Hypocras Interview

1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the band since the recording and release of the new ep?

The recording process has been made during September 2016. So we've first released the digital format of the EP on our Bandcamp because we didn't receive the physical ones yet. Few weeks after the release, there were a lot of people purchasing it (I mean at our level...). So it has received a heartly welcome from the public. We also received a label offer, but unfortuntely it didn't fit with our own production schedule. The fact is that we had already ordered  and paid the print of the EP on our own and we were supposed to transfer some money to the label for that and we couldn't afford this extra expense. Many great reviews have already been written on the new baby and it's always a great pleasure to read something positive on your musical endeavor. It means a lot. But for us, the most important thing is to play shows because we all think this is the soul of Hypocras. The real Hypocras is on live in my opinion and we're still un-labeled so this is also the best way to meet people and have new fans. So we're actively looking for new gigs !

2.Recently you have released a new ep how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording and also how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

The stuff  of the past was really flute oriented. The other instruments were there to support the flute. On the new EP the flute supports the other instruments. So it's quite the opposite but I think it was a logical forward in our musical path as a band.

3.I have read that the band originally started out as an instrumental project, what was the decision behind adding vocals into your music?

   It started as an instrumental project because it was a project for his final exams so he had not expected to make some shows in the future. The fact is that even after he had graduated, the band continued to make rehearsal and worked on new music. Step by step, the idea to perform live has born and it became consistent to add vocals on the musical score.

4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the newer music?

Like the music, the lyrics have evolved. If on our first EP and full-length album, the lyrics were definitely oriented on the fantasy and viking themes, the new ones are directed on more philosophical, psychological concept. Actually on "Implosive" I'm trying to explore the constant dialog you have with yourself during on the critical times of your life. Which place the cognizant "I" is supposed to take ? What are the best way to keep this "I" aware ? I supposed these kind of questions only reflect my own interrogation at a time of my life where I have to make crucial choices. The bond between my lyrics and my life is strong.

5.I have seen the band being labeled as a death/viking metal band, do any of the band members have an interest in Paganism?

We have some during our early years but no longer...

6.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Hypocras?

There are not a lot of meaning or inspiration behind the name. It's an unique word so easier to remember and we like the medieval wine called Hypocras. Sorry, there's no conceptual inspiration behind the band's name :)

7.What are some of the best shows that the band has played over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?

I think that the first one on a big stage with a big crowd in front of us was an unforgettable time ! It was on 21th May 2011 at Les Docks in Lausanne (CH). We received a proposition to open for the band Eluveitie (CH) which was already a big name in the metal world. There were us and them ! It was the first time we were playing in front of more than one thousand people... For a little local band it was nearly obnoxious. We were quite impressed by the space on the stage but I think we managed to do it well because we did again at the Palladium in Geneva (CH) in 2012 and at L'Usine in Geneva in 2013. The show at the MetalCamp 2012 (SLO) was also a big highlight ! In front of more than two thousand people ! The first real tour with six followings shows in Japan in 2013 was also mad.

Our stage performance is very powerful and we try to share a lot with the crowd. Maybe too much for the crowd sometimes... But that's the way we like to do it. We like to see the smile on people face or something in their eyes which says : "I feel something right now". Like I said before, the live performance is the soul of Hypocras.

8.Do you have any touring or show plans for the future?

Well, we subscribed to the Swiss Wacken Metal Battle this year so we hope to play at Wacken this year. We also have a Spanish/Portugal tour scheduled for May. We also have two shows in Berlin and Hamburg (DE) during the summer. Maybe we'll try to book another european tour in October but nothing sure.

9.On the ep you had done a 'Djizoes' cover, what was the decision behind doing your own version of one of their songs?

Djizoes is a band from Geneva so we're friends. They change their name in "The Erkonauts" now and we're playing with them tonight ! We choose to play this song in 2015 when the bassist and leader of Djizoes was celebrating his birthday and invited us to play in a local venue in Geneva. Our ex-drummer thought it would be a great gift to play one their song for the show. So we worked on it and two years later, we choose to record our own version of this song.

10.Currently you are unsigned, are you looking for a label or have received any interest?

We are a little bit lazy about that because if we had dreams about signing with a big label, now we don't have anymore. So even if the things are slower to set up when you're unsigned, you have a the feeling that your band owns you. Plus, we didn't receive a lot of offer so the choice was not a real choice.

11.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of extreme metal?

It depends of the kind of fans of extreme metal... Some of them are not listening only extreme metal and they often like or not dislike our music and performance. The ones listening only to extreme metal are more sceptical : "The flute is so gay","This is too gentle" or "Not enough blastbeat"... Well, I think it's more about the open mind than about being fan of extreme metal.

12.When can we expect a full length and also where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?

I don't know where we're heading in the future. Probably on the same line we're doing now. And of course, we would like to record a second full-length album but before that, we need time to write the materials. And we also have our jobs, family and this is not going to happen before 2018 I think.

13.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your newer music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

Hopefully we became very, very eclectic. Jazz, hip-hop, rap, blues, bluegrass... Everything works if you feel something. I don't really know how these styles have an influence on our music but it has some. Only the future will tell us ! If you want some really good jazz : Hiromi Uehara Trio, Mammal Hands, Matthew Halsall, Avishai Cohen...

14.What are some of your non musical interests?

Probably reading and video games for myself.

15.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?

Thanks for the nice review and for this interview ! You're doing a great job !

