Helvetios
{{about|the album|the star|51 Pegasi}}
{{Expand German|topic=cult|Helvetios|fa=yes|date=September 2016}}
{{Infobox album
| name = Helvetios
| type = Studio
| artist = Eluveitie
| cover = Eluveitie_Helvetios.jpg
| alt =
| released = {{Start date|2012|02|10|df=y}}
| recorded = 2011
| venue =
| studio = New Sound Studio, Pfäffikon{{cite web | url = http://www.nuclearblast.de/en/label/music/band/about/71068.eluveitie.html | title = Nuclear Blast page | accessdate = August 14, 2013}}
| genre = Folk metal, melodic death metal, Celtic metal
| length = {{Duration|m=59|s=12}}
| label = Nuclear Blast
| producer = Tommy Vetterli,{{cite web | url = http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/eluveitie-helvetios-track-listing-cover-artwork-release-date-revealed/ | title = Blabbermouth release date | date = December 2, 2011 | accessdate = August 14, 2013}} Eluveitie
| chronology = Eluveitie studio album
| prev_title = Everything Remains (As It Never Was)
| prev_year = 2010
| next_title = Origins
| next_year = 2014
| misc = {{Singles
| name = Helvetios
| type = studio
| single1 = Meet the Enemy
| single1date = 17 January 2012
}}
}}
Helvetios is the fifth studio album by Swiss folk metal band Eluveitie. The album was released 10 February 2012 through Nuclear Blast. The CD was recorded at New Sound Studio in Pfäffikon, a municipality in the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland, with producer Tommy Vetterli. It was the last album to include violinist Meri Tadić and guitarist Simeon Koch.
Concept
Being the band's first concept album, it focuses on the Gallic Wars from a perspective of the ancient Helvetians.{{cite magazine|title=Eluveitie: Großer Spannungsbogen |language=German |first=Markus |last=Eck |magazine=Sonic Seducer |publisher=Thomas Vogel Media e. K. |year=2012 |issue=3 |pages=42–43}}{{cite web|url=http://www.metal-hammer.de/reviews/alben/article281272/eluveitie-helvetios.html |title=Eluveitie – Helvetios |language=German |first=Katrin |last=Riedl |work=Metal Hammer |date=28 February 2012 |accessdate=11 March 2012}}
Style
The album features melodic death metal combined with Celtic folk music instruments like fiddle, hurdy-gurdy, flutes, whistles, bagpipes, mandola, bodhran, and hammered dulcimer. Band member Anna Murphy has been more involved in songwriting and has been given more vocal parts than on previous releases.
Reception
{{Music ratings
|rev1= Allmusic
|rev1score={{Rating|3.5|5}}{{cite web|url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=r2386680|pure_url=yes}} |title=Allmusic review}}
|rev2= Der Metal Krieger
|rev2Score = {{Rating|9|10}}{{cite web|url=http://dermetalkrieger.com/2012/03/21/review-of-helvetios/ |title=A Review of Helvetios |publisher= dermetalkriger.com |date=2012-03-21 |accessdate=2012-03-21}}
|rev3=Metal Hammer (Germany)
|rev4=Sonic Seducer
|rev5=Stormbringer
|rev6=Lambgoat
|rev6score={{Rating|8|10}}{{cite web|url=http://lambgoat.com/albums/2964/Eluveitie-Helvetios |title=Album Review: Eluveitie - Helvetios |publisher=Lambgoat |date=2012-08-03 |accessdate=2012-08-03}}
|rev7= Peek from the Pit
}}
Helvetios received favourable professional reviews in Germany with the Sonic Seducer magazine calling the album "pure efficiency (pure Effizienz)." The German edition of Metal Hammer lauded the tracks "Meet The Enemy", "Neverland" and "The Siege" for their aggressive Metal style and concluded that Eluveitie's musical virtues were being continued on this album. A review by the Austrian Stormbringer compared the track "The Siege" to Sepultura's style and called the album a "piece of art."
