Angry Metal Guy

Crom // Of Love and Death
Rating: 3.0/5.0 — Viking sensitivity training
Label: Pure Steel Records
Websites: croms-revenge.de | myspace.com/cromsrevenge
Release Dates: Out now!

Steel Druhm has been waiting for this for a long time! For the uninitiated, Crom is the brainchild of one Walter Grosse and he functions as a one-man-band, doing it all for the metal masses. His first album, 2008′s Vengeance, was one of those special sleepers that didn’t get nearly as much attention and praise as it deserved. Fusing viking, epic and power metal, it had a unique, engaging style all its own and the songwriting was top-notch (it almost sounded like Týr mixed with Europe and Hammerheart-era Bathory if you can imagine that). So good was the material, years later, I still find myself singing the immortal line “I swear this oath, this oath of Wengeance...” at least once a week (wengeance, like revenge, is best served cold, with crackers and cheese). While the lyrics were based around viking and mythical themes, it had a dead-serious feeling that most power metal acts couldn’t come close to achieving. After a long wait, we finally get Of Love and Death. So, is it more viking/power with all the sacking and rampaging we expect? Well no, it’s something quite different. Apparently in the three years since Vengeance, Mr. Grosse grew tired of viking battles and blood oaths and turned all introspective and emo. This is an album steeped in the subjects of love, heartache, loss and loneliness. That’s right, he done gone and turned in his war hammer for a big-ass book of love poems. As odd as it seems, it doesn’t totally kill things and Grosse’s writing and performing chops are still there. However, this certainly isn’t the sequel I was hoping for and there are issues that ultimately render it a partial disappointment. Continue reading

Raventale // Bringer of Heartsore
Rating: 3.5/5.0 —Moonsore–o
Label: BadMoodMan Records
Websites: myspace.com/raventale
Release Dates: Out now!

Ukrainian black metal? With doom and viking elements? By a one man band? Sounds good to me! While Steel Druhm must sheepishly admit to being late to the Raventale party, now that I’m here, I’m a happy fucking camper indeed. That’s because one Astaroth Merc has single-handedly spewed out a very entertaining and enjoyable platter of contemplative, brooding, atmospheric and doomy black metal on his fifth album, Bringer of Heartsore. So good is the material here, I’m willing to overlook that awful, AWFUL album title (plus, I’m assuming English is like his fifth language so mistakes will be made). So what will a listener be treated to on a Raventale album? A composite of Moonsorrow, Helrunar and SIG:AR:TYR (minus the folk acoustics). That means big, sweeping musical pieces, alternatively epic, melancholy and brutal. Sometimes hollow like a dark, empty void, other times ice-cold like Nordic winters, Astaroth weaves many a mood over this relatively short but sweet blackened sojourn. I find myself impressed enough to begin immediate excavation of their back catalog for more rich doomy, blackened goodness. To decide if you might feel the same, read all the fine words below, in order. Continue reading

Týr // The Lay of Thrym
Label: Napalm Records
Rating: 4.0/5.0 — Rejoice, Sheeple! A number!
Websites: myspace.com/tyr1
Release Dates: EU: 2011.05.27 | USA: 06.07.2011
A Review by Natalie Zed

As soon as this album was announced, the literary nerd in me did a little dance of glee. The title is taken from a section of the Poetic Edda, a collection of old Norse poetry. An alternate title for The Lay of Thrym is “The Fetching of Thor’s Hammer” — that’s about as epic as it gets.

Týr are a band that do so much more than dabble in the cultural milieu they’re engaging with. They have fully committed to their aesthetic; they do bloody research; and they want depth, knowledge and authenticity. I have a profound respect for their dedication to Viking metal and culture. Continue reading

Kromlek // Finis Terrae
Rating: 2.5/5.0 — Kiddie Kalmah/Bodom for babies.
Label: Trollzorn Records
Websites: bollwerk-kromlek.de/ myspace.com/kromlek
Release Dates: EU: 2011.04.08/15 | US: N/A – Digital Release 04.08.2011

