Tag Archives: Viking Metal

Nekrogoblikon – Heavy Meta

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Nekrogoblikon aren’t doing this for critical acclaim, or good reviews, and as such, probably don’t give a Stench (sic – self released) what people think of their merits, or otherwise, instead doing this to have fun, stand out from a maddening crowd, and provide a platform for Goblin related buffoonery all to the backing track of some uptempo meloblack. If you’re looking for something progressive, epic, developed or overtly serious Heavy Meta (released on the band’s own Mystery Box label) probably isn’t for you. Swim in the shark-and-troll infested seas of Alestorm and Finntroll and you may have come to the right place, my fiends.

Crawling out of the underground cave where they undoubtedly concoct their foul brews, Scorpion, in his best Abbath croak, spits out “Babies, children, women and men, Get ready to implode on the count of ten. One… Two… TEN!” and we’re off into their stompy, earwormy world of melodic black metal and opener ‘The End of Infinity’. As the album progresses, keys dance and enhance over contagious songs, as the guitars chug and spray, hitting into Children of Bodom and more so (early) In Flames territory (for the choruses, Scorpion is reminiscent of Anders Friden) as accusations of a lack of technical proficiency that have blighted previous releases are well and truly laid to rest.

With both clawed feet firmly grasping onto the mid-90’s carnival world of the post-second wave – bands like Old Man’s Child, Borknagar, Arcturus and their ilk – this is catchy, theatrical and not a million miles from Dimmu Borgir’s more theatrical mid-paced moments, not afraid to open out into Gothic baroque tech metal territory (yep) on pairing ‘Snax & Violence’ and ‘Atlantis’, or just invoke a full on filthy party on the Andrew W.K. endorsed ‘Let’s Get Fucked’.

With elements of huumpa, Viking, classic, black, thrash and melodeath metal, Nekrogoblikon have a fair arsenal to bite, scratch and claw at your ankles and demand your attention. Ensuring each track is both memorable, likable and distinct from its predecessor, this is an enjoyable romp through a critter infested world that shows us just how these ‘gobli(ko)ns (black and) roll.

 

7.0/10

Nekrogoblikon on Facebook

 

STEVE TOVEY


Crom Dubh – Heimweh

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Since their previous album, Omnia Mutantur (self-released), was a collection of their demos and EP, Heimweh (Ván Records) is technically the first full-length album by Black Metal band Crom Dubh. This London-based quartet has been writing Viking-themed music since 2003, and show their experience and skill on this album.

Upon seeing the track list I was immediately intrigued by not one but two two-part songs; namely ‘Cutting Teeth’ and ‘Kings’. In both cases the first part is a short instrumental piece that serves as a gentler introduction to the heavy second part. The guitar lines on ‘Cutting Teeth’ have enough variation to keep things interesting, and the blastbeats are on point. The grunts are also quite varied and sometimes the vocal lines combines with the guitars have a little of that folk-metal vibe. That folky feel comes back at several points later on the album but most clearly in the guitar lines in ‘Sedition’.

In ‘Kings I’ the band shows that they are capable of great subtlety, with not only a gentle but dark melody coming through on one side, but also a corresponding echo on the other. I would have liked the intro to have a bit more of a build up to the main event, but because ‘Kings II’ continues in the same chord it at least sounds like it belongs together. ‘Kings II’ shows a much greater amount of variation than the previous songs, and it really works rather well. The sound is still dark, but the alternating melodies of the guitars open the piece up and make it really enjoyable and captivating to listen to.

All in all, this is a very interesting Black Metal album with some hints of folk. I want to mention that the drumming is absolutely phenomenal and carries the music very well. The rhythms are always effective and interesting, and the fills spice things up nicely. Just listen to ‘The Invulnerable Tide’ and you’ll understand what I mean.

A thoroughly enjoyable listen, and the band can take great pride in having this as their first full album.