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Aether Interview

 1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the band?
1) Hi, we're Aether. We've been around for a little bit more than a year, pillaging and raiding the lands of Poland from our hometown, Łódź. Thus being said, we started the band in late 2015 with the spirit of Melodic Death Metal in our hearts. Which of course led to the release of the "Tale of Fire" EP on September 30th.

    2.In September you had released an ep, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording?
2) It's a mixture of our biggest influences such as Wintersun or Blind Guardian and our first attempt to create something unique and original. It has all that you might want it to have - blast beats, powerful screams, acoustic parts, INGENIOUS BASSWORK, a little choir and a lot of orchestrations! And, a riddle to us, as some people say black metal influences. ;)

    3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?
3) That's one vast topic to explore. Fair enough to say each song is a separate story and for a careful listener the whole EP somehow blends into a bigger picture (which was actually unintended when I was writing the lyrics). And if someone's careful enough it's easy to notice that the stories touch more profound topics regarding man's dilemmas and his quest for understanding.

    4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Aether'?
4) In ancient Greece Aether was one of the primordial deities, a personification of the upper air. He embodies the pure air that the gods breathe thus filling the space between the realms of gods and mortals. However he had barely any shrines and no cult or temples at all. In other words, Aether is something that exists, yet is not to be touched nor seen; an idea of magic and all beyond understanding.
It's also a magical element in the "Witcher" saga and sounds dope as fuck :D

    5.What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and also how would you describe your stage performance?
5) Since our first stage appearance we had our fair share of gigs in entire Poland with a lot of great folk metal bands, but our hearts always beat faster in our hometown - Łódź. And so, the most memorable Aether's concerts were played there. Such as our EP release party, which was a priceless experience.

    6.Do you have any touring or show plans for the future?
6) Well, it's a hard topic to talk about without spoiling anything or making hype of things that may not happen, but we definitely want to grow bigger, go HARDER, BETTER, FASTER, STRONGER... We want to start playing gigs outside of Poland and have our first serious tour. And even though we're starting to catch the first glimpses of what may the future bring us, only time will tell.

    7.The ep was released on 'Art Of The Night Productions', can you tell us a little bit more about this label?
7) Well, it all started when we were playing one of the "Folk Metal Night" gigs. There was this one funny guy selling merch, sipping his beer from a drinking horn.
We were introduced. His name is Leopold and he's the owner of the label. Long story short, a few months later, after sharing a few beers and gigs he said "Hey, once you have some stuff recorded, hit me up, I may release it". And well, that's basically how it worked. Leo, aside from being a super cool guy, is one of the main reasons the Polish folk metal scene is so cool.

    8.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of melodic death and folk metal?
8) Overwhelming. We were shocked how many people wanted to listen to our music and get in touch with us. It's truly amazing. We shipped out quite a lot of CDs, not only in Europe but also to the USA and Japan.
And if it was not enough, we are constantly receiving very positive feedback from members of greater acts such as Beyond Creation, Ionic Bond or Aether Realm. It's so unreal - artists who wrote some of our favourite songs say they enjoyed our music and put it on their playlists! Truly shocking!
So as you can see, the support is amazing and we are truly thankful to everyone who believes in us.

    9.When can we expect a full length and also where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
9) Difficult question. We have a lot of ideas and as you can imagine it's not this kind of stuff that can be written in one evening. It takes time to write a song we're satisfied with, and we have no idea when all those half-written tunes will be finished. But I can assure you that it will happen... someday... I hope...

    10.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
10) It may vary, depending on which bandmember you ask, but we all share a neverending love and appreciation towards Blind Guardian and Wintersun. That's it. There's nothing more you need in life.
(Well, you still have to eat and sleep and do some other things, but who cares about such down to earth things) :P

    11.What are some of your non musical interests?
11) Honestly there are hardly any that we share. Unless you count drinking, partying and eating Chinese food as interests. Seriously now, some of us enjoy games, but who doesn't nowadays. And we all have individual interests, namely some scientific/medical/technological stuff and photography. Life's too short not to explore new areas of interest!


    12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
12) First of all, we want to thank you for giving us an opportunity to write our asses off. Secondly we want to thank all our fans for letting us develop as a band, it's you who make us who we are! And last but not least, thanks to all of you who made it down here, we really appreciate it! Cheers ;)

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Hypocras/Implosive/2016 EP Review

  Hypocras  are  a  band  from Switzerland  that  plays  a  mixture  of  melodic  death,  viking  and  folk  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2016  ep  "Implosive".

  A  very  heavy  and  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  ep  along  with  some  blast  beats  and  high  pitched  screams  which  also  have  a  touch  of  black  metal  to  them  and  folk  instruments  are  also  used  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  and  the  music  also  mixes  in  some  modern  metal  elements  and  deep  growls  are  also  used  at  times.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  back  up  shouts  are  also  used  at  times  and  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  stick  to  a  very  melodic  yet  extreme  musical  style  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  they  also  bring  in  a  cover  of  Djizoes  "A  Song  For  Them"  and  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of  grim  spoken  word  parts  and  they  also  bring  in  an  electronic  re-mix  song  as  the  last  track.

  Hypocras  plays  a  musical  style  that  is  mostly  rooted  in  melodic  death  metal  while  also  adding  in  touches  of  black,  viking  and  folk  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Hypocras  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  melodic  death,  black,  viking  and  folk  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Implosive  Absolution"  and  "At  the  Edge".  8  out  of  10.

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Aether/Tale Of Fire/Art Of The Night Productions/2016 EP Review

 Aether  are  a  band  from  Poland  that  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  folk,  viking,  and death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their   2016  ep  "Tale  Of  Fire"  which  was  released  by  Art  Of  the  Night  Productions.

