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There aren’t
many bands these days who dominate their genre but one band in particular
have taken the Viking Metal genre and made it their own, that band is
Swedish metalheads Månegarm, who with their sixth studio release entitled
‘Vargstenen (Wolfstone)’ have once again brought the might of Thor’s
hammer to the metal world and placed it at the feet of Odin for his
approval.
The band have
remained true to their last five albums and still refuse to give way to
the norm, and continue to sing the lyrics in their native tongue, which in
fact gives them that edge over the majority of bands in the genre, as this
gives credence to the whole bands sound and with the introduction of both
violin and female vocals, adds to that Folk Metal feel.
'Vargstenen' is
a concept album which takes us through the Ancient Norse conception of the
world. Starting off with the intro 'Uppvaknande' (Awakening) a dark
and deadly affray into the world of Viking Metal, this leads into the
first track proper ‘Ur Själslig Död’. With this the band unleash its
metal onslaught with pounding drums and streaming guitars that lead into
the powerful dark vocals of Eric Grawsio, mixed with some rather haunting
female vocals, this provides an interesting mix of that hints of good vs.
evil.
The album
continues with ‘En Fallen Fader’ another blazing mix of double kick drums
mixed with a powerful guitar sound this time, with added violins that
bring in that Folk Metal feel to the track as the track itself unfolds, it
reveals the multi level sound the band have made their own, as they sway
from the more outlandish metal to the more melodic folkish tones in the
blink of an eye, thus making for quite an eclectic mix of influences that
works remarkably well.
This mix is
carried on throughout the entire album as we sway from hard anvil beating
metal to gypsy style violins and the haunting female vocals. One
track in particular takes you to the next level of the band with the
almost semi acoustic tones of ‘Den Gamle Talar’, a real switch in styles
and is reminiscent of the bands last album 'Urminnes Hävd' (The Forest
Session).
But it's soon
back to the pulsating metal with ‘Genom Världar Nio’ and before returning
once more to the metal folk camp with the almost symphonic ‘Visioner På
Isen’ and the transcendent campfire feel of ‘Vargbrodern Talar’.
The tempo soon
picks up once more with the grinding ‘I Underjorden’ and the equally
forceful ‘Nio Dagar, Nio Nätter’ and the speedfest that is the title track
‘Vargstenen’, all tracks that stamp the bands hold on the whole Viking
Metal genre.
The album closes with
two very different tracks firstly it’s a return to the folk metal
soundings with ‘Vedergällningens Tid’ before it's back to the campfire as
the album closes with another semi acoustic number ‘Eld’, both of which
round off a quite different album for me and one that if you not familiar
with the whole Viking Metal sound then check this album out. It's
one of best I’ve heard from this particular genre to date. |