 

8.5/10

Crom Dubh on Facebook

 

LORRAINE LYSEN


Ensiferum – One Man Army

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Ensiferum’s last album, 2012’s Unsung Heroes (Spinefarm), was met with pretty harsh reviews when it came out, though the Finnish quintet look to be back on track and making things right with their sixth effort, One Man Army (Metal Blade). While the band – Markus Toivonen (Guitars), Sami Hinkka (Bass), Petri Lindroos (Guitars & Vocals), Janne Parviainen (Drums) and Emmi Silvennoinen (keyboards) – haven’t drastically changed their sound, the usual combination of Viking-themed folk, bombast and thrash is present, it is simply that the quality has just been improved.

Intro track ‘March of War’ sets the tone; there’s chanting, pipes, and a real sense of preparation as if for some unnamed medieval battle, before segueing straight into the furious ‘Axe of Judgement’ – it’s a furious combination of shredding guitars, epic synths and Lindroo’s rasping vocals where you can perceptively hear the urgency, all captured in analogue warmth by award winning producer Anssi Kippo (Children of Bodom). ‘Heathen Horde’ is a stomping mid-paced sing-along anthem, while title track is almost pure melo-death bar the huge operatic chorus, before ‘Burden of the Fallen’ provides another medieval interlude for respite. There’s plenty of rousing chant-along moments that will have live audiences eating from the palms of their hands, big moments that are cleverly worked into what are often out-and-out thrash songs complete with some blistering solos, and are a sizeable part of what makes this such an enjoyable listen. It’s hard to remember the last time an album made me want to see a band live the way One Man Army does.

‘Two of Spades’ is a bit of a wildcard and sees a polka/disco sound sneak in – Turisas’ cover of Boney M.’s ‘Rasputin’ is the nearest comparison. The second half of the record then sees the band delve into more progressive territory, containing both the seven minute ‘Cry for the Earth Bounds’ and eleven minute epic ‘Descendants, Defiance, Domination’; the former  a slow epic featuring clean female vocals, while the latter is more upbeat and even hints at 70s prog and boasts spoken word segments. With clean female vocals and country guitar, closer ‘Neito Pohjolan’ barely sounds like the same band.

On top of a great main album, the bonus disc is worth hunting down purely for the Ensiferum’s take on the classic Rawhide theme tune, while their cover of Barathrum’s ‘Warmetal’ is addictive. Overall, One Man Army is a very enjoyable experience, combining heavy with epic bombast and folk touches. Best of all, though, this is damn fun.

A definite return to form.

 

8.5/10

Ensiferum on Facebook 

 

DAN SWINHOE


Furor Gallico – Songs from the Earth

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One of the oddest things about metal is how it can strive so hard for originality and identity yet remain so indebted to established concepts and trends that the entire thing becomes an exercise in futility. Folk metal and its offshoots Celtic and Viking metal are three of the biggest offenders, recycling the same old tales of romanticised warriors spurning the advance of Christianity with their noble warriors and earth-worshipping traditions, and refusing to admit that Bathory stopped being good when Quorthorn swapped darkness and evil for pomp and circumstance. Throwing in as many ‘traditional’ instruments as the recording budget allows is apparently a measure of how authentic a band is and in an effort to prove this, Italians Furor Gallico have dug very deep indeed.

While the numerous band members can undoubtedly play their instruments very well, with the jovial Celtic melodies of the tin whistle ever flowing and the soothing violin giving proceedings a minor touch of class, the music itself is so heavily indebted to Swiss neighbours Eluveitie that one wonders why they just don’t declare themselves a tribute act and be done with it. From the budget melo-death riffs that fail to capture the imagination when the aforementioned whistle has ceased to the generic grunts and snarls of vocalist Pagan (yes, really), almost everything on the band’s sophomore effort Songs from the Earth (Scarlet) is derivative, cliché-ridden and has been already been done before and better. Some hope is offered by the Thin Lizzy meets Finntroll mashup of ‘Squass’ and the stirring melodies of ‘Wild Jig of Beltaine’ but this is scant reward for the eye-watering sixty-four minute slog the band have served up here.

If Furor Gallico put as much effort into forging their own identity and sound instead of expertly replicating their elders and betters then they could be something special. Until then, a lowly slot on the Paganfest tour will likely be the pinnacle of their achievements.

