Oscenrad/Beyond The Fells/2021 Full Length Review

 

  Oscenrad  are  a  solo  project  from  the  United  Kingdom  that  plays  a  mixture  of  folk,  viking, pagan,  melodic  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2021  album  "Beyond  The  Feels".

  Ocean  sounds  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  epic  sounding  keyboards  and  tribal  beats  a  few  seconds  later  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Black  metal  screams  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording  while  most  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  Death  metal  growls  also  have  a  very  powerful  presence  on  the  songs  along  with  the  acoustic  guitars  bringing  in  elements  of  folk  music  when  they  are  utilized  and  some  songs  also  bring  in  clean  pagan  vocals.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  a  lot  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  one  song  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts  and  flutes  as  well  as  some  blast  beats  also  being  utilized  when  the  music  speeds  up,  one  of  the  tracks  is  also  an  instrumental.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  History,  Paganism,  Norse/Anglo Saxon Mythology,  Folklore,  Philosophy,  Poetry  and  Introspection  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Oscenrad  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of f olk,  viking,  melodic  black  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Across   The  Waves"  and  "Of  Wolf  And  Blood".  8 out  of  10.

Website: oscenrad.com
Bandcamp: https://oscenrad.bandcamp.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ oscenrad
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/ channel/ UCyagK0s53BG7cG84CdDc6Jg
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/ artist/001G1BJcqW125huqZJVK6H? si=6h2AbqbeTFysnqzDozcPOA&dl_ branch=1
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ oscenrad/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/oscenrad
VK: https://vk.com/oscenrad

Obscurity/Skogarmaors/Trollzorn/2021 CD Review

 

  Obscurity  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  viking,  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2021  album  "Skogaemaors"  which  will  be  released  in  August  by  Trollzorn.

  A  very  heavy  and  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  vocals  also  bring  in  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast beats  can  be  be  heard  and  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  lot  of  Swedish  influenced  melodies.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts,  synths  and  acoustic  guitars  can  also  be  heard

  On  this  recording  Obscurity  takes  the  melodic  sides  of  black,  death  and  viking  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Swedish  and  cover  Norse  mythology  and  Contemporary  Social  Subjects.  

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Obscurity  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  melodic  black,  viking  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Wodanaz  Kriger"  "Gesit  von  Neuenberge"  "Legion"  and  "Valkyria".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/obscuritybergischland

https://youtu.be/4QJXoyUZdT8

  

Thyrfing/Vanagandr/Despotz Records/2021CD Review

 

  Thyrfing  are  a  band  from  Sweden  that  has  been  around  for  more  than  25  years  and  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  black,  viking  and  folk  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2021  album  "Vanagandr"  which  will  be  released  in  August  by  Despotz  Records.

  A  very  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  epic  sounding  synths  are  also  mixed  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  Clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  off  the  recording  along  with  the  music  being  mostly  grim  yet  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  also have  a  very  powerful  sound  to them  while  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording.  Stringed  instruments  are  also  added  on  some  of  the  tracks  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  and  clean  pagan  vocals  can  also  be  heard  on  a  few  songs.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  some  of  the  tracks  also  being  long  and  epic  in  length.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  as  well  as  a later  song  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts  and  a  small  amount  of  tremolo  picking  is  also  added  into  some  of  the  faster  riffing,  operatic  female  vocals  can  also b e  heard  briefly  towards  the  end.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Swedish  and  cover  Norse  Mythology  and  the  Darker  Side  Of  Life.

  In  my opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Thyrfing  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  band,  you  should  enjoy  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Undergångens länkar"  "Järnhand"  and  "Jordafärd".  8  out  of  10.

http://www.thyrfing.com
http:/www.facebook.com/thyrfingofficial  
http://www.instagram.com/thyrfingofficial

http://www.youtube.com/user/ThyrfingOfficial  

Tragedy And Triumph Interview

 

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

- Tragedy and Triumph is a Viking / Melodic Death Metal band which started as a solo project but soon became a full band. I wrote the music and Raphael wrote the lyrics and did the vocals. 

2.You have a new album coming out this month, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style that you went for on the recording?

- Yeah of course. I would describe this album as a creative mixture of Amon Amarth, Bathory and maybe Immortal or Grand Magus. I think everyone will hear different influences on that album, which is totally okay.