I never heard of these guys before and didn’t know what to expect but they’re described as folk/viking black  metal from Germany. Finis Terrae is their third platter and features guest appearances from members of Heidevolk and Equilibrium. Since I wasn’t able to locate their earlier works, I can’t speak intelligently about how this stacks up to their past material but I can say this isn’t what I expected from a viking/folk group. Instead, a lot of Finis Terrae reminds me of a mid-paced, way more melodic version of Children of Bodom with some hints of Kalmah appearing throughout as well. Only during the back half of the album does KromleK employ what could be considered a traditional viking/black metal style and by then it seems out of place after all the COB-lite noodling. Thus, this becomes a tale of two half albums that don’t necessarily compliment each other. While I was pleasantly surprised by the strange, progressive approach on some of the material here, things get pretty uneven and spotty as things move along. What we get left with is a confusing mish-mash of styles and intentions. Continue reading

Turisas // Stand Up and Fight
Rating: 4.5/5.0 — Excellent (but take your time with it!)
Label: Century Media
Website: turisas.fi
Release Dates: EU: 2011.02.28 | US: 03.08.2011

Few bands have ever generated the kind of excitement that Turisas generated among my friends in 2004 when we first got wind of Battle Metal—the debut record from this Finnish viking metal group. Stylistically it really was like nothing we had ever heard. Over the top orchestrations ruled the disc with nary a guitar solo in sight. Instead, the music was largely good for beer swilling and chanting at our drunken parties (which were usually followed up by everyone putting their hair in a certain type of ponytail and running around screaming “Riders of Rohan!”). Hard hitting tracks like “Battle Metal” and “The Land of Hope and Glory” excited us to no end. This band was something unique and special.

For me, however, Battle Metal has always paled in comparison with the follow up record The Varangian Way which was released in 2007. While the first record was a collection of fantastic tracks, The Varangian Way was a flow-blown concept record of the best kind. Orchestrated to perfection and written with the kind of flow that few records I own have (see: The Wall by Pink Floyd, Seventh Son of a Seventh Son by Iron Maiden and V: The New Mythology Suite by Symphony X to understand what I mean), The Varangian Way blew my mind. It was more progressive than the earlier record and while criticized as ‘trying too hard’ by some people with poor taste and small minds, those changes sat well with me.

So in some ways, then, it should be no surprise that Stand Up and Fight, the third record from Turisas, is again a progression away from the fairly straight forward (if bombastic) roots that the band came from. However, how does a band ever follow up a record that is easily in my top 20 records of the 2000s (and almost made my Top 15)? Is it even possible to get anywhere near the kind of narrative flow and balance between Battle Metal style aggression and The Varangian Way style progressiveness and orchestrations? Continue reading

Moonsorrow // Varjoina Kuljemme Kuolleiden Maassa
Rating: 5.0/5.0 — A Masterpiece
Label: Spinefarm
Websites: moonsorrow.com | myspace.com/moonsorrow
Release Dates: UK: 21.02.2011 | EU: 28.02.2011 | USA: Unknown

Moonsorrow is one of the few bands I can think of that no one I know doesn’t like. They seem to unite all fans of underground metal because of their amazing music and authenticity. Let’s face it, a band who writes 15 minute dirges in their native, and arguably alien, tongue doesn’t want for authenticity. Only a few other bands I can think of, like Primordial and Enslaved really have the respect of everyone in what they do. It’s like they’re playing on another plane of existence or something. That, predictably, raises expectations for new Moonsorrow records through the roof (to say the least). But unlike others, Moonsorrow never fails to deliver and Varjoina Kuljemme Kuolleiden Maassa (Like Shadows we Walk through the Land of the Dead) is a monument to what atmospheric black metal should be like and to Moonsorrow‘s impeccable legacy. Continue reading

Falkenbach // Tiurida
Rating: 3.0/5.0 — Sleepytime campfire music for reluctant vikings
Label: Napalm Records
Websites: falkenbach.de | myspace.com/falkenbachofficial
Release Dates: EU: 28.01.2011 | US: 02.08.2011

