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Rating: Initially born as a solo project by the late Terje Bakken (better known by his stage name Valfar), Windir ("warrior" in the Sogndal dialect), belong to that subgenre that perhaps most closely aligns with our "common" vision of the Scandinavian countries: we're talking about the mix between black/folk/viking metal. Combining black metal, often likened to a dark, cursed genre, and so on, is certainly possible, as Windir demonstrate, but not only (let's also remember Enslaved or Borknagar).
A peculiarity, even before talking about the purely technical side of the tracks, is the use of the dialect, from which the band takes its name, in the same lyrics of the album, perhaps emphasizing the heartfelt belonging to the Nordic lands. The same lands so evocative and cold, where Valfar would meet his death by hypothermia. The first thing that stands out about the album is certainly the stunning cover, almost a general summary of Nordic beauties. All of this enriched by the presence of a figure that seems to be wandering in search of something lost since time immemorial and in all of this, it's almost as if we can imagine Valfar himself, in a sort of incredible premonition, of the tragic and incredible situation, which would lead to the death of this excellent group's leader.
The album opens with the excellent intro "Todeswalzer", an aggressive intro, surrounded by an atmosphere curated and never too intrusive of Righ's keyboard, supporting the aggressive riffs of Strom and Sture Dingsøyr; essential, of course, to conclude, is the blast beat, well provided by Steingrim.
The title track "1184" plays on the use of the keyboard and rhythm guitar to recreate an atmosphere that almost seems to take us back in time, into the ancient traditions of Nordic myths and legends. The recreated melody seems, at certain moments, almost too repetitive, yet at the same time so hypnotic, only to be completely shattered by Valfar's angry voice.
"Dance of Mortal Lust" is practically a continuum of the previous title track, indeed it is difficult to notice the clear detachment between the two melodies, which are created and found between the two songs.
Also fantastic are "Heidra" and the subsequent "Destroy." The latter in particular opens like a battle march, then spills into real war. This is made by the frantic rhythm of Steingrim's drums, Valfar's angry voice (sometimes supported by other members of the group), guitars that seem to want to leap from the speakers with their sound and take us into a mystical, fantastic world, but perhaps underneath, even too dark.
At this point, we reach the penultimate track "Black New Age," a sweet melody that caresses us and leads us toward the conclusion of the album, which could not have a better name than "Journey to the End."
The final track almost requires a separate review. Indeed, if the first part of the song is clearly related to the rest of the album, you will notice well towards the middle of the same song, a clear detachment from the typical melodies of the rest of the album. Part entirely recreated with synth and drums, which might wrinkle the nose of many, but which I found quite pleasant and well-integrated in an album that, for the rest, is difficult to harshly criticize.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Todeswalzer (04:55)
Dying with sorrow not in hand, Welcoming my gods, an equal I am, A travel awaits before me, Encircled as a God, dead as a man, An era has now ended, But a new era will come, While my destiny fulfits itself, I glance at the world with wisdom from the end, My efforts will now be rewarded, As I enter Kingdom Come, My hate will now get fatal for those that disapproved me once, With my misanthropic these soon brought to life, I'll see an definite end for week, feeble minds, As I die I'll go further, further than any other man, To obtain powers and wisdom as a God from the other end, My death will be revenged with fury of the damned, My eternal life will be praised by the gods at the end.
02 1184 (05:28)
Sumaren elleve hundre og åttifira gjekk kong Sverre til harde motåtgjerder, Drapi på han Ivar Dape med prest og følgje fekk hate større, Det største slaget i borgarkrigen skulle no trast finna stad, Horder av menn i brynjer med sverd ville enda opp i mannadrap, Ingen ante at bragdi hans Arntor kunne slike følgje få, Ved Hagastrondi på Fimreite låg Sverre sin flåte på fjortan skip, Med mål å ramma Sogndal bygd, kvar ein gard skulle brennast ned, Krigaren Arntor gjekk viljugt i strid for å sikra hans ætt evig grid, Gudane ved hans side og han Magnus med hær og skip, Utan sidestykkje, eit voldsomt mannadrap, ein eim av daud, fjorden raud, svart, svart slag, Blodhemn rådde millom Magnus og Kong Sverre, Deira strid om Noreg si trone enda med Magnus sitt fall med tvo tusen mann, Svikaren Sverre slost ikkje han, so i tøs han iakttok slaget frå land, Krigaren Arntor gjekk viljugt i strid kom alder attende døydde for grid, Dag lei mot kveld, ætti fekk vita, Arntor såg gudane so ein ekta windir, For å sikra hans ætt evig grid må krigaren gå viljugt i strid.
05 Heidra (08:18)
Ei likbør hadde han sett komma, Sigande frå Trodladalen opp Lundamyri, Audmjuk han i akttok synet, Kven hadde dauden i teke, Med otta han keik i kista, Børi hadde med seg, Daud, velstelt, Hvàllætti han var, Etter dette han visste at Arntor aldri kom attende, Ja, stolt han kunne møta dauden, Gått viljugt i strid for å sikra ætti grid, Gått mannadrap so ein krigar byrg, Nekta trelldom, svik, ofra liv i grid, Men so hemn for oppreisa og slag, Ville svikarane setegarden ta, Ein gard so store at den på ein dag ikkje kunne gå, Tilmed heiden grunn garden er tufta på, Ei nye ætt skulle setegarden rå, Sette livet til for ætte og æra miste både setegarden og sæla, Men då dauden var nær vart han heidra likferd, Ein tragedie for ætlingane dette var, Skulle dei verkeleg missa slik ein gard, Vreida hans Sverre ville ingen ende ta
07 Black New Age (04:54)
Dressed in black with a pale expression
I attack the world with extreme satisfaction
I am the master, never more to be enslaved
Broken free from the chains that restrained my needs
There is time, but no time to waste
There are rules, but they seem to fade
I am the master of my own salvation
A black cloud of obscure creation
This new foundation, a new generation
Bottled up on misanthropic hate
A revolution, a new constitution
From real hatred, rather than blind fate
This new foundation, a new generation
Bottled up on misanthropic hate
Rebels in the face of conformity
Founders of the black new age
This is my life
This your hell
This is my exhibition
And it makes me well
What you can't stomach
you no longer can stop
You must eat your hatred or choke it up
All things must be broken down
Burned to ashes, bombed to the ground
A process og purification
where old mistakes are cremated
No carrier of infection will survive
No corrupted thoughts shall sound
The new empire has found its ground
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