Viking Metal

[Garland]

Viking Metal: I just discovered it today. I think it's pretty cool. For those who are like me and haven't heard of it, what it is, is Scandinavian folk music and viking legends put into anthemic metal. I downloaded three albums by this band called Einherjer today off iTunes. I'm pretty happy. Anyone listen to this genre of music? I'm scouring the net for other good names in the genre, but Einherjer will keep me busy for a while.

[DK]

Enslaved are probably my favourite Viking Metal band, they are awesome. Well they were, last couple of albums have been a bit shiet. But the older stuff is glorious.

[Montoya]

If Finntroll is considered Viking Metal than them.

[Garland]

I just lost my mind. What I did was wiki viking metal. Got a list of bands. Then I went to itunes, and I bought 30 albums. I found a band, bought all their albums, moved on to the next. I just spent a paycheck on music. Enslaved - I got everything itunes had. Thyrfing, Falkenbach, vintersorg, equilibrium. That covers it. I'm a little irritated that two albums were higher priced exact duplicates - presumably that itunes plus crap. So I wasted 15-20 dollars or so. But still, my iPhone is nothing to be embarrassed about. Used to only have a handful of artists on it. Now it's got over 400 songs.


EDIT:
Finntroll is supposedly Viking music. A review for Einherjer was remorseful that Finntroll wasnt for sale.

EDIT:
iTunes just finished tabulating the receipts and it all came to 263. I was fearing worse. Good deal. I'm glad they weren't all 9.99.

[Montoya]

One of my best friends has recently started listening to Enslaved. I'm going to ask him if he can let me borrow a CD.

[o_O]

IMO the best viking metal band is Turisas:

<img src="http://www.hardrockhouse.com/Interviews/Turisas3.jpg" title="lol" />

[The Man]

I've been listening to Viking metal for about five years. Enslaved and Bathory are probably the two most important early artists in the genre, but there are several other artists who are also pretty much essential, such as Týr, Windir, Falkenbach, and Vintersorg. A number of other artists play in a very similar style but aren't classed as Viking metal due to country of origin/lyrical content, such as Moonsorrow, Arkona (Rus), Wyrd, and Cruachan.

I have a ton of music in this style on my computer; if you want to sample any of it, just let me know.

[Garland]

If my reading is correct - you can't give wikipedia 100% credence - Bathory was the very first. Rammstein was my only interest in metal music, period, until today. I'm trying to broaden my music horizons. If you had played any sort of metal in the past, I'd have thought "Wtf is this screaming crap?" but it's pretty great now.

[Namelessfengir]

i have never heard of viking metal before... ill have to get some of these this week

[The Man]

If my reading is correct - you can't give wikipedia 100% credence - Bathory was the very first. Rammstein was my only interest in metal music, period, until today. I'm trying to broaden my music horizons. If you had played any sort of metal in the past, I'd have thought "Wtf is this screaming crap?" but it's pretty great now.

That's quite correct, and alongside Skyclad they pretty much invented folk metal. Though it's worth noting that Manowar seems to have been a fairly large influence on both, but I wouldn't class Manowar as anything but power metal.

The harsh vocals are definitely an acquired taste, but for my money they're one worth acquiring. If you want exposure to more kinds of metal, let me know; I've got a fairly huge library. I especially like the more experimental and avant-garde ends of the genre.

[Garland]

What I've really been trying to get into, is finding actual "artists". Everyone who puts out a CD these days gets the title, but most are just formula regurgitating cash cows. I think any music can be good if the musician really cares. Because my degree was in medieval history, and it was a degree that I picked out of interest, and not (unfortunately) for the money (seriously, no jobs in THIS major), any metal rocker who likes his swords, shields and medieval battles is a 10 in my estimation. Exciting music that gives me goosebumps of heroism, and the potential to learn a little in the process about Scandinavian mythology? Seems like pure win.

[The Man]

I tend to agree; part of my interest in metal stems from the fact that bands seem to be more willing to branch out and experiment due to the music's 'underground' status. (Though there are some people in black metal subculture who deplore anything that doesn't sound like Darkthrone's Transilvanian Hunger, but smurf them). I definitely agree with finding the lyrics intriguing when I can understand them; that said, a lot of bands I listen to don't even sing in English (Moonsorrow, Arkona, early Enslaved, and so on).

as long as we're talking about metal bands who use mythology and history as bases for lyrics I'll have to mention Nile, who include essay-length pieces about the historical basis behind their songs in their liner notes, and Satyricon, who aren't technically Viking metal but incorporate a lot of historical basis into their lyrics, especially in the early stuff (note that the sound quality isn't that great though). And then there's Pan.Thy.Monium, who just invent their own mythology entirely.

[Montoya]

I can recommend some Immortal then. Not the tru kvlt, but still great in my opinion.

[Captain Maxx Power]

Metal is awesome. So are Vikings. I fail to see how this can possibly fail.

[Garland]

So far, Einherjer is my favorite artist, followed by a couple of songs by Falkenbach and Enslaved. I aim to buy a few more artists when I get paid again - Turisas, Bathory to name a couple.

Venomtongue by Einherjer is my new favorite song.