   Folk  music  style  sounds  start  off  the  ep  and  the  music  also  brings  in  a  decent  amount  of  symphonic  elements  and  they  also  mix  in  with  the  heavier  sound  which  also  introduces  melodic  guitar  leads  onto  the  recording  and  the  riffs  also  use  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  after  awhile  high  pitched  screams  make  their  presence  known  and  they  add  a  touch  of  black  metal.

  Vocals  also  mix  in  a  great  amount  of  death  metal  growls  and  the  music  also  brings  back  some  of  the  90's  viking  and  melodic  death  metal  styles  and  some  of  the  drum  beats  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  tribal  feeling  and  clean  singing  pagan  vocals  along  with  acoustic  guitars  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of  female  vocals.

  Aether  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  the  more  melodic  forms  of  black  and  death  metal  and  mixes  it  with  viking,  symphonic  and  folk  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  cover  fantasy  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Aether  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  death  metal  band  with  touches  of  black,  viking,  symphonic  and  folk  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Tale  of  Fire".  8  out  of  10.

https://aether-band.bandcamp.com/album/tale-of-fire

Pimea Metsa/No Blood, No Glory/WormHoleDeath Records/2016 CD Review

  Pimea  Metsa  are  a  band  from  Spain  that  plays  a  viking  form  of  folk  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2016  album  "No  Blood,  No  Glory"  which  will  be released  on  December  23rd  by  WormHoleDeath  Records.

   Symphonic  and  epic  sounding  keyboards  start  off  the  album  and  after  awhile  folk  instruments  are  added  onto  the  recording  and  they  also  mix  in  with  the  heavier  side  of  the  music  and  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  more  of  a  melodic  fashion  and  the  vocals  bring  in  a  mixture  of  black  metal screams  and  aggressive  pagan  singing.

  A  great  amount  of  melody  can  be  heard  in  the  guitar  riffing  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  and  death  metal  growls  are  also  utilized  at  times and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  back  up  shouts  can  also  be  heard  at  times  and  some  songs  also  bring  in   a  small  amount of  acoustic  guitars.

  Pimea  Metsa  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  viking  and  folk  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Northern  Mythology,  Epic  Battles  and  Nature.

  In  my opinion  Pimea Metsa  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  viking  and  folk  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Viking's  Creed"  "Einherjer"  "Call  To  Arms"  and  "Cry  For  Freedom".  8  out  of  10.   

www.pimeametsa.com
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www.youtube.com/user/PimeaMetsaOfficial
pimeametsa.bandcamp.com

 

Spectral/Artic Sunrise/Boersma Records/2017 Full Length Review

  Spectral  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black, viking, thrash  and  power  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  album  "Artic  Sunrise"  which  will  be  released  in  2017  by  Boersma  Records.

  Atmospheric synths  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  spoken  word  parts  a few  seconds  later  and  after  the intro  the  music  goes  into  a  heavier  direction  along  with  melodic  guitar  leads  also  being  added  onto  the  recording  while  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  also  make  their  presence  known  along  with  a  few  death  metal  growls.

  A  great  amount  of  melody  can  be  heard  in  the  guitar  riffing  and  they  also  mix  the  keyboards  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  which  also  gives  the  album  more  of  an  epic  feeling  and  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard.

  Clean  guitars  can  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  the  riffs  also  mix  in  a  great  amount  of  thrash  metal  elements  along  with  some  of  the  solos and  leads  mixing  in  an  old  school  style  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  great  amount  of  viking  metal  elements  are  added  onto  the  recording  and  one  track  also  brings  in  a  brief  use  of  air  raid  sirens  and  war  samples  and  the  melodies  are  also  very  heavily  influenced  by  power  metal and  a  later  track  also  adds  in  a  few  seconds  of  acoustic  guitars.

  Spectral  plays  a   musical  style  that  takes  melodic  black,  viking,  thrash  and  power  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create a sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics cover  Norse  Mythology,  Vikings  and  Epic  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Spectral  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  melodic  black,  viking,  thrash  and  power  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Evil  Takes  Control"  "In  Battle  With  Fire  &  Steel"  and  "Fuck  Off  And  Die  (Metal  Is  Forever)".  8 out  of  10.

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Myrkgrav/Takk OgFarvel; Tide Er Blitt Ei Annen/2016 Full Length Review

   Myrkgrav  are  a  solo  project  from  Norway  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  blackened  mixture  of  folk  and  viking  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2016  album  "Takk  Og  Farvel;  Tide  Er  Blitt  Ei  Annen".

  A  very  hard  and  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  album  and  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  this  recording  and  after  awhile  clean  singing  pagan  vocals  are  added  onto  the  recording  and  folk  instruments  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  most  of  the  songs  and  the  solos  and  leads  also use  a  great  amount  of  melody.

  Spoken  word  parts  can  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  and  the  music  also  brings in  a  decent  amount  of  clean  playing  along  with  some  acoustic  guitars  also  being  utilized  at  times  and  you can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording  and  after  awhile  grim  black  metal  screams also  make  their presence  known  and  some  of  the  tracks  are  all  instrumental.

  Myrkgrav  creates  another  recording  that  remains  true  to  the  blackened  mixture  of  folk  and  viking  metal  of  previous  releases,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Norwegian  and  cover  local  history  and  folk  tales.

  In my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album from  Myrkgrav  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black,  folk  and  viking  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Skjon  Jomfru"  "Soterudsvarten"Torrhard"  and  "Uttjent".  8  out  of  10.