3.A lot of your lyrics cover Viking themes, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this topic?

Raphael and me had a long time fascination for this topic. We really like the atmosphere and the mood ot the viking era, also a lot of great storys come from that time. We do not glorify the vikings but tell storys.

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Tragedy And Triumph'?

To be perfectly honest, there is a song i wrote for my other project "Mallevs Maleficarvm" and it really got stucked in my head since then.

5.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the album cover?

- The artwork was made by our friend Jan Handzus from Disart Design. It illustrates the location where all the storys of the songs happen. It also is the "Howling gate"

6.With this project you record everything by yourself but have experience working in a whole band, how would you compare the two?

- It actually never was planned to write another album on my own, but after 1-2 songs i simply couldn't stop and thought to myself "you need to get this done". Writing an album alone has its pros and cons. One pro definately is that i can do whatever the fuck i want. One con is that sometimes 2 or more creative minds are better then one. The next album will contain more ideas of my fellow band members.

7.The new album is going to be released on 'MDD Records'. how did you get in contact with this label?

- I just wrote a little application, thats all! And it went pretty well i guess.

9.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been t your music by fans of Viking and melodic death metal?

- So far so good, we got a few very nice reviews and opinions. We cannot wait to let the people hear the whole album!

10.What is going on with 'Mallevs Maleficavm' these days?

- We are working on a new album which will be pretty different than the debut. We have set the bars very high for the next album, so we still need a bit of time.

11.Where do you see yourself heading into musically during the future?

- I do not think about that kinda stuff. My demand on my self is to make good music and play a lot of gigs!

12.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?

- I listen to alot of stuff – from EDM to Progrock to War Black Metal. I don't care about any genres – a good song is a good song.

13.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any fi9nal words or thoughts?

- Thanks alot for the interest and greetings from germany! Prost!

https://www.facebook.com/tatvikingmetal/

Tragedy And Triumph/Where Mountains Rise And Hearts Fall/MDD Records/2021 CD Review

 

  Tragedy  And  Triumph  are  a  solo  project  from  Germany  that  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  viking,  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2021  album  "Where  Mountains  Rise  And  Hearts  Fall"  which  will  be  released  on  June  18th  by  MDD  Records.

  Acoustic  guitars  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  and  melodic  musical  direction  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  death  metal  growls. All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  screams  also  bringing  in  elements  of  black  metal  when  they  are  utilized.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  while  keyboards  can  also  be  heard  briefly  on  a  couple  of  tracks.  A  lot  of  the  music  is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  classic  Swedish  style  along  with  the  acoustic  guitars  also  returning  on  some  of  the  later  tracks  as  well  as  one  song  also  introducing  clean  Viking  vocals  onto  the  album.  

When  the  music  finally  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  along  one  song  also  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  Viking  war  samples  as  well  as  most  of  the  music  also  sticking  to  a  mid  tempo  direction  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard,  a later  track  is  an  instrumental  and  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Vikings  and  Paganism  themes.     

  In  my  opinion  Tragedy  And  Triumph  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  mixture  of  Viking,  black  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "I,  Triumphant"  "Beneath  the  Howling  Gate"  "Ride  For  Revenge"  and  "Where  Mountains  Rise  And  hearts  Fall".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/tatvikingmetal/   

    

  

Havamal Interview

 

Answered by vocalist Björn Larsson

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

Ever since the recording We've been busy rehearsing for future shows, hopefully sooner rather than later, preparing for the release, finding a new bass player, define our appearance, change logo etc. It's been a busy but fun couple of months. 

2.You have a new album coming out in May, musically how does it differ from the stuff that you have released in the past? 

Our previous release was a bit faster and guitar-oriented, I'd say. The symphonic elements that the upcoming album brings is an entirely different beast, and the mid-tempo in general works wonders for the upcoming songs. It's a diverse album but with a more synchronized feel all through, I'd say. 

3.Your lyrics and the band's name comes from Norse Mythology and the Eddas, can you tell us a little bit more about how you got interested in this topic and decide to form a band based upon this lyrical concept? 

