Viking Metal

Gonna knock this one out right off the bat: Amon Amarth is not Viking metal. I still love them, but that's not what this entry is about.

Viking metal is a style of metal that originated at the very beginning of the 1990s, and finds its stylistic origins in black metal and Nordic folk music. Being an abrasive yet atmospheric offshoot of the tremolo-picked, occult-obsessed world of black metal does not mean that it falls into the same pitfalls however, as Viking metal shifts its thematic focus to, you guessed it, Vikings and folklore. A direct precursor to folk metal (which we will discuss later), Viking metal was a logical progression even from early hard rock and heavy metal, with Nordic and Pagan themes being found anywhere from Led Zeppelin to Yngwie Malmsteen. But why does metal have such a fascination with Nordic folklore, and why is simply singing about the conquest of Vikings (as in the case of Amon Amarth) not enough to justify the genre tag?

It is generally agreed upon that the initial scene of Viking metal bands owe their prominence to Bathory. Already a driving force in the first wave of black metal, Bathory (and its iconic frontman Quorthon) took a turn for the Vikings in 1990 with the release of the genre's first true album: Hammerheart. Along with other bands at the time such as Pagan Rites, Twin Obscenity, Hades, and Mithotyn, Viking metal took its first steps. It wasn't until the middle of the decade, however, that the genre began to flourish. With the oncoming arrival of names such as Storm, Falkenbach, Vintersorg, Thyrfing, Einherjer, Graveland, Borknagar, and the mighty Enslaved, Viking metal was quickly catching on, and linking heavily to the subsequent folk metal movement in the mid- to late-'90s.

Recommended '90s Viking metal listening:
1. Bathory - Hammerheart (1990)
2. Enslaved - Frost (1994)
3. Borknagar - The Olden Domain (1997)
4. Falkenbach - Magni Blandinn Ok Megintiri... (1998)
5. Vintersorg - Till fjälls (1998)

Into the 2000s, Viking metal continued strong, losing (in my opinion) none of the momentum it had created. One of the most major players in the genre's timeline, Moonsorrow, released phenomenal records throughout the decade. The ties with folk metal became closer and closer, until to most casual fans the genres became inseparable. Albums from Ensiferum, Falkenbach, Equilibrium, Turisas, Týr, and Månegarm all combine the styles seamlessly and naturally, as the thematic elements of folk music and folklore are intended hand in hand. The style became much more grand and epic in its instrumentation and presentation, something that folk metal had inspired. Despite this overtake and overlap, Viking metal remained a prominent force of its own, separate from folk metal and truer to its black metal roots with bands such as Galar, Forefather, Thyrfing, and Sorgsvart keeping the flame alive.

Recommended '00s Viking metal listening:
1. Ensiferum - Ensiferum (2001)
2. Moonsorrow - Kivenkantaja (2003)
3. Månegarm - Vredens tid (2005)
4. Falkenbach - Heralding: The Fireblade (2005)
5. Equilibrium - Sagas (2008)

As we entered the 2010s, Viking metal saw a mixture of mostly older bands continuing to reign strong, with every once in a while a new band arriving and pulling something great and unexpected out of their pockets. Falkenbach, Finsterforst, and Vintersorg all continued to write phenomenally, even after their contemporaries either shied away from the genre entirely (ie, Enslaved) or had long been broken up (ie, Bathory). Bands rearing their heads for the first time either in the later portion of the 2000s or completely in the new decade included King of Asgard, Nothgard, Ereb Altor, Draugnim, Voluspaa, and Svartsot, among others.

Recommended '10s Viking metal listening:
1. Ereb Altor - The End (2010)
2. King of Asgard - Fi'mbulvintr (2010)
3. Nothgard - Warhorns of Midgard (2011)
4. Finsterforst - Rastlos (2012)
5. Falkenbach - Asa (2013)

So why the fascination with such old-fashioned themes? Is it for the sake of metal guys feeling cool? Doubtful, though it certainly is cool in my personal opinion. Is it the lust for aggression, or for feeling the honor that a battle brings? Is it the pride for the rich European heritage from which most of these key figures hail? Or is it the surprisingly consistent overlap between metal fans and history buffs? It could be any combination of these things, but one thing is for certain: Viking metal has cranked out some of the most fantastic metal records of the last three decades, and the genre shows no signs of slowing.

Note: Hey y'all! Sorry it's a bit of a shorter entry today. I know I've been behind on things, it's time for midterms here at my university, so free time has been a little tight. In other news, I'm going to see the great Devin Townsend live with his all-new all-star Empath band! I hope you've enjoyed keeping up with these entries, and I'll do my darnedest to have a new one out on the regular weekly schedule again. Thanks!