Einherjer? It's been fifteen years since I last crossed paths with this viking clan. Even accounting for their split period after 2003 that's a long time, especially as I found that 1996 album ' Dragons Of The North' a bit... uneventful if I'm honest.
And, true to that memory, the first moments of our re acquaintance are not that auspicious. Thirteen minute opener 'Norron Kraft' strikes up some martial drumming before a rather hollow chug riff sputters along, dragging some snarled vocals in its wake for a few uneventful minutes. But wait! Suddenly our slain warriors are filled with life! After that initial rumble, a full rich bottom end fills out the sound to great effect, the vocals bite and it really is like listening to a resurrection. The martial hammering remains but now it drives the oars rather than clatters the scenery, steering the remainder of the song through turbulent and quieter waters with equal confidence and atmosphere.
Next the sound of oars striking water and the sonorous tone of deep brass sounds launches the dramatic ship of dead mens nails 'Naglfar' through some ominous mists; a cracking, dark and anvil pounding piece of superbly crafted Viking Metal. This quality is cranked up even higher by the pounding, chanted vicious celebration of the excellent 'Alu Alu Laukar', clean choral backing vocals adding even more body to an already impressive sound before 'Varden Brenne' brings back the haunting epic.
With richly melodic but still iron heavy guitar breaks such as on 'Malmting' adding a classic metal feel to the album, the odd bit of Nordic blast backing it up and the overall sense of that metal pounding rhythm anchoring every single beat this is a real hard sinew threaded return. Unexpected but all the better for that, perhaps.
Closer 'Balladen Om Bifrost' is a cold, melancholy ending with precisely plucked acoustic guitar work and huge massed vocal parts that leaves the heart swelling and contentment in your mind.
Think a martial, much more dense Tyr with the folk hacked out and with the kind of hammer blow rhythm of Rammstein but carved from pure Norwegian muscle not machine. These Norwegian veterans have returned with a battle scarred warhammer of an album in Norron, proof that the old warrior is always the one to be wary of and that the young 'uns stray from the path at their peril.
It also makes me wonder why the sound of twee fiddles stalks so much viking metal these days when a bit of booming brass or horn catches the spirit so much better for a battle epic.
Really excellent and should be checked out by any fan of the genre. Or just of any pounding metal. Top drawer.
http://www.myspace.com/einherjermusic
Gizmo
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