''The Living and the Dead'' is the ninth studio album by Irish

folk metal Folk metal is a fusion genre of heavy metal music and traditional folk music that developed in Europe during the 1990s. It is characterised by the widespread use of folk instruments and, to a lesser extent, traditional singing styles (for exampl ...

band Cruachan. The album was released on 24 March 2023 through

Despotz Records Despotz Records is an Independent record label based in Stockholm, Sweden. A wide variety of artists are currently affiliated with the label, including Nightrage, Titiyo, and The Deer Tracks The Deer Tracks are a Swedish electronic duo that com ...

Critical reception

''Rock 'N' Load'' praised the album saying, "In all, ''The Living and the Dead'' is a fitting way for Cruachan to celebrate the legacy of both the band and folk-metal as a whole. The blend of folk and metal instruments and styles is exceptional, even for a band that have been engaged with this style for three decades. While it is true that at times there seems to be imagination lacking when it comes to certain guitar riffs, the sheer creativity and intuition displayed elsewhere more than make up for this. The compositions and arrangements are at times absolutely masterful, invoking the talents of classical composers, and the range of emotions evoked throughout the record is certainly something for the band to be proud of. They are set to headline the revered Siege of Limerick festival on Easter Sunday, or, the Ēostre celebration of the Spring Equinox, if you're that way inclined."

Track listing

Personnel

Credits adapted from

Discogs Discogs (short for discographies) is a database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. While the site was originally created with a goal of becoming the la ...

. ;Cruachan * Keith Fay – vocals, guitar, banjo, keyboards, bodhrán, mandolin, percussion, Irish bouzouki * David Quinn – guitar * Audrey Trainor – violin, viola, cello * Joe Farrell – bass * Tom Woodlock – drums, percussion ;Additional musicians * Camillus Hiney – guest accordion on track 5 *

Mathias Lillmåns Mathias "Vreth" Lillmåns is the vocalist for the Finnish folk metal band Finntroll, and has been since 2006. He is also the vocalist and the bassist for the bands Chthonian and Twilight Moon. In 2009 he and fellow Finntroll member Samuli Ponsi ...

– guest vocals on track 6 * Nella and Jon Campling – guest vocals on track 10 * John Stuart Dixon – guest guitar on track 11 * Kim Dylla – backing vocals * Geoffroy Dell'Aria – bagpipes, tin whistle, low whistle * Sinead Richards – euphonium * John Fay – tin whistle

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Living and the Dead 2023 albums Cruachan (band) albums Irish-language albums