Ages of swords may one day perish but its legacy will forever reign in the eternity of Valhalla– or so I think. Skálmöld, whose name literally translates as Age of Swords, are back on leading yet another Viking battle, with their highly anticipated sixth full-length album entitled Ýdalir (Napalm Records), which has released some other Nordic folk/viking metal counterparts as well such as Brymir and Månegarm.

The album Ýdalir takes inspirations from a myriad of Icelandic saga-related and Norse myth-related references, including the mythological poem Grímnismál which was included in the Poetic Edda. It speaks of the guise of Odin as Grímnir, who was later tortured through an error by King Geirröth. It is not only this time they were inspired by Old Norse and/or Icelandic sagas in their songwriting, but instead, throughout their whole discography they have always been. They even conform to some Old Norse poetic forms in their lyrics, such as fornyrðislag and sléttubönd.

To me, Ýdalir is an intricate and powerful homage that Skálmöld pay towards their cultural heritage; it amalgamates the values of ancient and modern depictions of Norse culture. While being prominently on the metal spectrum, they combine two elements altogether; one that represents the great dismal of black metal, and another that represents the upbeat melodies of folk metal; resulting in an enigmatic touch in nine anthemic tracks. I notice some Ensiferum-like references, and being a huge Ensiferum fan that I am, it’s enthralling to know that they indeed stated them as one of their major influences.

 

Not only featuring conventional, stereotypical instrument settings that are used in a metal lineup, they also surprisingly feature the use of more eclectic instruments as well such as oboe. How they give titles to their songs is also fascinating; the fifth track, Verðandi, is named after the Norn (deity of human destinies) which represents the present, while the seventh track Skuld is named after the Norn which represents the future. Níðhöggur, the title of the penultimate last track, is also the name of the dragon who gnaws at the root of the world tree Yggdrasil. The versatility of this album is incredible as its range varies from fast-paced catchy riffs to strident growls to galloping drums to solemn chant-like recitations.

 

I don’t think you have to understand Icelandic by words and by heart to thoroughly immerse yourself in the album. By only listening to the hymns they present, you can already envisage depictions of mighty battles being won and fiery thunders striking in the midst of the Norse realm. I’m personally a Norse myth geek and a Viking/folk metal enthusiast at the same time, so of course, this album definitely did me wonders.

Buy the album here:

https://lnk.to/SKALMOLD-Ydalir

9 / 10

RALKA SKJERSETH