Homepage: http://www.myrkgrav.no/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Myrkgrav/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/Fattifolkskremarn
Bandcamp: https://myrkgrav.bandcamp.com/
  

Isenmor/Land Of The Setting Sun/2015 EP Review

  Isenmor  are  a  band  from  Maryland  that  plays  viking/folk  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2015  ep  "Land  Of  The  Setting  Sun".

  Violins  start  off the  ep  along  with  some  heavy  guitars  and  black  metal  screams  and  the  music  also  mixes  in  elements  of  thrash  and  death  metal  and  the  clean  singing  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  pagan  metal  feeling  and  they  also  mix  the  folk  music  and  heavy  parts  together   and  you can  also  hear  spoken  word  parts  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording.

  Throughout  the  recording  there  is  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts   and  you  can  hear  a  great  amount  of  melody  being  utilized  in  the  guitar  riffing  and  the  vocals  also  bring in  a  small  amount  of  growls  at  times  and  as  the ep  progresses  keyboards  are  brought  in  briefly  and  none  of  the  songs  use  any  guitar  solos  and  leads.

  Isenmor  plays  a  musical  style  that  is  mostly  rooted  in  the  viking  and  folk  metal  genres  but  also  mix  in  a  great  amount  of  black  metal  elements  and  a  touch  of  thrash  and  death  metal  to  give  their musical  style  more  of  a  heavy  sound,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  cover  Nordic  and  Vinlandic  Mythology.

    In  my  opinion  Isenmor  are  a  very  great  sounding  viking/folk  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Death  Is  A  Fine  Companion"  and  "Land  Of  the  Setting  Sun".  8  out  of  10. 

STREAM & BUY: http://isenmor.bandcamp.com/
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Varang Nord Interview

1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the band since the recording and release of the new ep?
First of all, we have finally completed our line-up, we have a full-time drummer, Aig, now, which makes ready for performing live. By the way, on July 4th we’ll be performing at “Melnā Piektdiena” (Riga), which will be our first gig. Other than that, many things have happened. Actually “Fire of the North” on our part has been completed about a month before its release and about 4 months before it has been releases on CDs, so we had plenty of time. During this we managed to finish our new album named “Master of the Forest”, which will hopefully be released this winter already. By the way, one can also listen to one of the songs from the new album on our facebook page (www.facebook.com/varangnord).

2.Recently you have released a new ep, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording?
Brutal Nordic metal with the spirit of the Vikings in it. In-your-face type of brutality with folkish accordion chants.

3.This is the first release you have released since 2007 and the first one to be released under 'Varand Nord', can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during that time frame?
Well, “Balaguri” were active up until 2009, when they decided to have a bit of rest. Wolf, our guitarist/vocalist have been thinking a lot, preparing a lot, gaining experience in other bands. By the way, in one of these bands, “Begotten”, he has met our current bassist, Khurr. As a result, in 2012 he decided to restore “Balaguri”, but in a more melodic, Nordic and serious way. The same could be said about others also, they all have been trying themselves out in various bands, bringing that experience to Varang Nord eventually.

4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?
Mainly, we are inspired by the Nordic culture, Vikings in particular, as well as harsh northern nature and history. Well, the classical folk-metal’s “drink as much ale as you can” topic is also present in some songs, but that is not the main theme.

5.Originally the band was called 'Balaguri', what was the decision behind the name change and also the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Varang Nord'?
First of all, “Balaguri” were mainly concerned with Slavic culture, and Varang Nord expands the area to all the Northern part of Europe, thus the new ideology, image of the band and all that stuff, as well as it signifies the overall change in the band’s music. Also, we ourselves come from a northern country and our ancestry is closely related to Varangians (Slavic and Baltic descendants of Scandinavians) themselves, which is why the name “Varang Nord” fits the band perfectly, in our opinion.

6.What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and also how would you describe your stage performance?
Well, as we’ve already mentioned, with “Varang Nord”, our first gig will happen on July 4th. Concerning “Balaguri”, there were many great shows, all of them, actually, so it’s really hard to distinguish a particular gig in this respect. Maybe it would be a gig with the band “Epidemia” and the re-enactment club “Rubezh”, during which pagan music merged with the clash of blades, which was truly epic. As for the performance, we try to recreate the harsh atmosphere of the North, brutal and unforgiving.

7.Do you have any touring or show plans for the future?
Right now we are thinking about performing around Latvia a bit, in the cities of Riga, Daugavpils and Liepaja for example, but there are no definite plans by now. After that, a couple of gigs in the neighbouring countries perhaps. All the details are being thought through at the moment, and we’ll be sure to announce definite touring plans as soon as they are ready. Anyhow, we are always open for the offers of performing, and if anyone invites us to participate in a gig, we will be glad to consider that.

8.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of pagan and folk metal?
It has been surprisingly good. We were amazed and even shocked a bit by how warmly the worldwide public received us, which always is inspiring. We are truly happy that our music was able to find its place in the hearts of many people and we say our thanks to all who support us. Oh, one more thing is that it has been very pleasing for us to be compared to such bands as Amon Amarth and Finntroll, compared positively, of course. We surely haven’t been expecting that.

9.Are any of the band members also involved with any other bands or musical projects these days?
Yes, we are still developing ourselves in various styles to enrich both our personal and common experiences. Wolf plays in “Begotten”, “Asthma” and “Saintorment” and Khurr in “Yomi”.

10.When can we expect a full length album and also where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
We hope that we’ll be able to release or next album, “Master of the Forest”, this winter already and also you check out one of the album’s songs online. As for the future, we are trying to mace our music more melodic and distinctive, maintaining the traditional Varang Nord’s sounding. More or less, this is our main idea about the sound – we don’t try to change it drastically from album to album, instead trying to get our style polished, perfecting it with time.