 

5.0/10

Furor Gallico on Facebook

 

JAMES CONWAY


Reinventing The Viking Steel – Johan Söderberg of Amon Amarth

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Swedish melodic Death Metal warriors Amon Amarth are just finishing off one final jaunt round Europe before settling down to the hard task of stirring the blood of a follow up to their beast of an album, ‘Deceiver of the Gods’ (Metal Blade). Ahead of their recent show at a packed-to-the-pulpit Colchester Arts Centre (a converted church), riff-monger Johan Söderberg took time to fill in Ghost Cult on all that is happening in their world.

 

“It’s fun to play a church. I played one church before in the US, so this is the second time. It should have good acoustics. Churches were built for acoustics” grins softly spoken Amon Amarth guitarist Johan Söderberg. Later on Söderberg’s head will be whirling (in synchronized fashion with his band mates) and he’ll be cranking out heavy, catchy Viking metal to a fervent crowd. But backstage before the show, the unobtrusive man is a far quieter proposition than the riff god he’ll portray from the stage.

Amon Amarth are back doing what they do best – hitting it hard on the road, this time bringing their distinctive brand of Norse warfare to a whole host of smaller venues they’ve not visited before. “It’s been an old school traditional vibe, with the audience close to us. This is what we were aiming for, to have these intimate shows and also to get out in smaller markets we hadn’t played before.”

Normally when a band announces “An Evening with…” or “Back to basics” tour, it’s because their star is waning, and the “reconnecting with the audience” schtick is a way to mask a reduced demand. Yet Amon Amarth are still riding the crest of the ocean waves, and 2013’s Deceiver of the Gods their most critically and commercially successful album to date. But there seems to be a move from several bands, most notably Machine Head to bring their music to different, smaller venues, but to play more shows, actually pulling in bigger numbers across a tour than one marquee show would. “The down side is the perception, that maybe people think we’ve lost some crowd, or something,  but that’s not why we’re doing this. This is just for something different because we’ve toured all the big markets already on this album, so this is for us. This is the last tour for the album, then it’s pretty much straight into writing because I never write on the road, I write at home.

“I started writing for the album before Christmas, when we had a break on this tour. I have some ideas that I’ll be working on when I get home. Then we have the rest of the year to come up with the songs. It’s always pressure in this band. Every album we make has always done better than the one before, so it’s always the pressure that you have to perform better, and do a better album next time.”

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And there’s the crux, Amon Amarth have managed what so few can: continuous improvement and the art of tweaking and refining and step by step enhancing and perfecting a sound without straying from it. And Amon Amarth have managed to get bigger with each album, which is quite a rarity as these days a host of bands appear in a flash  of glory before being dead and buried a couple of albums later, forced to reinvent themselves.

“It’s been a very slow on the rise!” Söderberg laughs. “With some bands they go straight up, and it’s easier to drop back down, if you have a slow progression, it’s easier to stay on the up.” Do you see it as a reward for a combination of improving professionally (technically and as a songwriter) and sticking to your guns (or, rather, hammers) in terms of what “Amon Amarth” is and does? “I think so, yes. We’ve always kept our style, and while we have changed, it’s not too much.

“Even when did the mini-CD the Under The Influence album, then we really tried to do something different and sound like a song in the style of other bands, but still some fans thought these we were regular Amon Amarth songs as well. Even when we tried hard to sound different, we still sound like Amon Amarth! When the five of us play together, it sounds this way. It doesn’t matter if we try to sound like something else, it sounds like us.”

 

To these ears, Deceiver of the Gods was peak Amon Amarth. They’d always had the catchy and the melodic, and their trademark Norse bounce, but on tracks like five-fister ‘As Loke Falls’ they opened the door and let out the Iron Maiden harmonies and licks that had bubbled beneath the surface, but never been allowed to flood into the sound.

“I like (to listen to) more traditional music when I’m at home, like Iron Maiden and other classic heavy metal. There’s so many bands these days, it’s impossible to keep up with every band, so I just stick to the old bands that I like.

“That (traditional metal) is what we always had as our influence, but these later albums, we now let that shine through compared to the previous albums. Of course, we still want to sound brutal -it’s also been the core of the band since the start, is that we have to keep that brutal sound (but) in the past we were (worried) ‘This sounds too much Iron Maiden, we can’t use that’ but on the last album, it changed and we were ‘Fuck it. Let’s use it’; if we like it lets go for it.”

