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Been looking for some Folk Metal that doesn't rely on that happy, jump-up-and-down, party beat while showcasing the accordion? Then put away those Korpiklaani records and take a listen to Nachtgeschrei's latest offering, Ardeo.

Self-described as "Medieval" Metal, Nachtgeschrei stick to straightforward song structures, created with the typical instrumentation of guitar, bass and drums, but overlay hurdy-gurdy, pipes and the aforementioned accordion on top. The resulting songs are recognizable as lightweight metal but with a strong folk influence. Everything is played well and singer Holger Franz has an atypical voice for metal, being clean and a bit nasal, but strong and not unpleasant to the ear. What Ardeo lacks are any real standout songs. Firstly, it is sung in German, which makes it tough for non-German speakers to sing along, but that isn't the biggest problem with the album. It's the hooks, or the lack thereof. Just because you focus on instruments other than guitars doesn't mean you don't have to write great riffs and hooks for them. Ardeo is sort of like a renaissance faire soundtrack; what you expect to hear when you're there, but nothing that you'll remember afterwards.