We've always been interested in our mythological heritage, and through all our suggestions We all felt that the style of music We created suited perfectly to give the hymns of old norse faith justice. It's a rich and deep lore to dive into and We've barely scratched the surface of all to come. 

4.Do you have have an interest in the other mythologies or paganism that are presented on the world? 

Of course! One of the members, guitarist Kjell, studies myths and religion for a job, and as for myself I've been told stories and legends from all around the world since I was a toddler. I love the classical greek, sami, chinese and egyptian mythology of course, but the one that's caught my attention lately is mongolian legends and shamanistic throat-singing. 

5.Musically what is that that you feel makes you stand out among other Viking metal bands? 

We're not a viking metal band by definition, rather a powerdeath group with nordic mythology in the lyrical theme. But I believe our different musical backgrounds combined with our passion for the symphonic grandeour makes for an overwhelming experience that helps us stand out amongst our kin. It's easy to get into and hard to let go. I'd also say that the story-telling is a concept that's surprisingly quite small in the area, so as a consistent theme I'd say We're in our own league. 

6.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the new album cover? 

The artwork was done by Alex Rommel and it shows a shamanistic ritual where the beasts within are finally released. The monsters depicted are the norse beasts Jormungadr, Fenris and Nidhoggr, all represented on the album with one track each. To me it represents the everlasting struggle within to maintain your inner demons, your darker side, and that nothing is straight forward but more of a grey blur once you look at the detailed perspectives a bit deeper. 

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? 

My best memory was actually a birthday show for a common friend and also the closest fans. But overall We all love the live scene and can't wait to get back in full force! On stage We become the beacons of the Aesirs and dive directly into our ancestral roles, fully immersed in entertainment and to become one with the feeling our music creates. 

8.Do you have any touring or show plans once the pandemic ends? 

We've had some offers, but since the entire pandemic situation is so rocky at the moment We really can't nail anything down. Rest assured that our musical raids will commence the second this pandemic is over! 

9.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of viking, folk, melodic black and death metal? 

We have truly devoted and amazing fans, and many of them have become our close friends. We can't really express the extent of gratitude and how humbled We are by the worldwide response for our hymns. Everyone seems to find a piece that they enjoy in our music, and all thanks to the previous statement about the members different musical backgrounds. 

10.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future? 

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame would be nice, haha! No, but We wish to continue to spread our music and the pagan flame to honour both the old gods and our magnificent audience all around the world. We always discuss the future, song ideas, themes, inspiration etc, so the future of the band is bright, active and on full steam ahead! 

11.What are you currently listening to nowadays? As for me, a bit of everything. I can go for some Mozart or God is an Astronaut for a chilled-out experience, Majestica and Falconer for a more epic theme of the day and of course a ton of melodic death and folk metal, too many to mention. All-time favorite is still Equilibrium - Sagas.

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

Odin give thanks to all that reads this and give us a reason to keep making music! Our own interest and our horde is the reason shield to shield why We do this and wish to continue to do for many years to come! Hope to all our Einherjars and Valkyries that our upcoming chapter will be memorable and everlasting, and hope to see you all on a liveshow in a close future! Hail our hordes! Hail ADifferentShadeOfBlackMetalZine! Hail The Shadow Chapter! Hail the hymn-weavers! Hail Havamal!

https://www.facebook.com/Havamalofficial
https://www.instagram.com/officialhavamal

Ren Marabou/Valhalla Waits/Misanthropik Records/2021 Full Length Review

 

  Ren  Marabou  is  a  solo  artist  from  Ireland  that  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  Viking,  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2021  album  "Valhalla  Waits"  which  will  be  released  in  May  by  Misanthropik  Records.

  Dark  soundscapes  and  clean  playing  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  and  symphonic  musical  direction.  The  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  while  the  vocals  also  bring  in  a  mixture  of  aggressive  shouts  and  clean  pagan  vocals  and  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  at  times.

  The  riffs  also  bring  in  the  heaviness  of  the  more  melodic  style  of  black  and  death  metal  at  times  while  battle  chants  can  also  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  music.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  along  with  some  tracks  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing.