 

Just as the Vikings hailed the Old Gods, so too their descendants, Amon Amarth, still worship the Gods of classic metal, and if that means they continue the path trodden so well from 1998’s Once Sent From The Golden Hall (Metal Blade) to the beast that is Deceiver of the Gods, with each step a stronger and bolder one than the last, then All Hail The New Gods!

 

Amon Amarth on Facebook

 

Words by STEVE TOVEY


2014 Staff Picks- UK Editor Steve Tovey’s Top 25 not in his Top 25…

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Here are the “Top 25″ albums I heard this year that didn’t quite make my Top 25. Maybe there’s something in this for you to check out?

As is always the way I’m discovering more great albums from this year now from everyone else’s lists, so, looking forward to checking out Code Orange, Indian, Krokodil, Hark all amongst others!

ANAAL NATHRAKH – Desideratum

Relentless anarchic vitriolic mix of black metal and intense industrial. Reviewed this one – you can read the review here: https://ghostcultmag.com/anaal-nathrakh-desideratum/

ANTROPOMORPHIA – Rites ov Perversion

Old school influenced Death Metal. Good vibe. Nowt new, but bloody well done.  Reviewed this one n’all: https://ghostcultmag.com/antropomorphia-rites-ov-perversion/

ARCH ENEMY – War Eternal

Best one they’ve done since Burning Bridges. New vocalist is better than Gossow too. Ha, another I reviewed if you’re interested. https://ghostcultmag.com/arch-enemy-war-eternal/

ARTIFICIAL BRAIN – Labyrinth Constellation

Mental Death Metal.

AUTOPSY – Tourniquets, Hacksaws & Graves

More great Autopsy, innit

COFFINWORM – IV.I.VIII

Hateful, with big, skull crushing riffs. Heavy, weighty. Bit of sludge, bit of doom.

CONAN – Blood Eagle

Epic, heavy doom, innit. Reviewed n’all: https://ghostcultmag.com/conan-blood-eagle/

DARKEST ERA – Severance

Bit of trad, bit Celtic, good riffs, strong vocals. Promising. Good band, good album. Another I wrote about. https://ghostcultmag.com/darkest-era-severance/ (Not necessarily the song I’d have chosen for a vid, but decent enough)

DELAIN – The Human Contradiction

Poppy, bit more symphonic than I was expecting. Went down a storm at Wembley with Within Temptation too.

DEVIN – Dark Matters

Aka Ziltoid 2. The heavier, more symphonic, more metally of the two parts of the double album. I like it, just a bit too much monkeying around at the expense of the songs, for me.

DRAGONFORCE – Maximum Overload

Not quite as good as ‘The Power Within’ but still proving they write better songs since changing vocalists. Some belters on here, tbf.

ENGEL – Raven Kings

Like In Flames, but heavier guitars and catchier choruses. I like this one (well, I like them all on here, or they wouldn’t be on here, but this surprised me). Wrote about it, too. https://ghostcultmag.com/engel-raven-kings/

EPICA – The Quantum Enigma

Took a few listens, but once it clicked, there’s a lot going on but it’s bloody massive. Symphonic to the max. Another I wrote about. https://ghostcultmag.com/epica-the-quantum-enigma/

GRAND MAGUS – Triumph & Power

Ronseal Metal. Doesn’t quite compare to Hammer of the North or Iron Will to me, but big Valhalla filling songs. Very enjoyable, if no surprises. Another of mine. https://ghostcultmag.com/grand-magus-triumph-and-power/

I AM HERESY – Thy Will

Haven’t listened to it for a while, but appealed a lot at the start of the year, and a good combo of metal and hardcore that mixes it up a bit. https://ghostcultmag.com/i-am-heresy-thy-will/

JOB FOR A COWBOY – Sun Eater

Took me by surprise this one. Adding a large dose of Ulcerate to their sound, but all the better for it. Rather than rattle clattering through a load of sterile overly tight DM/core, they wrote some (very) heavy songs, too.

