Einherjer
Leve Vikingånden (EP)

THE REVIEW

I stumbled upon it by chance, and I couldn't help but be awestruck, realizing that this demo was even better than "Aurora Borealis," even more glacial, rawer, and at the same time more evocative and bursting with harsh black-death explosions and interwoven with Viking elements.

It's difficult to describe the two tracks in detail; perhaps a further reference to "Aurora Borealis" will suffice ("Naar Hammeren Heves" opens with the same riff as the opener of the masterpiece by Glesnes and company), since the atmospheres and techniques used are roughly the same - partial overdubbing of the vocals, here in a rather immature screaming, somewhat "crude" yet far from unpleasant; almost heavy riffs, which support not only melodically but also rhythmically the well-thought-out architectural structures, never left to chance; absence of black tremolo-pickings and blast beats, replaced by the aforementioned guitar techniques and almost clean and measured drum hits. Furthermore, this work is linked to "Aurora Borealis" - with this particular feature being present in larger doses here - by the sudden Viking breaks in a chilling and almost ethereal clean vocal, which at moments brushes against falsetto without losing its essence. These are spine-tingling moments, indispensable for any admirer of the genre, which certainly do honor to a band that from the beginning revealed itself to be so creative and adept at finding such bold and successful musical solutions.

The longer "Naar Aftensolen Rinner" also manages to delight the ear with melodies meant for their own sake, spanning - with a play of volumes that reflects the different stylistic characteristics - between black and a rhythmic and lively folk, pleasant and fresh, interspersed with other remarkable Viking-epic breaks and here dirtier and more obsessive brutal riffs.

An almost perfect union, that destabilizes and winks, allowing a distant admiration of splendid lands, historical societies - unfortunately vanished - superior and, for some reason, so overlooked and underestimated, much like <> or <>.

Surrounded by other tracks, it would be surprisingly rich and varied, and because of this, absolutely unmissable. It's a shame it's just a mini...