11.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your newer music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
Both “Balaguri” and “Varang Nord” are heavily influenced by “Turisas”, also “Amon Amarth” and “Finntroll”. If we speak about the epitome of influence, we could distinguish a particular song – Battle Metal by “Turisas”, which, by the way, has been the one that influenced Wolf to start composing folk-metal.

12.How would you describe your views on Paganism?
We perceive paganism as a part of culture, an image of sorts, an inspiration that helps us creating our songs. We ourselves are not particularly religious, and the same could be said about our attitude towards paganism.

13.What are some of your non musical interests?
Wolf is interested in military vehicle models, now a bit less maybe, but it was a big part of him some years ago. Khurr is all about Oriental studies, history and philology, and Aig is a big fan of rally racing, where he is not only a spectator, but also participates himself. And, of course, drinking fine ale is our main common non-musical interest.

14.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Soon, the fires of the north will burn bright, and our guitars shall rise into the sky along Odin’s spear! We hope to someday see everyone, who is interested in our music and share tales and countless mugs of ale with them!

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Varang Nord/Fire Of The North/2014 EP Review

  Varang  Nord  are  a  band  from  Latvia  that  plays  a  mixture  of  folk,  viking  and  melodic  black/death  metal  and  this  is a  review  of  their  self  released  2014  ep  "Fire  Of  The  North".

  A  very  hard  and  heavy  viking  metal  sound  starts  off  the  ep  along  with  some  synths  being  mixed  in  at  times  which  adds  more  of  a  folk  atmosphere to  the  music  and  when  vocals  are  added  into  the  music  they  are  deep  death  metal growls  and  after  awhile  more  elements  of  folk  are  added  into  the  music.

  As  the  ep  progresses  the  songs  start  bringing  in a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  a  small  amount of  blast  beats  and  clean  singing  viking/folk  metal  vocals  can  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  some  of  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  touch  of  Swedish  style  melodic  black/death  metal  and  they close  the  ep  with  an  instrumental  track.  

  Varang  Nord  plays  a  musical  style  that  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  melodic  death  metal  but  also  brings  in  a  heavy  does  of  viking  and  folk  metal  along  with  a  touch  of  black  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording while  the  lyrics  cover  Paganism  themes.   

  In  my  opinion  Varang  Nord  are  a  very  great  sounding  viking/folk  metal  band  with  a  touch  of melodic  black/death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "As  Men  Poured  Ale"  and  "Fires  Of  the  North".  8  out  of  10. 

https://metalscraprecords.bandcamp.com/album/varang-nord-fire-of-the-north

Isenmor Interview

1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the band?

Mike Wilson (bass/vocals): Tim came up with the original idea for the band. He suggested that we start a folk metal band that focuses primarily on violins. We started around May of 2014 when we brought on Nick and Miles. Tim, Nick, and I worked on the first three songs which really defined our sound.

Tim Regan (guitar/vocals): PaganFest had just come through, and I was inspired to start my own folk metal band having just seen WINTERHYMN. They are proof that Americans can make some great folk metal. So I put up a few ads and got immediate responses. Clearly I wasn’t the only one who thought this could work. Nick and Miles both responded to the ad, and both of them are impressive violinists. Instead of choosing between the two, we just brought them both on board. The first couple times the band got together, we played “In My Sword I Trust” by ENSIFERUM, but we replaced the two lead guitar parts with violins. It sounded amazing, so that really shaped the songwriting for ISENMOR.


2.Recently you have released an ep, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording?

Nick Schneider (violin/vocals): I guess best way to describe it is as a melodic sort of folk metal of the more serious type. We like to use lots of harmonies with multiple instruments and vocals working together. We go back and forth between harsh and clean vocals, so there is plenty of aggression, but it is tempered with cleaner, often melancholy passages.


3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?

NS: Like any good folk metal band, we have lyrics that cover battle, death, drinking and Germanic history and Mythology. We have put a special emphasis on historical accuracy and referring to the original source manuscripts for reference (like the Eddas, Tacitus' 'Germania' etc.)  We try to cover all Germanic dark age peoples instead of just vikings (as many do), but since there is so much lore about vikings they are hard to avoid. We try our best to include themes in our songs that are still relatable to a modern listener, and try to avoid being corny as much as possible.


4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Isenmor'?

NS: Isenmor is a compound of the Old English words Isen (Iron) and Mor (moor in modern English, also translates as wasteland). We thought the meaning "Iron Wasteland" evoked the idea of the aftermath of a battle, a wasteland of broken blades, cleaved helms and hewn mail among the dead and dying. On top of that we felt the name by itself sounded very cool and catchy to us. We went with an Old English as a way of connecting to the dark ages in a way that relates to us being from an English-founded country.


5.What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and also how would you describe your stage performance?

NS: Our best show so far had to be our most recent one at the Ottobar in Baltimore, MD back in March. We got a great response from the crowd and we played with a lot of energy. Our live performances include a decent amount of historical props and imagery. Since we have a range of fast and slow songs, we try to start strong, bring it down for a bit with some of our somber pieces, and then build back up and end in a frenzy.


6.Do you have any touring or show plans for the future?

NS: The release party for our EP is June 19th at Club Orpheus in Baltimore. That'll be your chance to pick-up the EP a couple days early! We'll also be playing Pocono Folk Metal Fest August 1st and Maryland Folk Fest August 22nd.  We haven't got any plans to tour in place at the moment, but we'd like to start playing outside our local area somewhat soon.

