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Rating: "Likferd", meaning “funeral” in the Norwegian dialect Sognamål, is an almost ironic title for an album released the year before the hypothermia death of Valfar, the unfortunate founder of Windir, a metal band that wouldn't survive its creator. The Windir, meaning “warrior” in Norwegian, were one of the few genuinely interesting and original bands within a genre that is too easily exhausted, photocopiable, and sterilely recyclable like extreme metal.
The music played is essentially viking metal with strong black metal influences. These influences manifest themselves in the band's external appearance (with face painting and absurd nicknames) as well as in the music. However, it is a black metal devoid of its most difficult and extreme aspects; therefore, there are no monotonous drone-like rhythms, constant blast beats, and enigmatic cacophonies: what you find is only powerful and piercing scream, strength, speed, violence, and a unique sense of epicness. On this base, conceived and played properly (you can even hear the bass for once), Windir managed to leave room for their personal melodic taste which is expressed in passages of clean vocals, synthesizers, and accordions, often winking at Norwegian folk music. The more melodic parts are not only found in breaks and isolated parts but are often blended with the more violent, dark, and impetuous sounds. It may take more than one listen to notice the melody painted on this dark and turbulent base. The lyrics themselves are composed not only in English but mostly in Norwegian, with parts in the Sognamål dialect and Old Norse, testifying to the group's deep attachment to their homeland. Also, notice the superb cover, taken from a 19th-century painting.
It begins with Resurrection of the Wild, a powerful song characterized by clean vocals capable of immediately immersing the listener in a whirlwind of emotions: a strong sense of epicness, pride, dignity but also sadness and melancholy is perceived. The various songs do not differ too much in style from one another, but they manage never to seem like a copy of one another; notable is the accordion intro of Fagning, the Viking might (I wouldn't know how to define it otherwise) of Martyrium and Despot, the darkness of the extremely violent On the Mountain of Goats, and the simple beauty of the concluding Ætti Mørkna.
It is nonetheless a work that is difficult to listen to, not recommended for newcomers and aimed at genre enthusiasts: a casual listener like myself had to struggle a lot to finally appreciate this album in all its greatness.
Tracklist Lyrics and Samples
02 Martyrium (05:00)
Gje han evig kvile
Gje han sjelefred
Gje han sælt minne
Martyrium evig liv
Gir ein heila livet
Martyrium da blir
Vis han evig kvile
Vis han sjelefred
Pris hans sæle minne
Pris han evig liv
Martyrium da måtte skje
Atjan hondra lik drive rundt i fjorden
Da skjine i lunke blod under Hogen
Men ein e gjennom Dauden boren
Med Gudane han e foren
03 Despot (06:01)
Seduced by the fire of power
Blessed with the gift of deception
I will become the reigning master
Fullfilling my desires for perfection
My strength is your comfort, your shield and protection
Your godly awe is my injection
So easy to tell you what you want to hear
Even easier to hide my actions
Using the gift of rhetoric
I drown you with my complications
Through a perversion of liberty I offer you monarchy
In the name of reality I give you tyranny
By the filth I reign, conquer and deceit
Building my empire on your defeat
A mission, a vision of a dark desire
Using your fear as fuel for my fire
Bow! I am the master, you are the puppet in my game
Die! I control your laughter, you worship my name
Clever as the fox, strong as a beast
I am the puppeteer reigning on fear
I create the fear I produce the enemy
You give me pleasure and sovereignty
There are many truths, I chose narcissistic one
By the time you see my nature,
I am long gone
06 On the Mountain of Goats (05:24)
The Mountain of Goats I shall reign
A sight where hate gains
A sight where evil reigns
The mountain of Goats
Under the sign of the Devil
Chanting our song to reach a new level
Preparing a kingdom worthy a throne
Seated by me, me alone
With rape as means I'll breed
Securing the throne with the sperm that we need
My throne will survive with terror and fear
Constant aware that the traitors are near
A path of evil a river of blood
Shed for me because I'm God
Unleash the Devil within me
All this for me because I am the King
On the Mountain of Goats I shall reign
Hordes will toture and kill in my name
My kingdom and throne will continue to grow
As the Devil continues to feed on my soul
08 Ætti mørkna (07:42)
Å bli staoande slik med husbonden vekke
Ingen son, ingen mann, ikkje nokon gard
Ken kan no hemna Arntor den rake
Vil åtti nokongang fao æra attendes
Sviken ao mange sviken ao eigne
Keleis gjekk da til møste alt i ei vending
Visse pao seier huga til krig
Ufatteleg å tapa ba alder om grid
Grådige tunger godset misunner
Høgsetet lokkar meir enn sæle
Trui at rangen til banemannen fann
Skapte splid innåt setet millom svake træler
Ærenamnet rissast naor sogao skal rissast
Ken kunde vita ke ufatteleg mykje
Banehogget til Arntor hadde å sei
Stort da e å vera konge med rike
Men betre å vera mann utan å ha svike
Visse på seier huga til krig
Men i tapet ulma splid
Æra sett tå spel for ætti
Mao likhauga mørkna føre soli
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