Considering it took nearly 20 years for Jethro Tull to release their 22nd studio album, The Zealot Gene, you can forgive me for being so taken aback by the sudden arrival of its follow up, RökFlöte. In an era where many of Ian Anderson’s peers take their sweet time in between album releases, or have abandoned the prospect of new music altogether, the new and improved Jethro Tull have reverted back to that old school 70s ethos, when the “album-tour-album-tour” practice was the law of the land. Furthermore, it speaks volumes of Anderson’s creative drive, remaining as prolific a singer, songwriter, and musician today as he was 50+ years ago.
Whereas The Zealot Gene channeled the icy cynicism of Aqualung (1971) and Thick as a Brick (1972), taking on the ills of religion, politics, and society as a whole, RökFlöte showcases the fantastical side of Jethro Tull which proved to be pivotal to the development of folk metal, epic metal, and so forth. While their unique brand of rock boasted folk leanings from the very beginning, it was on the trilogy of Songs From the Wood (1977), Heavy Horses (1978), and Stormwatch (1979) where these tropes took centerstage. They do so yet again on RökFlöte: A pseudo-concept album centered around Norse mythology and traditional euro folk music with an unforgettable Tull twist.
On RökFlöte, Anderson and company let loose with dazzling musical performances, yet never crossing the line of absurdity. Whether it be an exciting flute flourish, heavy handed riff, or pastoral guitar solo, each feels in place on this album, even during the most ambitious and winding of arrangements. And speaking of arrangements, Anderson sure embraced his metal side on this album (intentionally or not), much to the chagrin of Lars Ulrich, of course. From the steely “Hammer on Hammer” and rollicking “Wolf Unchained”, to dramatic “The Navigators” and colossal “Guardian’s Watch”, RökFlöte plays like a proto-folk metal onslaught, and is easily Tull’s heaviest outing since The Broadsword and the Beast (1982).
Scattered amidst these moments of ye olde metal are musical nods to Tull’s past, while still remaining fresh. “Ginnungagap” and “The Feathered Consort” are enchanting slabs of hard prog folk that boast the atmosphere of the band’s 70s heyday. “Allfather” comes off as a throwback to the tripped out late 60s, while cuts like “The Perfect One” and “Cornucopia” lie on the ballad side of the spectrum. And then we have outliers like the intoxicatingly medieval “Trickster (And the Miseltoe)”, which blurs the line between the familiar and unorthodox with unsettling ease. Isn’t that the whole purpose of prog rock to begin with?
Of course, I’m sure Mr. Anderson will object to my characterization of Tull as “prog rock”, and cringe outright at any connection I make of his work to “metal” (outside of the unavoidable Tony Iommi stint and infamous Grammy), let alone “folk metal”. So whatever one makes of Jethro Tull’s music in 2023, one thing you can’t call it is tired…or stale…or repetitive. No, Jethro Tull are FAR from being Too Old to Rock ‘n’ Roll, and the proof lies in RökFlöte.
8 out of 10
Label: InsideOut Music
Genre: Progressive Rock
For fans of: Wishbone Ash, Skyclad, Opeth
This will beat 72 Seasons at the Grammys.
We can only hope!