TR: We do have some opening slots for some larger folk/pagan bands that we have not yet announced coming up this year as well.


7.Currently you are unsigned, are you looking for a label or have received any interest?

NS: We are not actively looking for a label at this point, but we'd be willing to review an offer if anyone is interested in us.


8.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of folk metal?

NS: So far, all the feedback we have gotten has been great. We haven't reached too many people yet, but the reviews we've gotten on our EP so far have been even better than we were hoping for.

MW: We're pretty young yet, but so far the feedback for our music has been really positive. We've gotten some pretty good reviews by a few online zines. We're pretty stoked about it!


9.When can we expect a full length album and also where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?

NS: We have about half of the material for a full length written already, and at the rate we're going we expect to have writing done by this Autumn. Assuming none of our members die in battle, you should expect a full length consisting of entirely new material in mid-late 2016.


10.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

NS: Our main influences include Týr, Heidevolk, Eluveitie, and Ensiferum. We've all got a pretty broad and varying taste in metal, and we bring varying ideas from all kinds of subgenres to our music.

TR: Aside from the ones Nick listed, lately I’ve been into Falkenbach’s Asa, Blind Guardian’s new album, Iced Earth’s Plagues of Babylon, and the new Nightwish.

MW: As for myself, I've recently been hooked on Devin Townsend and Green Carnation.


11.Does paganism play any role in your music?

NS: We certainly take the pagan religions of the pre-christian Germanic peoples as an inspiration for the music, theme and imagery of our band, and we do our best to represent them as accurately as possible as they appear in the historical record. We do this, however, as a point of historic interest; no one in our band is a practitioner of any reconstructed or made up modern pagan religion.


12.What are some of your non musical interests?

NS: Beer.

MW: This isn't very in line with folk metal, but I'm a huge tech geek. I'm a software engineer for a living and I play a ton of video games. I love to play with new tech gadgets.

TR: My wife Jenny and I just had a daughter named Arya. If I’m not at work or playing music, I’m being covered in some sort of fluid courtesy of my baby. Though I don’t suppose qualifies as an “interest,” so let’s just say ice hockey, the most metal of all sports.


13.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?

NS: We hope everyone enjoys the EP!

MW: Thanks for having us. We're looking forward to playing live and working toward the first full length!

TR: Grab our Land of the Setting Sun EP wherever it is you get music (iTunes, Amazon, Bandcamp, Spotify, etc. -- it should be there starting June 21, 2015). Have a drink and spread the word!

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Miellnir/Incineration Astern/Stygian Crypt Productions/2014 CD Review

  Miellnir  are  a  band  from  Ukraine  that  plays  a  mixture  of  viking  and  folk  metal  with  a  touch  of  black  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2014  album  "Incineration  Astern"  which  was  released  by  Stygian  Crypt  Productions.

  An  epic  sounding  synth starts  off  the  album  and  after  the  intro  the  music  remains  atmospheric  but  gets  a  lot  more  heavier  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  after  awhile  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams  start  becoming  a  huge  part  of  the  recording,

  Clean  playing,  acoustic  guitars  and  melodic  viking  vocals  can  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  along  with  a  decent  amount  of  folk  instruments  and  some  of  the  tracks  also  bring  in  a  small  amount  of  spoken  word  parts  and  the  synth  also  makes  the  music  sound  very  epic  at  times  while  the  solos  are  very  melodic  and  the  vocals  can  also  be  very  guttural  at  times  and  some  of  the  tracks  are  also  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  soem  of  the  faster  sections  bringing  in  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  and  they  also  close  the  album  with  4  bonus  tracks.

  Miellnir  plays  a  musical style  that  is  mostly  rooted  in  folk  and  viking  metal  but  does  add  in  elements  of  black,  doom  and  melodic  death  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Norse  Paganism  themes.  

  In  my  opinion  Miellnir  are  a  very  great  sounding  folk/viking  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Prey"  "Journey  Through  the  Nine  Worlds"  "Embraced  By  Ire"  and  "Valhalla  Awaits".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfx8UbWzVn4

Myrkgrav Interview

1.Can you give us an update on what is going on with the musicla project these days?

I just released the new single a few weeks back and so far the feedback has been good. Making Vonde auer a single was a bit of an impulse move, as I was wanting to showcase something off the upcoming full-length that I can never seem to finish. Breaking it down into smaller pieces that are easier to handle seems to be the way to go. In other words, I am working on the second full-length record, and as of right now only three songs need vocals, two of which also lack lyrics and vocal arrangements right now. I’ve always found writing vocal arrangements to be the most challenging part of songwriting.

2.Recently you have released a single, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording and also how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

I would simply describe it as genuine folk metal, seeing as how the song incorporates traditional folk instruments as well as melodies inspired by Norwegian folk music – all while maintaining a strong metal fundament. Seeing as how Myrkgrav is now a well-established project with an 11 year-long history, it’s a little difficult to draw parallels to the sound of other bands, but it does at least fall somewhere between “traditional” folk metal bands like Vintersorg, Månegarm etc. and more contemporary folk bands like Fejd. On the first Myrkgrav album these true folk parts were less prevalent; in other words Myrkgrav has evolved more towards its own flavor of folk music – though the metal roots will of course always be there.

3.While you have released plenty of single's, ep's and have been a part of a split over the years there has only been one full length album, can you tell us a little bit more about it?