KING 810 – Memoirs Of A Murderer

The marmite album of 2014! Ha, I liked it. Big angsty anthems. Not perfect, but some quality tunes. Korn meets Slipknot fo’ sho’, but some different stuff going on too. Another one off the review list! https://ghostcultmag.com/king-810-memoirs-of-a-murderer/

LORDI – Scare Force One

I like Alice Cooper. I love King Diamond. This mixes the two with aplomb, delivering a monster munch bunch of good fun tracks. https://ghostcultmag.com/lordi-scare-force-one/

MORBUS CHRON – Sweven

Interesting album, this one. Don’t think I’ve quite given it all the time it deserves, but another I’ve liked this year that doesn’t just sit in a box. It starts from Death Metal but doesn’t stay there.

OBITUARY – Inked In Blood

Really good comeback album. Big grooves. Big riffs. Great tunes. Well done. Best Obi’s album since ‘Cause of Death’ , for me.

ORIGIN – Omnipresent

This is a relentless fucker, this one. Love the aggression, love the riffing, love the technicality, love how much it just wants to punch you in the ear drums.

SLEEP OF MONSTERS – Produces Reason

Babylon Whores are one of my “hidden treasures”, probably the most underrated band of all time, always loved Ike’s vocals, too. He doesn’t quite hit it with his new outfit, but some cool gothy, dark/death rock going on. Grabbed this one for review as soon as it appeared in the inbox. https://ghostcultmag.com/sleep-of-monsters-produces-reason/

SLUGDGE – Gastronomicon

Only heard this once so far, but really impressed me on first go, will be getting a fair few listens going forward. Interesting modern melodic death metal.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ja4o9BsvUDY

TOMBS – Savage Gold

Black metal meets post-metal. Really good shit.

WITHIN TEMPTATION – Hydra

Started the year with this one. Massive pop-metal. Preferred the last one and Silent Force, but it’s got some big old songs, mofos. https://ghostcultmag.com/within-temptation-hydra/

Steve Tovey


Cloak of Freyja – Gunnar H. Thomsen and Terji Skibenæs of Týr

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Týr has toured heavily for their latest release, Valkyrja (Metal Blade) a grandiose record that nicely showcases their brand of Viking/Folk Metal. Complimenting the strong performances and evolved sound is a different lyrical take on their usual subject matter, showing how powerful and influential the women were over the men. At their Atlanta, GA stop on the Halo of Blood tour, bassist Gunnar H. Thomsen and guitarist Terji Skibenæs were kind enough to grant Ghost Cult an interview before their set, chatting with senior editor Lynn Jordan.

 

It’s been one month into the tour; how is it going so far?

 

Gunnar H. Thomsen: Very good!

Terji Skibenæs: Everything smoothly, so far, yeah.

 

What has been your favorite place so far?

 

TS: It’s always L.A. for me

GHT: Yeah.

 

Hopefully you’ll like Atlanta.

 

TS: We like Atlanta too. We’ve been here many times before.

GC: Good! We love our Metal down here.

 

As the opener, is it difficult putting together a set list?

GHT: It’s not that tough, the tough thing is we have to leave so many things out.

 

What song did you have to leave out that you really wanted to squeeze in?

GHT: Many (laughs). We know there are a lot of songs that people want to hear, especially the songs with a lot of the choir stuff in it.

 

That is hard to duplicate live.

TS: But we get a good response for being the first band.

 

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Have there been a lot of people yelling for songs during your set?

GHT: Yes.

TS: Yeah, they’re screaming about it every day, wanting a longer set, but we can’t, of course.

 

So how is the new material going over?

GHT: It’s going down very well with the audience. Really really well.

 

So there isn’t a lot of, “Yay, that’s okay now play an old song”?

 

TS: No, we only play two old songs, the rest is from the new album.

 

I love the new record, so I don’t have a problem with that.


GHT: We haven’t had any negative response for playing the new stuff. Only thing, is, again, is they wish it were longer.

 

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Since you’ve been getting such a positive response, will you be back in the States any time soon?’

TS/GHT: Oh, yes!

 

As part of a festival or on your own?

 

GHT: We are going to do a few festivals.

TS: In Europe, not in the U.S. Are there any festivals here?

 

(laughs) Europe has the best festivals. What is the biggest festival your going to play?