Chart performance
The album reached the top ten on the albums chart in Switzerland and the Top Heatseekers chart in the United States.
Track listing
{{track listing
| total_length = {{Duration|m=59|s=12}}
| all_lyrics = Chrigel Glanzmann, except "Home" co-written by Anna Murphy
| title1 = Prologue
| music1 = Glanzmann
| length1 = 1:24
| title2 = Helvetios
| music2 = {{hlist|Glanzmann|Ivo Henzi|Murphy}}
| length2 = 4:00
| title3 = Luxtos
| music3 = {{hlist|Glanzmann|Henzi|Meri Tadić}}
| length3 = 3:56
| title4 = Home
| music4 = Glanzmann
| length4 = 5:16
| title5 = Santonian Shores
| music5 = {{hlist|Glanzmann|Henzi|Murphy}}
| length5 = 3:58
| title6 = Scorched Earth
| music6 = Glanzmann
| length6 = 4:18
| title7 = Meet the Enemy
| music7 = {{hlist|Glanzmann|Henzi}}
| length7 = 3:46
| title8 = Neverland
| music8 = {{hlist|Glanzmann|Henzi|Murphy|Tadić}}
| length8 = 3:42
| title9 = A Rose for Epona
| music9 = {{hlist|Glanzmann|Henzi|Murphy}}
| length9 = 4:26
| title10 = Havoc
| music10 = {{hlist|Glanzmann|Henzi|Murphy}}
| length10 = 4:05
| title11 = The Uprising
| music11 = {{hlist|Glanzmann|Henzi}}
| length11 = 3:41
| title12 = Hope
| music12 = Glanzmann
| length12 = 2:27
| title13 = The Siege
| music13 = {{hlist|Glanzmann|Henzi|Murphy}}
| length13 = 2:44
| title14 = Alesia
| music14 = {{hlist|Glanzmann|Henzi|Murphy}}
| length14 = 3:58
| title15 = Tullianum
| music15 = Glanzmann
| length15 = 0:24
| title16 = Uxellodunon
| music16 = {{hlist|Henzi|Murphy|Tadić}}
| length16 = 3:51
| title17 = Epilogue
| music17 = Glanzmann
| length17 = 3:16
}}
{{Track listing
| headline = Limited edition bonus track
| total_length = 63:01
| title18 = A Rose for Epona
| music18 = {{hlist|Glanzmann|Henzi|Murphy}}
| note18 = acoustic version
| length18 = 3:49
}}
{{Track listing
| headline = Limited Edition Bonus DVD
| total_length = 93:00
| title1 = A Rose for Epona
| length1 =
| note1 = Video Clip
| title2 = Havoc
| length2 =
| note2 = Video Clip
| title3 = A Rose for Epona
| length3 =
| note3 = Making Of
| title4 = Havoc
| length4 =
| note4 = Making Of
| title5 = A Closer Look at the Lyrics
| length5 =
| note5 = ...In Conversation with a Scientist
| title6 = Live at Feuertanz Festival 2010
| length6 =
| note6 = 4 Songs Live
}}
Personnel
=Eluveitie=
- Chrigel Glanzmann – harsh vocals, harp, tin & low whistle, uilleann pipes, mandola, bodhrán
- Anna Murphy – clean vocals, harsh vocals in "The Siege" and "Meet the Enemy", hurdy-gurdy
- Kay Brem – bass guitar, Caesar's voice in "Havoc"
- Ivo Henzi – rhythm guitar
- Simeon Koch – lead guitar, mandola
- Patrick "Päde" Kistler – bagpipes, whistles
- Merlin Sutter – drums
- Meri Tadić – fiddles
=Guests=
- Alexander Morton – voice in the narrations of tracks 1, 11 & 17
- Nina Macchi – recorder in track 12
- Christoph Pelgen – gwerz vocals in track 6
- Fredy Schnyder – hammered dulcimer in tracks 4 & 7
- Sarah Wauquiez – zugerörgeli (helvetic accordion) in track 3
References
{{Eluveitie}}
{{Authority control}}