Following the release of the debut album (Trollskau, skrømt og kølabrenning), there was a lot of drama surrounding the record label I was on. In the end they failed me and all the other artists miserably – to such an extent that there are somewhere north of 1700 copies of the Trollskau album hidden away in some basement in Germany – that I became quite frustrated with the whole music scene. By that time I’d already written most of the songs for a second album, but I had a hard time finding inspiration to finish it when I knew that there would be no way to get the record out since I was tied down to a record label that had sole rights to release new Myrkgrav material until 2012. At the same time I was struggling personally with anxiety and depression, which certainly did not aid in making a new Myrkgrav album a reality. It’s only after I became better and moved away from the unhealthy place I was in back in Norway that working with music became possible again – though far from as easy or “natural” as it had once been.

4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects you explore with the newer music?

The one thing that has been consistent with Myrkgrav over the years is the lyrical and visual theme: folklore and local history from the forest areas around Ringerike, Hole, Lommedalen, Sørkedalen from the 16th, 17th, 18th and early 19th century. It is a rich material do draw from, ranging from the morbid to the lighthearted and funny. I usually go with whatever fits the atmosphere of any given song, where for example Vonde auer instrumentally is both upbeat and melancholic at the same time; so are the lyrics. History is full of interesting gems that deserves a second chance to be admired by the people of today.

5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Myrkgrav'?

Concerning the name Myrkgrav, it’s actually a bit of an “oh god why…” subject for me. It was in fact not me who chose the name of the project, it came from a third party as a suggestion and the 16 year-old über-Black Metal kid me thought it sounded cool, meaning “dark grave”. In later years I have pondered time and time again to change it into something else, but I am saving the name I have in mind for a different project that may or may not see the light of day. That name is also based on folklore from my homelands.

6.While this is mostly a solo project you do use some session musicians, have you ever thought of turning this project into a full time band?

I’ve definitely been thinking about it now that I live in a typical student city with a lot of young musicians, but I’ve more or less come to the conclusion that a lot of Myrkgrav material is difficult to recreate live due to the number of different instruments and musicians with very distinctive sound signatures I’ve had accompany the project over the years. The Hardanger fiddle is for instance very prominent in the new material, and I would either have to sample it as playback live or get someone from back in Norway to join the project – which is very difficult in its own right since talented Hardanger fiddle players are few and far between and usually have very little interest in metal music. A lot of the Myrkgrav vocals are also based on harmonies and choirs, which would require all other musicians to be able to sing well in addition to play their instruments well – and I honestly think that’s very hard to come by unless you pay professional, educated musicians to do it on a full-time basis. I am not willing to sacrifice key ingredients to Myrkgrav’s sound just to be able to play live, so I’ve put the idea of making the project a full band on the back burner, for now.

7.A couple of years back you had moved from Norway To Finland, can you tell us a little bit more about this move?

At the time I was living in a very unhealthy environment in Norway, completely removed from all my friends, acquaintances and possibilities of pursuing my interests. I had originally intended to move to Trondheim in Norway to study Nordic literature, but I passed on that opportunity when I met a young Finnish woman who was to become my significant other. Since I had nothing other than beautiful scenery holding me back, I quit my boring desk job, packed all my shit and moved to the outskirts of Vaasa in Finland.

It was a very rough first year, adapting to a new culture and social etiquette as well as coming to terms with the fact that all my official papers of having done good work and such back home in Norway did not count for squat. It was a very bureaucratic process that I wouldn’t wish upon my worst enemy, and it did indeed change me as a person.

After I’d gotten my bearings straight in Finland, I applied to Åbo Akademi university to study folkloristics and ethnology – and although it’s indeed been challenging to take up university studies as an adult, it was definitely the right choice for me. The subjects and teachings of academia have opened up my eyes as well as opened doors for me I would never otherwise have thought to look through, and I’ll hopefully become a Master of Folkloristics in a few years – fuelled with lots and lots of inspiration to use it both professionally as well as musically.

8.According to the Metal Archives page you stand on all anti racist positions, can you tell us a little bit more about it?

Unfortunately the folk/Viking/pagan metal scene is riddled with a lot of strong ideological ideas. I just did not want anyone to think I am a part of that with Myrkgrav. Don’t get me wrong, as a cultural researcher I know that everyone is free to keep whatever ideology they want, but some of those are more destructive and aggressive/hostile than others and I prefer to keep my distance from such political agendas both on a personal and professional level. Cultural differences will most likely always be a thing, and as long as you recognize that as a fact instead of thinking one culture is more “right” than another, you’re good to go. It’s actually rather sad that I’ve had to spell it out, the fact that I’m not a racist or such – when I personally think that should be the default assumption. It’s such a hostile world out there.

9.Currently you are unsigned, are you looking for a label or have received any interest?

I would venture as far as to say that in today’s music world, traditional labels are becoming irrelevant and redundant due to their lack of effort to get with the times. The possibilities you have as an independent artist are in danger of vanishing as soon as you sign with a label that doesn’t truly look out for the best interest of their artists. Today it’s so easy to get your music out there via the Internet, crowdsourcing etc. that a record label is mostly just needed for production of physical product as well as promotion. Personally I’m not convinced anyone really knows what type of physical product they will want in 10 years right now, so I’m holding out until that becomes more clear. There have been numerous record labels interested in signing Myrkgrav, but I feel like the only common factor with all of them is that I have to sacrifice way too much of what is my part in the whole project versus what I get back for it. The result is of course what is available to fans today: smaller releases in digital format that don’t reach beyond the most devoted fans, although with the new single I did in fact hire Metal Message to do some PR work to get the word out there that new stuff from Myrkgrav is being released.

10.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of black, viking and folk metal?

