Like anyone else over the age of 25 with any modicum of intellect, I have had enough of all the Viking/battle metal tomfoolery that has invaded the shelves in recent years. It’s all one big gimmick designed to sell records to those who are easily lured in by silly costumes and drinking songs and care little about music with any depth. It’s refreshing when you come across bands who sing about such themes with the sobriety and elegance that Helheim possess. Having reviewed their Asgards Fall EP last December this is one album I had been excited about for a while, as back then I could easily see that they had upped the ante in the songwriting stakes. This certainly lives up to expectations!
Curiously, the album is broken up with four tracks entitled ‘Viten Og Mot’ which translates as Knowledge and Courage and are based on the words of Odin. The album starts off with #1 of these; ‘Viten Og Mot (Sindighet)’ which presents itself as an ominous, booming presence to strike fear in the heart of the weak before unleashing a fierce mid-paced attack with guitars as sharp as a sword. It’s clear just how much effort has gone into crafting this album already; this is all wonderfully dynamic and three-dimensional and feels like being caught up in the midst of battle where heads and limbs are flying and then your attention is drawn to the emerging longboats pulling up to the shore behind you. Clean vocals are enunciated with Pagan passion and urgency over a relentless backdrop of sound.
‘Dualitet Og Ulver’ kicks up the pace, bristling forth with a rollicking drumbeat and icy riffing and it has just occurred to me why this sounded so familiar as it was the track that was previewed on the EP! I can imagine this being truly excellent in the live arena (hint, hint). ‘Viten Og Mot (Stolthet)’ brings a much darker tone to proceedings, a real maundering pace and sense of foreboding lurking in the air like a thick fog as the horns sound out in the distance. The bass works its magic on this one, really mingling neatly amongst the hypnotic guitars. As things move on, the vocals begin to boom out in a rather ritualistic manner very fitting to the music. The next Viten track, ‘Arvakenhet’ has much more swagger to it and drives fearsomely along until it slows down to an atmospheric and doom-laden standstill. There is some lovely lead guitar playing scattered across the album, on this track in particular there is a bit of a classic flair as the notes are molten together.
‘Element’ is a stand-out moment on the album, slow and sultry with a real smooth melody to it that slithers along surreptitiously building to an explosive chorus. Next track ‘Naudr’ has a real nastiness to it in the vile rasped vocals and filthy punked up rhythm, while again there is a ritualistic vibe when it all breaks down and spoken chants take over…all brims with evil and the anguished cries as the drums kick back in are a nice touch. Finishing track ‘Helheim 8’ has that boingidy-boing-boing sound that reminds of Solefald, and while the distant yodels take us out in a triumphant fashion, musically things wind down gradually
To round things off, this album is pretty much faultless; it flows effortlessly, the musicianship is top notch and the melodies really get inside your head. Will the easily duped masses raise their drinking horns half-filled with watered down mead to this, I wonder? Perhaps not, but for us grown-ups this is an outstanding effort with a definite place in my top albums of 2011 list.
http://www.myspace.com/helheimnorway
Luci Herbert
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