that “expectations are resentments in the making” and for those looking for a certain sound from Eluveitie, Ànv may be tough to listen to at first as it doesn’t necessarily have the feel the band is known for. The performances are as solid as one would expect but the production that lost some of the traditional instruments in some songs is the biggest miss for the album to me. Despite that, Ànv has a great collection of songs and still is the Eluveitie so many love.

Tracklist

Emerge
Taranoías
The Prodigal Ones
Ànv
Premonition
Awen
Anamcara
The Harvest
Memories of Innocence
All is One
Aeon of the Crescent Moon
The Prophecy

Rating: 7.5/10

Record Label: Nuclear Blast, 2025

Band Members:
Lea Sophie Fischer – violins
Fabienne Erni – vocals
Jonas Wolf – Guitars
Alain Ackermann – Drums
Matteo Sisti – Bagpipes, whistles, Uilleann pipes
Rafael Salzmann – lead guitars
Kay Brem – Bass
Chrigel Glanzmann – vocals, Mandola, whistles

Video for “Premonition”