The  music  also  mixing  in  influences  from  more  mainstream  styles  of  metal  as  well  as  some    acoustic  guitars  also  being  utilized  briefly  on  a  couple  of  songs  as  well  as  a  later  track  also  introducing  folk  music  elements  onto  the  album  and  all  of  the  music  sticks  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Norse  Mythology  and  Pagan  Folklore  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Ren  Marabou  is  a  very  decent  sounding  melodic  mixture  of  Viking,  black  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Guide  Me  To  Asgard"  "Prophecy  Of  the  Seer"  "Yggdrasil"  and  "Champion  Of  Midgard".  7/5  out  of  10.  

https://open.spotify.com/artist/4SO7ijOmWLl1eIOXgGMOGB?si=_vyNyI3yTAyyp51JXMp1zQ

King Of Asgard/svartrviðr/Trollmusic/2021 CD Review

 

  King  Of  Asgard  are  a  band  from  Sweden  that  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  Viking,  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2021  album  "svartrviðr"  which  will  be  released  in  May  by  Trollmusic.

  A  very  heavy,  epic  and  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  Most  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  the  solos  and  leads  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  the  vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  Spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  along  with  the  riffs  and  leads  also  mixing  in  a  lot  of  Viking  metal  elements  as  well  as  some  songs  also  adding  in  some  pagan  choirs.

  Some  of  the  riffing  and  solos  also  add  in  touches  of  the  melodic  Swedish  death  metal  style  along  with  some  of  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  tremolo  picking  as  well  as  a   couple  of later  tracks  also  introducing  classical  guitars  onto  the  album.,  keyboards  can  also  be  heard  on  a  couple  of  tracks  and  as  the  album  progresses  throat  singing  can  also  be  heard  and  the  album  closes  with  an  instrumental.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Norse  Mythology,  Sagas, Rune  and  the  dark  secrets  of  the  Viking  world.

  In  my  opinion  King  Of  Asgard  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  mixture  of  VIking,  black  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  " frôðr"  "ammobiærg"  and  "harmdauðr".  8  out  of  10.

www.facebook.com/kingofasgard  

Havamal/The Shadow Chapter/Art Gates Records/2021 CD Review

 

  Havamal  are  a  band  from  Sweden  that  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  VIking,  folk,  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2021  album  "The  Shadow  Chapter"  which  will  be  released  in  May  by  Art  Gates  Records.

  Epic  sounding  keyboards  and  folk  music  elements  start  off  the  album  and  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music  at  times.  Spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  while  the  music  also  mixes  in  choirs  and  symphonic  structures  at  times  and  the  vocals  are  mostly  blackened  metal  screams.

  Elements  of  melodic  death  metal  are  also  utilized  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  along  with  a  few  growls  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats.  Throughout  the  album  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  the  solos  and  leads  also  add  in  a  lot  of  melody.

  Some  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  some  of  the  melodic  sections  of  the  songs  also  showing  an  influence  of  power  metal  as  well  as  some  of  the  faster  riffing  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  tremolo  picking.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Norse  Mythology  and  Paganism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Havamal  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  mixture  of  Viking,  folk,  black  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Fenris"  "Empire  Of  The  Ashen  Sun"  and  "The  Curse  Of  Grendal".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/Havamalofficial
https://www.instagram.com/officialhavamal

Apocalypse/Pedemontium/Earth And Sky Productions/2021 CD Review

 

  Apocalypse  are  a  solo  project  from  Italy  that  plays  an  epic  mixture  of  Viking,  black,  folk  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2021  album  "Pedemontium"  which  was  released  by  Earth  And  Sky  Productions.

  Epic  style  beats  and  keyboards  start  off  the  album  and  also  gives  the  music  the  atmosphere  of  either  a  fantasy  or  historical  movie  soundtrack  and  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs.  A  great  portion  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  elements  of  doom  metal  can  also  be  heard  in  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs.

  

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  while  clean  Viking  vocals  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  album.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  on  the  album  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  acoustic  guitars  also  adding  in  touches  of  folk  music  when  they  are  utilized.

  A  lot  of  the  music  also  shows  an  influence  of  Viking  era  Bathory  and  the  mid  90's  era  pagan  metal  bands  along  with  the  vocals  also  adding  in  a  grim  black  metal  approach  in  some  parts  of  the  recording,  as  the  album  progresses  folk  instruments  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  all  of  the  music  also  sticks  to  s  lower  direction.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  History,  Legends,   Mythology  and  Fantasy  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Apocalypse  are  a  very  great  sounding  epic  mixture  of  Viking,  black,  folk  and  doom  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Pedemontium"  "Crystal  Eyes"  "The  Lake  Of  Witches"  and  "The  King  Of  Stone".  8  out  of  10.

