As I sit down to write this review, it’s occurring to me belatedly that I’m not fully sure how to describe the music I’m sitting down to describe. The four members of Tvinna, in their sophomore full-length album, demonstrate that they are many things. They are European, with members hailing from Germany and Switzerland. They are experienced musicians, with members in Eluveitie, Solarcycles, and Faun. They are well-read and well-researched, presenting in Two – Wings of Ember an album that is entrenched in folk tropes and rich in both history and mythology. Finally, they are ambitious, blending styles, experimenting with their sound, and ultimately confounding this well-meaning reviewer, who just wants to put a label on the style and start writing the review.
Undoubtedly, Tvinna work with folk metal as a base. Founding members Laura (Faun) and Rafael (Eluveitie) Fella have experience in this realm and cover most of the traditional metal instruments: vocals, synthesizers, and shaman drum (Laura) and guitars—acoustic, electric, and bass (Rafael). Through guest musicians, they add a bukkehorn and hurdy-gurdy to the sound, with drums from Alain Ackerman (Eluveitie) and backing vocals from Sascha van der Meer (Solarcycles) rounding out the sound. Contrary to what the setup implies, Tvinna does not really play folk metal, nor are they Eluveitie Mk. II. Instead, they lean closer to progressive rock with folk influence, at times reminding of Riverside (“Wings of Ember”), and at others evoking psychedelic tropes (“Arma”) for a comparatively subdued sound compared to their contemporaries and base projects. Synths are a huge part of the sound, often taking the place of guitars are the expected backdrop for the music and giving a tinge of synthwave to the already-complex tapestry of musical styles.
Two – Wings of Ember by TVINNA
And yet, despite all of that, Laura Fella’s singing is the clear primary focus throughout Two – Wings of Ember, so much so that whether or not you like her singing is likely to fully dictate your feelings about the album as a whole. The album’s first “proper song,” “Dawn of Mine,” emerges from its synth-laden start to her singing—and only her singing. The song is built around her vocal melodies, eventually rising fully into a solid start for the album. Often, Laura Fella has the spotlight in this way; I’ve been tempted to describe “Irwahhên” as some kind of dark pop because the singing is so slick and so focal that it winds up being the only memorable thing about the song. Fortunately, the singing is strong—confident, pretty, and skilled all at once, elevating songs like “Two Staves,” “The Fortress” (a particularly moving performance there), and “Wings of Ember.”
The problem with making your singer the focal point for your album, and seemingly your songwriting as well, is that the rest of the instrumentation can fall by the wayside. In “Dawn of Mine,” the synths, guitars, and bass are all muted, while Laura Fella is singing her heart out. The contrast is jarring, and it feels as though something is missing for much of the album, while folk instruments are largely kept to guest spots, (“Louga,” “Wings of Ember,” “Der Weg.”). It certainly feels at times like the album’s concept eclipses its execution—though when it does all come together, the results are often great. “Wings of Ember” is the standout song by a lot, with great guitarwork, a strong chorus, and a phenomenal synth solo. Later, “The Fortress” does such a great job of creating wistful melancholy I’m always surprised when the album doesn’t end right there. Unfortunately, the following songs, “The Fall” and “Der Weg,” continue to focus too much on the singing; they’re nice in the moment but forgettable shortly thereafter. It’s honestly too bad; if the album had ended two songs and/or ten minutes earlier—at 42 minutes, instead of 52—I feel it would have flowed much better.
I think there’s a really good album in Two – Wings of Ember, but as an album itself, it’s held back by bits of bloat and a too-strong focus on one element of its sound. I appreciate the experimentation that has gone into the album, and I can hear it too—the sound of a new band exploring its sound and figuring out what works. If Tvinna continues to refine their sound from here, it’s hard to imagine Three won’t be an absolute triumph. I just don’t think they’re quite there yet.
Rating: 2.5/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 192 kbps mp3
Label: By Norse Music
Websites: tvinna.com | tvinna.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/we.are.tvinna
Releases Worldwide: February 23rd, 2024
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