The new year sees cult hero Markus Tummers aka (Vratyas Vakyas) and his one man project Falkenbach rise from a long wintry slumber to release Tiurida, album number five. Those familiar with Falkenbach will know they/he specialize in sometimes epic, folk-heavy viking metal influenced primarily by Bathory and likely Ulver as well. Being that their last release, Heralding – the Fireblade, was a rerecording of the old demo material, they haven’t released new material since 2003′s excellent Ok Nefna Tysvar Ty. That’s a mighty long time to keep fans waiting for some new stuff! So has the time away changed the style or vision? Has the endless wait by long suffering and loyal fans been amply rewarded with musical treasure? Well, gather all ye around the merry campfire and let me tell you the tale of my review whilst playing yea old mandolin. Please don your hoods and chant along appropriately. Continue reading

The one man Canadian black/folk/viking metal band known as SIG:AR:TYR came out with a really great new album this year but did anyone hear it? (sounds of crickets chirping and wind whistling across the frozen wastelands). Sole band member Daemonskald (you think it says that on his drivers license?) has continued to refine his vision of epic, sweeping viking/black metal and here on album three, he seems to have hit the proverbial sweet spot.  There’s a near perfect combination between aggression and beauty on display here and the whole thing feels like an epic poem set to music. In fact, this is a concept album dealing with Odin and his trials and travails and the music is appropriately majestic, somber and powerful. As on the previous SIG:AR:TYR albums, there is a strong focus on acoustic guitar and folk styles but on Godsaga, there’s an increased heaviness and the distorted electric guitar is far more prevalent than before, making the music more powerful and compelling. Likewise, the vocals are split pretty evenly between hoarse black croaks and clean singing/chanting, both work very well and the mix feels just right. Every song is well constructed and well executed and all have a heartfelt, passionate and authentic  feel to them (“Sonatorrek” fast became my favorite instrumental moment of the year). There are a lot of varied atmospheres and moods across the nine tracks and this is a very impressive and expressive black/viking metal album.  Perfect album cover too!

If you like the sound and mood on Bathory’s Hammerheart or any of the Falkenbach albums, this will be a big win for you. It’s definitely one the metal gems of the year. Odin gave his freaking eye for you so the least you could do is check out this album you heathen bastards!

Highlights: “Nights All Nine,” “Midwinter Sacrifice,” “Blood of the North” and “Sonatorrek”

King of Asgard // Fi’mbulvintr
Rating: 3.0/5.0 — Good, but it ain’t Mithotyn
Label: Metal Blade
Website: kingofasgard.com | myspace.com/kingofasgardsweden
Release Dates: EU: 16.08.2010 | US: 08.17.2010

Few names rate as highly among fans of “viking metal” and melodic death metal as the classic Swedish act Mithotyn, which sadly went defunct in 1999 after three excellent full lengths (In the Sign of the Ravens, King of the Distant Forest and Gathered Around the Oaken Table—all of which come highly recommended). Since then, they have gained a near cult status as one of the leaders in the genre and one of the best to ever touch the folk-viking metal legacy. For fans of the band, or at least for this fan of the band, Falconer was never an appropriate replacement for what was a unique and fresh band that went sadly under the radar during their tenure. So you can imagine my excitement upon receiving a copy of Fi’mbulvintr (which, btw, shouldn’t this be Fímbulvintr?), from the new incarnation containing the former guitarist from Mithotyn as well as the band’s drummer. Continue reading

Fimbulthier // Arise
Rating: 1.0/5.0 – Fimbulful of awful
Label: Trollzorn
Websites: fimbulthier.de | myspace.com/fimbulthier
Release Dates: EU: 09.07.2010 | US: No available date

Into every reviewer’s lap, some crap will surely fall. Now, I can’t complain too much since I’ve had a pretty crap-free run so far as a scribe for the mighty and esteemed Angry Metal Guy. Sadly, that run has now come to a sudden and painful end with Arise, the second album from Germany’s Fimbulthier. I had never heard of these gents before but apparently their 2007 debut was some kind of viking/death metal hybrid, which by the looks of online reviews, didn’t exactly warm the cockles of the metal minded among us. Arise however, is about as viking as Pee Wee Herman in drag. No, seriously, maybe I misread the band description and it said Tricycling metal because there is nothing remotely close to viking metal here. What there is plenty of however, is awfulness and dreck. Continue reading