 

TS: The next big one is probably Copenhell in Denmark.

 

Cool, so that’s like a homecoming show.

 

TS: Yeah!

 

The new songs have a very triumphant and upbeat quality to them. What do you attribute that to? Did you let the storyline set the mood or did you already have that kind of energy going into the writing process?

 

GHT: It’s really always whatever we come up with.

TS: Yeah, Someone will come up with a riff, then when we’re done, Heri writes the lyrics.

 

 

Do you think this record is a a culmination of the sound you’ve been seeking over the last couple of records?

GHT: Yeah, definitely, definitely.

TS: The style we heading in now, yeah.

GHT: It has turned into something that we all really like. It’s more interesting for the audience.

 

How did the concept for the new record come about?

 

TS: Well, we’re always writing about Viking men…

GHT: So, we thought a little bit of sex.

TS: A bit more of that!

 

How did the track “The Lay of Our Love” with Liv Christine come about? Did you have her in mind?

GHT: Heri met her at a festival…

TS: …And he was invited to sing a song with them at the festival.

GHT: She wanted to do the same thing with us, do a song on the record. We already had the song, so it was an obvious choice.

 

That’s great considering the concept of the record.

You guys did a high production CGI video. What was the experience like, and would you do it again?

 

GHT: I LOVED it.

TS: I love it. I will never do outdoor again. I hate that. We all do.

GHT: It was really easy.

TS: A lot of people doing everything, makeup….(laughs)

 

Do you have an idea for the next video or what song it will be?

TS: Fire!

GHT: Fire! Fire! More Metal!

TS: Yes, so people won’t think we’ve gone soft with this latest video.

 

Any new songs?

 

GHT: Pretty soon we’re going to start working on the new record.

TS: We have to start getting new material. But it always takes time.

GHT: It won’t get recorded until next year.

 

Do you find it more challenging doing covers of popular songs like ‘Where Eagles Dare’ or ‘Cemetery Gates’ rather than something more obscure?

 

GHT: No, for us, this was something that we decided a long time ago that we were gonna do. The record companies always want a bonus track, so we decided to take a favorite song from each person in the band. So we each picked one…that’s the way it came along, so it’s not really challenging, it was pretty straightforward.

TS: Yeah, we just record it.

GHT: We just focus on doing our best, and not try to imitate it too much, I guess.

 

 

When you guys are not touring or making music, what are your hobbies or interests?

GHT: Diving, I worked as a plumber.

TS: I’m a tattoo artist. That’s pretty much all I do.

 

How do you book folks with your schedule? Do you go to people or do they come to you? Do you have a shop?

TS: People write me, email…they to come to me, to Faroe Islands. From Denmark, Finland…

GHT: Sometimes he will have it on tour.

TS: Yeah, but it doesn’t work when you’re the first band, you don’t have the space, and it has to be clean.

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Is there a music scene on the Faroe Islands, and are there any bands we should check out?

TS: There’s a cool Metal band call Hanferd.

 

Since Gunnar you’re in Denmark, how did you guys rehearse for the tour.

GHT: We don’t rehearse. We just practice at home. And we send files when we’re making the songs, we just record them on Protools, or whatever and write down the tablature and send an email to the next guy.

 

So what about preparing for a tour?

TS: We rehearsed a few days before in order to get it together, that’s all. (GHT) lives in Denmark, so he doesn’t come.

GHT: I do my best (laughs). It’s something we have to do, but it’s not easy. I didn’t realize it was that far from the Islands to the mainland.

 

Týr on Facebook

 

LYNN JORDAN


Amon Amarth- Enslaved- Skeletonwitch: Live at the House of Blues, Boston, MA

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HillarieJason1-9By the end of this year, I will be looking back at all of the great shows that have come around in the year 2014. I can guarantee that the evening of February 1st, at the House of Blues Boston will certainly be one of the first I touch upon. On this evening, the Boston crowd was treated with stand out acts: Skeletonwitch, the almighty Enslaved, and one of the biggest metal bands out there today, Amon Amarth. By the end of this show, I was dehydrated, tired, broke, but oh so very happy with the beating my body, specifically my ears, had taken.

