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Folk metal is hard to get right. It just seems like it attracts a lack of talent. The good bands usually aren't spoken of as often as swill like Finntroll and Eluveitie, and there are just so many ways to muck up the style royally. Fortunately, Ephyra play it up with a little bit of inventiveness and a lot of heart, making for a pleasant listen on their demo. Put on your kilts and grab your bagpipes; let's review this one.

Ephyra, being stuck in a demo-rut, do not have the luxuries of a band with an actual production job, but somehow that actually helps make this sound more authentic and folksy – like it was really recorded in the woods or something. The guitars are raw and thin, the vocals are a little softer than they maybe should be, but it sounds incredibly natural, and somehow it just works. The songs are short and varied, never missing a beat in the limited time constraints the band has set up for them – this is only a demo, after all. Every song offers a different style. They might not be incredibly original, but they are actually pretty well written compared to some of their big name contemporaries. "Flames of Revenge" gallops along with a happy melody and some bashing riffs, and "Dark Wolf" is probably the best song on here, with its transitions from fast to slow being very entertaining. "Laws of the Elves" is a bit less memorable, but I guess they closed it out the best they could.

Overall, this isn't bad. It doesn't really do anything amazing, and I don't feel too strongly one way or the other about it, but it's not bad. Get it if you're a Folk Metal freak.