Formed in Lithuania but now located in Berlin, Germany, ROMUVOS has just released their fourth studio album entitled “Spirits” via Hammerheart Records. This album features the same line-up from their previous album “The Baltic Crusade”, released four years ago. Now, I had to re-write this review a couple times, because I felt that I could not describe ROMUVOS’ style to the best of my abilities. It is really hard to be faced with music that is not even remotely present in my day to day musical horizon; this being Epic / Folk Metal. The atmosphere present in “Spirits” is definitely epic and ethereal. The songs flow naturally creating a sonic landscape that evokes many scenes: solemnity, hope, brotherhood, but also courage, valour, darkness and a bond with ancient wisdom and nature. There are also parts that feel very ritualistic by using (I assume) traditional / native percussion instruments. Also, it seemed to me that the energy of each song is very much dependable on the vocal moods. The lead melodies, the choirs and the harmonies all intertwine with the rest of the instruments flawlessly. They are powerful, charismatic and effective. The usual instruments provide a solid foundation when the actual Metal parts come in. Now onto more familiar grounds, the production is stellar. Mixing an album full of unconventional instruments and lots of vocal arrangements and choirs can be really tricky. The aural space in between the drums, guitars and bass is usually small, but the mix in “Spirits” has a certain openness, a subtle threadwork that strongly binds everything together. The acoustic guitar parts, the percussion details, the vocal layers and the heavy guitar / bass / drum parts combine seamlessly to create a wall of sound that doesn’t feel overwhelming at all. The master is surprisingly dynamic. This is almost logical, given the multiple roles that the vocals and instruments have in the album. If I had to use one word to describe “Spirits” that word would be “grandiose”. It feels and sounds like coming from ancient times for real. I am a total illiterate in this style of music and I was impressed. So if you are a fan of the epic / folk / viking you need to give “Spirits” a listen. Support the band at www.facebook.com/romuvos and get their album from www.facebook.com/hammerheartrecords