To start off the show with a bang was Ohio’s own black/thrash five-piece, Skeletonwitch. Personally, I knew with an open slot, and a new album out, we would probably see a good selection of newer material. About half of the set was of new material, but boy did they pick out the best tracks! My favorites out of the new tracks were ‘I Am of Death (Hell Has Arrived)’ , ‘Beneath Dead Leaves’, and the ever epic, ‘Burned From Bone.’ The Boston audience was also treated to some older tunes such as the classic, ‘Beyond the Permafrost’, ‘Crushed Beyond Dust’ , and the closer, ‘Within My Blood.’ Even with a shortened set having to be the opening act, Skeletonwitch provided proof as to why they are one of my favorite bands today and they should be yours as well! Just when some thought it was safe to go grab a quick beer or hit the merchandise tables, Enslaved was quickly set up and ready to go.

As Enslaved was walking out to the stage with their intro sample playing, I heard someone behind me say something to the effect of HillarieJason1-6“oh yeah I looked up this band, they are boring.” Let’s just say after the next 45 minutes, they had quite a different opinion of the legendary Enslaved. Of course with such long, wonderfully created songs, you don’t quite get a lot of songs from such a “short” set. Enslaved was able to play six songs for us that night and quite honestly, save one song I still am dying to see performed live, I really can’t complain at their selection! Enslaved’s newest release, RIITIIR, was quite the spectacle after it became available and still grows on me to this day. We fortunately got to hear two very good tracks off of the album. The feverish Boston head-bangers got ‘Death in the Eyes of Dawn’ to open up the set and then got the album-titled song, ‘RIITIIR’ halfway through the set. Even if there were only two newer tracks played, this gave room for some previous favorites like ‘Ethica Odini’ and the usual closing song, ‘Isa.’ It was also a treat to hear an absolute classic, ‘Allfaðr Oðinn’ from the year 1993 (which very well may be older than a portion of the fans in attendance)! Overall, Enslaved has proven the test of time and I do not see them slowing down by not even the smallest of margins. I did get a chance to mention to keyboardist/clean vocalist, Herbrand, over a beer down the street that the next time Enslaved makes their way through Massachusetts that we must hear the amazing single, ‘Roots of the Mountain.’ He seemed to agree with my plea. As if there is any doubt that I would make it to the next Enslaved tour, but this moment certainly cements it.

 

 

Finally, it was time for the Swedish Viking Metal Titans, Amon Amarth to make their way to the stage and literally bring us to the might feasting halls of Valhalla to speak of the many tales in Norse Mythology. Before we get into the amazing set that was, I have a slight tale of my own regarding Amon Amarth and Enslaved earlier that day. It quickly became shared throughout the internet that on the very day this tour had come through Boston, that a few members from Amon Amarth and Enslaved were seen at the Boston Bruins hockey game in the newly created, special edition Amon Amarth Hockey Jerseys! These have been on sale throughout the tour and of course, I had to get one. Now back to the show. Starting off the night was the newly made music video song from Amon Amarth’s latest album, ‘Father of the Wolf.’ During this intro, Johan Hegg (vocals) had come out wearing his recently obtained Boston Bruins/Loui Eriksson jersey which led to a hug pop to kick off the set! Since this was the headlining tour for the new Amon Amarth album entitled Deceiver of the Gods, all in attendance were very excited to hear the new material live and did the five Vikings from Sweden ever deliver. Some tracks included ‘Shape Shifter’ , the album title ‘Deceiver of the Gods’ , ‘We Shall Destroy’ , and ‘Warriors of the North.’ Personally I was hoping for ‘Under Siege’ but it was not meant to be. Amon Amarth had made up for this ever so small discretion by playing classics like ‘Death in Fire’ , ‘Free Will Sacrifice’, ‘Destroyer of the Universe’, and ‘The Last Stand of Frej’. Just when it appeared Amon Amarth was going to set sail back to Scandinavia after the single ‘War of the Gods’, they returned for a two song encore to ensure even the greediest of the Bostonians at the House of Blues last night went home happy. The encore consisted of the huge single, ‘Twilight of the Thunder God’ and then wrapped up the night with the sing-a-long ‘The Pursuit of Vikings’. Something about that last song’s opening riff just really gets everyone fired up and it gets me every time I have the pleasure of seeing this band play. Overall, this tour was exactly as I was hoping for. Getting to meet the bands afterwards and enjoy a beer with Herbrand was just icing on the cake after what a great show and overall experience I got to share with some close friends. In all honesty, I wish House of Blues had canceled their rave night that evening so all three bands could have played longer sets or maybe even had a local opener start the show off. At this point, however, I am just being greedy at what was already an early candidate for Show of the Year.

