If Blood Of The Mistletoe sounds somewhat dark for a bandname, it is indeed the translation of this Galicia based Spanish Neo-Folk act, whom with Deixame Morrer No Bosque (translates as 'Let Me Die In The Forrest') deliver their second full-length album, albeit debut official release.
For SdM, things started in 2005, and through several evolutions, which brought the band to release a first demo in May 2007, and then a self-titled full-length in April 2011, got the band (of which I found no details on membership) to where they are today with their current album, which was originally released as download in December 2012, then issued on CD in March of last, and now on limited edition (only 500 copies available double LP vinyl (ànd cassette, by the way!).
According to the info I've got, the band's music and lyrics are “...inspired by passionate living roaming out of society and civilization... destroying taboos, destroying fears, into the depths of nature, welcome the unknown, welcome those with a pure heart... on the road and on the trail, lost in the woods, into the wild, in the endless paths of the soul, just a blanket in the backpack, filled in he way with magic, laughs, moments, tears, hearts... the wisdom of the old one, the child that doesn't grow...seek the mysteries, throw the stone, run blindly with no goal, run through the woods, jump the gap, get wet, hug the wolf, howl at the moon, swim the seven seas... fearless and innocent, criminal and free...”, I other words, the guys (and at least one girl) revere nature, are high on self-sufficiency, and find solace in the human spirit.
Still, in accordance to the bandname, I find the band's music to be overall gloomy, both in music and vocal delivery, which are both rather calm. The music is in essence based on two acoustic guitars, but by occasion one of the two is exchanged by violin or cello, and by lesser occasion the band even uses a lyre (as in the album opening instrumental title track, the instrument not exactly giving the track an uplifting atmosphere either). Nevertheless, there's cathartic feeling flowing through all the tracks (of the 13 tracks, 3 are completely instrumental, and two more instrumentals get some “vocal” additions), and indeed the songs are said to be meant for healing. Vocals for the most part are done in Spanish, and (as already mentioned) done in a very calm, almost melancholic way. On two tracks (“Haunted Glow” and “The Paths Of Mannaz”) the band deviate from Spanish, adding a female singer to the whole, and doin' their thing in English. In the “Music” section at (www.) facebook.com/thecrowcallstheravenblack, you get re-directed to the album's page on Bandcamp, and so a listening session of the complete album is enabled. For additional material from the previous releases, consult (www.reverbnation.com/sangredeuerdago.