It’s funny, because almost everyone I’ve spoken to that knows Myrkgrav’s music from various releases can’t wrap their mind around why Myrkgrav is still considered a “small” project – they think it’s worthy of being up there with major names like Falkenbach, Moonsorrow, Vintersorg, Týr and the likes. Overall I’d say the feedback I get for each release is positive, although there will always be those who don’t like the direction something is going. With Vonde auer for instance, some have said they thought there weren’t enough screaming vocals – while personally I think more clean vocals allow for a more complex diversity in the band’s sound. Like the saying goes, there’s one in every crowd… Any feedback is good feedback though. The worst part is when you here nothing and there’s this void between you and the listeners, which makes it difficult to see why you should keep releasing anything instead of just recording everything for your own ears only. Luckily there are some die hard fans who are quite vocal about what they thought of the latest they heard, which always makes it interesting to put new stuff out there. I’m pretty surprised Myrkgrav is as popular as it is, seeing as how I’m just some average joe who knows nothing about music theory and still manages to compose what generally seems to be labeled as quality tunes.

11.Are you involved with any other musical projects or bands these days?

Not really. Between my studies and other hobbies there isn’t much leisure time, and I only really work with Myrkgrav once in a blue moon. It may seem odd, but I don’t consider myself much of a musician at all really, and don’t think I’d do all that well in a band. I’m an average guitarist and singer at best, and I thrive much better in a studio situation where I have as much time as I want to do everything exactly the way I want.

12.When can we expect new music and also where do you see yourself heading into as a musician in the future?

Honestly, I don’t know about the first part, and as a musician I am probably going to revert back to being a hobbyist. I’m no longer an enthusiastic teenager that lives and breeds music – although my hobbies and interests are much the same as they have always been. I guess I’ve just lost that childlike sense of wonder in what I can do with music, and I’m happy to just jam around or write the occasional tune that doesn’t necessarily fit into any given genre or project. Making a job of your hobbies always seemed like the worst imaginable idea – which I had to learn the hard way, so I’m happy to keep music a much smaller part of my life and be grateful for the joys it brings; rather than stressing out about it and being miserable. The next Myrkgrav album is almost finished though, so I’ll at least finish that with pride and joy before I “retire”!

13.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your newer music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

It might come as a bit of a surprise, but I don’t listen much to music at all. There are a couple of bands I try to keep up with, like Dunderbeist and Fejd, but in general listening to music doesn’t influence me or inspire me anymore than say, reading the newspaper. Music doesn’t bother me or anything, it’s just not that big a part of my life. I cherish tranquility and silence more.

14.How would you describe your views on Paganism?

I don’t really have any views on paganism, other than the fact that I am sure contemporary Pagans are probably very happy to be allowed to believe and act out what they believe – and that’s how it’s supposed to be. Freedom of speech and acts is completely fundamental as long as it does not directly or indirectly harm someone else. I know this sounds like political correct bullshit, but I am just not that into beliefs and ideologies in general. I’m just another child of today, living the individualistic lifestyle that has been so common since the beginning of the 1990s.

15.What are some of your non musical interests?

I skateboard, and I’m heavily into fashion. Back when I was a teenager (before metal corrupted me ;)), I was an avid skateboarder. Somewhere along the way I just stopped, and I’ve been living a very sedentary lifestyle since then. Mostly I started skating again because when you start getting older, it becomes really noticeable if you don’t stay active that you’re not doing your body any favors, but when I started relearning old tricks and such I remembered what kind a pure, unadulterated joy it is to finally land something you’ve been practicing for months. As for fashion and menswear, I don’t think that needs any further explanation other than the fact that I am somewhat vain and like to give an outward presentation of what I feel like on the inside – sharp and well executed, but based on organic matter from the earth itself. Lots of wool, earth tones and warm layers is where it’s at!

16.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?

I would simply like to thank you and your readers for your time and note the fact that Myrkgrav is where it’s at because a teenager had a dream – and went for it.

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Myrkgrav/Vonde Auer/2014 Single Review

  Myrkgrav  are  a  1  man  band  originally from  Norway  but  now  resides  in  Finland  and  plays  a  blackened  from  of  viking  and  folk  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2014  single  "Vonde  Auer".

  A  very  hard  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  single  along  with  some  clean  singing  viking  metal  vocals  and  when  solos  and  leads  are  added  into  the  music  they  bring  in  more  of  a  melodic  folk  metal  sound  to  the  single  and  spoken  word  parts  are  also  heard  briefly  along  with  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  In  the  faster  sections  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  while  the  guitar  riffing  also  brings  in  a  a  great  amount  of  melody  at  times  and  when  folk  instruments  are  added  onto  the  recording  they  add  in  more  of  a  medieval  and  pagan  atmosphere  in  the  parts  where  they  are  utilized  which  also  leads  up  to  a  brief use  of  black  metal  screams  and  the  second  track  is  more  of  a  shorter,  instrumental  and  acoustic  version  of  the  first  song.

  Myrkgrav  plays  a  very  melodic  style  of  viking  and  folk  metal  that  also  brings  in  a  touch  of  black  metal  to  create  his  own  sound,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the lyrics  are  written  in  Norwegian  and  cover  Paganism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Myrkgrav  are  a  very  great  sounding  blackened  viking/folk  metal  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  single.  8  out  of  10.

Website: www.myrkgrav.no

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/myrkgrav

Bandcamp: www.myrkgrav.bandcamp.com

Youtube: http://youtube.com/user/Fattifolkskremarn

Metal Archives: http://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Myrkgrav/23626