_Whom the Moon a Nightsong Sings_, on the other hand, is just the opposite -- a surprisingly coherent collection of 21 tracks that fit together so well they almost sound like the work of a single neofolk collective (with a bunch of friends dropping by during the studio recordings). Some might argue that the similarity of the tracks would make it a dreadfully boring listen, but fact is _Whom the Moon a Nightsong Sings_ is by far the most intriguing compilation album put out by Prophecy.

Presenting the crème de la crème of the neofolk scene, this two disc collection is both the ideal starter for anyone that's new to the genre and a tasty treat for the connoisseur. It is also a throwback to the roots of the genre (including Ulver's melancholy ridden "Synen", clearly a leftover from the _Kveldssanger_ sessions, and a demo version of Orplid's "Stille" dating some ten years back), an overview of Prophecy's own roaster (with inclusions from postrock / shoegazers Les Discrets, multifaceted Nucleus Torn, Neun Welten and Dornenreich, established neofolk acts Tenhi, Nebelung and Vàli) and the obligatory inclusion of those fine, bleak and typically Nordic black metal acts flirting with acoustic music (Swedish duo Lönndom and Finnish one-man project October Falls).

The obvious highlight is "The Days Before the Fall", marking the much-anticipated return of Marcus Stock and his Empyrium. Working its way slowly from sombre, semi-acoustic sound and deep, operatic vocals to a keyboard-laden splash of melodic doom metal, the song is more akin to the band's earlier masterpiece _Songs of Moors & Misty Fields_ than to later, entirely acoustic outputs _Where at Night the Wood Grouse Plays_ and _Weiland_.

With its befitting wintry atmosphere, superb sound quality and exquisite packaging, _Whom the Moon a Nightsong Sings_ should get more than a spin or two by anyone into neofolk.