 

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Amon Amarth on Facebook

Enslaved on Facebook

Skeletonwitch on Facebook

Words: Tim Ledin

Photos: Hillarie Jason Photography


Ereb Altor – Fire Meets Ice

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downloadIt’s like the start of another fantasy series that forgot to get inventive with the title. Fire and Ice may be recalling days past and calling on old gods, but it is certainly no half mastered project. Sharing their entire lineup, Ereb Altor is the side project to Swedish based band Isole. This could explain why despite forming in 2003, we saw so little of the band up to their first studio release in 2008. While releases from Isole have been in decline, Ereb Altor has suddenly taking new life, celebrating ten years together as a band with the release of their forth studio album this year with Fire Meets Ice (Napalm Records).

 

One noticeable difference right from the start is the lack of Bathory influence running through this album. Although it is not completely absent, and some songs still run strong with hints of Hammerheart or Twighlight of the Gods, earlier work such as first album By Honour could easily be passed up as a simple Bathory copy or tribute songs, while Fire Meets Ice is a very different beast. Sharing many of the parts between them, Mats and Ragnar are able to switch the sound from intense tremolo guitars and harsh vocals, to sudden moment of ethereal vocals and mournful guitars in a matter of moments. Their sound on this album is definitely blacker than anything the band has explored before, but rather than breaking out the pits of hell and raising the undead, it blends in and adds a layer of bleak determination and grim hardship.

 

Unlike other bands dominating the folk and Viking metal genre, they always maintain a distinctly mournful, somber tone throughout the album, never breaking into anything that resembles a catchy riff or jig. Their message is simple; this is fantasy for those that like it desolate. There are no warm nostalgic memories of battle or songs of favour from the old gods. The world is burning, ravaged by fire and ice, and this is the anthem of a new age. This is Viking metal at its very finest.

8.0/10

Ereb Altor on Facebook

 

Caitlin Smith


Tyr – Valkyrja

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Tyr-ValkyrjaFolk metal or Viking metal, whichever you prefer to call it, is a sub-genre that really seems to have taken off over the last decade, with an abundance of successful acts coming through, many of which hail from the Scandinavian plains. Tyr are a Faroese three-piece who have been riding under the above musical moniker for quite some time, as their name, subject matters and often chosen singing tongue all have roots in their Nordic heritage. Tyr however, isn’t your typical Viking metallers, a point personified in their new album, Valkyrja (Metal Blade).

 

A conceptual album loosely surrounding the tale of a Viking warrior who sets off to battle in order to impress goddess Freyja, Tyr’s seventh studio output doesn’t rest on their previous laurels, with a ballad even making its way onto the album. Recorded with Leave Eyes leading lady Liv Kristine, ‘The Lay of Our Love’ works surprising well on the album, even if it is a shock upon first listen. As for the rest, Valkyrja slips from progressive moments to heavy riffs and power-laden rhythms, with songs such as ‘Mare Of The Night,’ ‘Another Fallen Brother’ and ‘Grindavisan’ bringing some respectively hefty, technically brilliant and grandiose moments to the fold.

 

The real magic on this album however lays in their bonus tracks, which come in the form of Iron Maiden’s ‘Where Eagles Dare’ and Pantera’s ‘Cemetery Gates.’ Whilst both are fantastic renditions, their version of Dimebag and co’s masterpiece is truly astounding with justice thoroughly being given to a track that most heavy metal bands wouldn’t dare to touch, never mind genuinely make their own. Another triumph for the Faroese metallers, their mission is apparently to break down the heavy metal walls and with Valkyrja, their quest certainly seems to be all the more closer to fulfilling.

 

9.0/10

 

Tyr on Facebook

 

Emma Quinlan