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Valfreya/Acoustic Chronicles Part II/2019 EP Review

 

  This  a  review  of  a  recording  from  Montreal,  Quebec,  Canada's  Valfreya  a  band  more  known  for  their  melodic  black/pagan  and  folk  metal  style  but  on  this  album  goes  for  more  of  an  acoustic  folk  music  direction  and  the  ep  was  self  released  in  2009  and  called  "Acoustic  Chronicles  Part  II".

  A  very  dark  sounding  intro  starts  off  the  ep  along  with  some  violins  and  tribal  style  percussion  a  few  seconds  later  while  nature  sounds  can  also  be  heard  at  times.  When  acoustic  guitars  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  more  of  a  folk  music  style  and  the  vocals  are  all  done  in  a  clean  style  with  both  male  and  female  vocals.

  Spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  while  the  guitars  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  both  full  chords  and  finger  picking.  Pagan  chants  are  also  added  into  some  parts  of  the  recording  along  with  the  music  also  capturing  the  atmosphere  of  pagan  era  Europe  at  times  and  all  of  the  songs  stick  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction.

  On  this  recording  Valfreya  stay  away  from  the  heavier  direction  of  their  previous  releases  and  goes  for  more  of  an  unplugged  and  acoustic  musical  direction.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  a  mixture  of  French  and  English  and  cover  Norse  Mythology,  Pagan  Gods,  Life,  Death  and  Legends.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Valfreya  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  band  or  pagan  folk  music,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Jeter  L_Ancre"  "Peuple  du  Nord"  and  "Shame  And  Despair".  8  out  of  10.

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Varang Nord/Parkiuna Uomurs/Sliptrick Records/2021 CD Review

 

  Varang  Nord  are  a  band  from  Latvia  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  mixture  of  folk,  Viking  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2021  album  "Parkiuna  Uomurs"  which  will  be  released  on  February  23rd  by  Sliptrick  Records.

  Nature  sounds  and  epic  sounding  synths  start  off  the  album  while  also  having  the  sounds  of  battle  in  the  background  briefly  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction.  Folk  instruments  are  also  utilized  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Death  metal  growls  can  also  be  heard  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  while  the  vocals  also  add  in  some  clean  pagan  vocals  at  times.  The  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  along  with  some  back  up  shouts  also  being  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  as  well  as  some  classical  guitars  also  being  utilized  briefly.

  Elements  of  melodic  black  metal  can  also  be  heard  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  as  well  as  a  couple  track  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  blast  beats,  most  of  the  music  also  sticks  to  a  mid  tempo  direction  and  fast  tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  the  album  closes  with  an  instrumental.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Latgalian  and  cover  Paganism,  Mighty  Battles  and  Blood  Sacrifices  for  the  Old  Gods.

  In  my  opinion   this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Varang  Nord  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  folk,  Viking  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Stuojis"  "ASvietneica"  "Syt  pa  Seyi"  and  "Karavein".  8  out  of  10.  

 Official Website | Facebook | Youtube | Instagram | VK | On Sliptrick          

Feskarn Interview

 

1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the musical project since the recording of the new album?

I found inspiration again, after computer crash in 2015 i lost all my music recordings and settings. But in late 2019 i bought a new studiosystem and adds to my music program. I met my girlfriend in 2019 and she gave some inspiration to make me produce music again. And also some new albums by for example Equilibrium or Mumincunt.

2.You have a new album coming out in February, musically how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

This album has way better sound quality, deep and even more viking sound to it, the older albums have more raw dirty/trashy sound.

3.This is also your first release since 2014, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during that time frame?

Sadly my computer crashed in 2015 and i lost all my datafiles for my studio and with that i lost my inspiration. Still i have played mouth harp and jamed for fun at partys etc. Been at festivals to get new inspiration also.

4.Your lyrics cover Viking Mythology, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this topic?

Historical interested about my ancestors and viking culture, mead and even in urkraft.

5.Before you started playing metal you where doing electronic music, how would you compare the two different genres?

I had an electronic era yes, compared to metal the gabber/hardcore/psytrance have some hardness to it also. But metal has always been my favorite genre since childhood.

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

Feskarn is actually "The fisherman" in Sweden Gothenburg. Also you can say fiskarn, that has the same meaning. But i prefered Feskarn. I always been a fisherman, love the nature and fishing. Also i do magnet fishing today.

7.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the new album cover?

Per Månsson has taken the main cover picture for the album, i have always liked Raven birds, the birds have some cool mystery to them. Me and my girlfriend has taken most of the pictures and also some other friend. Nature is the true inspiration to the album artwork.

8.With this project you record everything by yourself, are you open to working with other musicians or do you prefer to work solo?

Yes thats right, also my girlfriend joined this album as a guest artist for the song Yggdrasil. I have plans for team up with other musicans, i have one other project called Voldugra, but that is a little on the ice for the moment, but it is Viking music.

9.The new album is coming out on 'Vegvisor Distribution', how would you compare working with this label to your previous label 'Pesttanz Klangschmiede'?

Actually it has the same owner behind it and i have only good things to say to the both, i have a great label manager.

10.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of folk and Viking metal?

Pretty good i must say, i have many fans from Mexico, Germany and even Japan, yeah pretty much from the whole world in a small scale.

11.Where do you see yourself heading into as a musician during the future?

To keep on record Albums and perhaps do some live events in some form with band or not.

12.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?

Equilibrium, Ensiferum, Wintersun is some of my favorite bands and inspiration.

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

I will try to deliver even more songs and albums in the future. I have some cool ideas, maybe some humouristic stuff as well.

https://soundcloud.com/Feskarn
https://www.facebook.com/Feskarn-Official-229312910457661

Feskarn/Raven's Sky/Vegvisor Distribution/2021 CD Review

 

  Feskarn  are  a  solo  project  from  Sweden  that  plays  a  mixture  of  folk  and  Viking  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2021  album  "Raven's  Sky"  which  will  be  released  in  February  by  Vegvisor  Distribution.

  Keyboards,  symphonic  elements  and  nature  sounds  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  musical  direction.  Death  metal  growls  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording  while  also  adding  in  some  black  metal  screams  at  times  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats.  Throat  singing  can  also  be  heard  briefly  along  with  the  tracks  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  One  of  the  tracks  also  introduces  mouth  harp's  and  shamanistic  style  percussion  onto  the  recording  along  with  the  spoken  word  parts  also  giving  the  music  more  of  a  ritualistic  feeling.  Clean  pagan  vocals  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  as  well  as  the  folk  music  sections  of  the  tracks  also  being  mixed  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  album,  a  later  song  also  introduces  stringed  instruments  into  the  music.  and  as  the  album  progresses  whispers  and  female  vocals can  also  be  heard  briefly.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  a  mixture  of  Swedish  and  English  and  cover  Viking  Mythology.

  In  my  opinion  Feskarn  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  folk  and  Viking  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Ravens  Way"  "Parasite"  "Yggdrasil"  and  "The  Frost  of  The  Fallen".  8  out  of  10.    

From North/Lurhorns Call/2020 Single Review

 

  From  North  are  a  band  from  Sweden  that  plays  a  mixture  of  folk  and  Viking  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2020  single.

  Folk  instruments  start  off  the  single  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  black  metal  screams.  Clean  pagan  vocals  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  as  well  as  some  symphonic  sounds  also  being  added  into  the  background.

  Most  of  the  music  also  sticks  to  more  of  a  mid  tempo  style,  When  guitar  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  more  of  a  melodic  direction  along  with  the  closing  track  going  into  more  an  epic direction.

  On  this  single  From  North  remains  true  to  the  mixture  of  Viking  and  folk  metal  that  they  had  established  on  previous  releases.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  th e lyrics  cover  Norse  Mythology  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording f rom  From  North  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of Viking  and  folk  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  single.RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Lurhorns  Call".  8  out  of  10.

http://fromnorth.se
https://facebook.com/fromnorthsweden

https://instagram.com/fromnorthswe  

      

Skalmold/10 Year Anniversary - Live In Reykjavik/Napalm Records/2020 Live Album Review

 

  Skalmold  are  a  band  from  Iceland  that h as  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  mixture  of  Viking  and  folk  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2020  album  "!0 Year  Anniversary  -  Live  In  Reykjavik"  which  will  be  released  on  October  23rd  by  Napalm  Records.

  Live  audience  reaction  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  clean  pagan  vocals  a  few  seconds  later  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music.  The  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  At  times  the  vocals  add  in  more  of  a  semi  rough  style  while  black  metal  screams  are  also  utilized  in  some  parts  of  the  music.  Keyboards  and  folk  music  elements  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  songs  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  some  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic in  length,  When  the  music  finally  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard,  some  of  the songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts. 

  On  this  recording  Skalmold  takes  their  mixture  of  folk  nd  Viking  metal  plays  a  bunch  of  songs  from  albums  they  have  released  over  the  years  to  a  live  audience.  The  production  sounds  very professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Norse  Mythology,  Icelandic  Poetry  and  Battle  themes. 

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Skalmold  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  Viking  and  folk  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  live  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Aras"  "Niflheimur"  "Daudi"  and  "Kvadning".  8  out  of  10.

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https://youtu.be/hmvlj_DXuJY 

Gwydion/Self Titled/Art Gates Records/2020 CD Review

 

  Gwydion  are  a  band  from  Portugal  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  very  epic,  atmospheric,  melodic  and  symphonic  mixture  of  folk, Viking, black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  titled  2020  album  which will be  released  in  November  by Art Gates  Records.

  Epic  sounding  synths  start  off  the  album  while  also  introducing  symphonic  elements  onto  the  recording  that  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music  at  times. The  vocals  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  aggressive  shouts  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of melody  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.

  Grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  are  also  added  into  some  parts  of  the  music  while  the  deeper  vocals  also add  in  some  touched  of  death  meta.  Elements  of  folk  music  can  also  be  heard  quite  a  bit throughout  the  recording  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  album  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them. 

  When  clean  vocals  are  utilized  they  also  give  the songs  more  of  a  Viking  metal  touch  along  with  some  spoken  word  parts  and  acoustic  guitars  and  clean  plying  also  being  utilized  briefly  as  well  as  one  track  also  introducing  spoken  word  parts  onto  the  recording,  some  of  the  riffing  also  shows  an  influence  of  traditional  metal  and  when  the  music  finally  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  and  female  vocals  are  also  added  on  the  closing  song.  The  production  sounds  very professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Vikings,  Battles,  Iberian  Culture/History,  Mythology  and  Alcohol  themes,

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Gwydion  and  if  you  are  a  dab  of  atmospheric,  melodic  and  symphonic  folk,  Viking,  black  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Stand  Alone"  "Battle  Of  Aclud  Ford"  "Ale  Mead  And  Wine"  and  "Hammer  Of  the  Gods".  8out  of  10.

www.gwydion.org/
www.facebook.com/GwydionPT
www.instagram.com/gwydionofficial/

www.twitter.com/GwydionMetal       

Kromheim/Self Titled/2020 EP Review

  Kromheim  are  a  solo  project  from  Poland  that  plays  a  mixture  of  viking,  folk  and  melodic  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  titled  and  self  released  2020  ep.

  Melodic  guitar  leads  start  off  the  ep  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  the  vocals  are  a  mixture  of  growls  and s creams  which  also  add  in  touch  of  black  metal.  The  music  also  brings  in  a  great  amount  of  Swedish  influences  and  when t he  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  elements  of  folk  are  also  added  into  some  parts  of  the  recording.  When  synths  are  utilized  they  also  add  in  more  of  a  symphonic  style  along  with  some  spoken  word  parts  also  being  used  briefly,  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  as  well  as  one  track  also  introducing  clean  vocals  onto  the  recording.

  Kromheim  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  folk,  viking,  melodic  black  and  death  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  his  own.  The  production  sounds  very  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  Vikings  and  Medieval  Fantasy  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Kromheim  is  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  viking,  folk,  melodic  death  and  black  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Prayer"  and  "Storm  Of  The  Gods".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56xxRBMscbk&feature=youtu.be

https://kromheim.bandcamp.com/releases

https://www.facebook.com/kromheim/