Amon Amarth - Versus The World

Metal Blade Music: 2002

I'm absolutely no expert on the history of Amon Amarth, nor do I feel committed enough to this band to become one. Far as I can tell though, Versus The World is their true break-out album. For one thing, it's their earliest LP that scores a solid 4/5 on SputnikMusic. In fact, only this and With Oden On Our Side achieve that mark, with Twilight Of The Thunder God nipping at their heels just 0.1 points behind. Mind, the sample size isn't quite so high, this one earning only nine-hundred votes, while the other two have... a whole lot more.

Regardless, I'm confident in making this assumption because of the deluxe version of Versus The World I snagged. Not only does it have the original album, but a second CD including the band's debut mini-album Sorrow Throughout The Nine Worlds, plus a couple demo EPs: Arrival Of The Fimbul Winter and Thor Arise. Generally speaking, one does not tag their earliest material to another album unless you consider both a Ground Zero of sorts in your musical evolution.

Anyhow, Versus The World is pretty much more of the same as I've come to expect out of Amon Amarth. Or set the template, since this is an earlier album in their peak years. Blast beat drumming from Fredrik Andersson, grinding rhythm guitars from Ted Lundström and Johan Söderberg, impossibly epic, melodic shredding from Olavi Mikkonen, and Johan Hegg going on about Viking activities and mythology under an incomprehensible guttural growl. Okay, it's not all guttural growls here, mixing things up with raspy bellows as well. Neither are of a personal preference (give me Tyr's falsettos any day!), but if putting up with death metal tropes is the price to pay to enjoy that fine-ass guitar action, so be it.

Plus it just makes good sonic sense hearing such primal vocals to a stomping, marching rhythm in Where Silent Gods Stand Guard. Not to mention the hilarity of hearing topics like Across The Rainbow Bridge uttered in such a tone. Yes, I know the reference – doesn't make it less amusing visualizing it in other contexts. Like, imagine Amon Amarth as the backing music in that Mario Kart race course!

So a solid outing on Versus The World Prime – how does the bonus CD stack up? Opening bonus track Siegreicher Marsch bodes well, carrying on from disc one. Then the early stuff hits and... *whoof*. Oh yeah, this is definitely some under-produced material. Talent is there, for sure, just far from refined yet. Söderberg's shredding sounds great, but overpowers everything, Hegg shouting a bunch from another room, while the drums are being played in a garage outside. And that's just he actual first mini-album! By the time we get to the Thor Arise demo... Man, save the death metal trappings, their recording of Sabbath Bloody Sabbath sounds like it could have come from the '70s. Never let it be said proper studio time won't do wonders for any genre of music.

Ensiferum - Victory Songs

Spinefarm Records: 2007/2009

The original line-up for Ensiferum looked unbeatable, a promising row of melodic death metallers who'd proven themselves in the field of battle. Then lead singer/screamer Jari Mäenpää left/was relieved when he wanted to work on his Wintersun project, but no worries, just hire another vocalist for replacement. Happens all the time in the world of metal, right? Probably, except Jari's departure seemed to kick-off a mass exodus of band members, original guitarist Markus Toivonen and keyboardist Meiju Enho the only ones left from the Iron sessions. Ah, whoops? I'm not sure what caused such a radical personnel change, but Mr. Toivonen had enough confidence in his band's prospects that it wouldn't be hindered by fresh musicians in the studio.

So new band members came in, Petri Lindroos now the lead wailer. Sami Hinkka picked up the bass-axe, and joined in on the backing vocals with Markus. Janne Pariviainen handled the blast-beats, and the new Ensiferum tested the waters with the Dragonheads EP. If Sputnikmusik is anything to go by (and I see no reason why it shouldn't be a reputable source of metal music opinions), that record didn't do much to convince fans of the old Ensiferum that the new Ensiferum was up to snuff. Well gosh, what hope would the expectant album have then?

But lo', whatever kinks they had to work out must have been solved, as Victory Songs (pronounced 'VI-cTOR-Ree') surprised everyone by being pretty darn good. Certainly different compared to their self-titled debut, but not substantially so such that fans of their heavy folk thrash couldn't still vibe to it. The production is tighter and cleaner, which may turn off some who prefer their death metal rough around the edges, but man, it sure is nice hearing all the instruments in sync with each other, nothing being drowned out. As a 'harsh vocalist', Petri does well, and I can actually understand most of what he's going on about, though that may be in thanks to the better mixdown when stacked against Ensiferum. Still, I find Jari had more presence, more variety in inflection. Yes, even for a form of singing that's generally raspy and guttural. I'm as surprised as you that, even in my extremely limited exposure to it, I've managed to pick out such nuance.

As for the songs, it's more 'melodic speed' (or whatever) as before, with tales of adventure, deeds of war, musings on heroism, and all that fun stuff. Riffage is fast and intense when needed, scaled back for breathers, with traditionalist musicians brought in where appropriate (gotta' get in those bagpipes in the titular finale). Why, there's even a 'clean singing' ballad in Wanderer which still chugs well enough. Strangely, lead single Ahti, with its sea shanty theme (kinda'), didn't do it for me. You'd think that'd be right up my alley but I dunno', that just doesn't feel like Ensiferum's wheel-house. Look at me, acting like some arbiter of proper sound in a Viking metal band.

Týr - Eric The Red

Tutl/Napalm Records: 2003/2006

I couldn't settle for just one Týr album. Unlike some of their Scandinavian brethren, however, the Faroe islanders don't have quite so robust a discography, only eight albums over twenty years. But if Sputnikmusik is anything to go by (I generally trust their opinions regarding metal), they're all of consistent quality, none dipping low, but neither peaking high. Well gosh, if that means I can always expect at least one song on the level of Land, it don't matter which one I nab.

In the end, I went with Eric The Red, mainly because I'm more interested in Norse history than Norse mythology, and Erik Thorvaldsson was indeed a real dude. If the tales of his exiles and exploits are embellished a little into song, that's all well and good. This isn't such a bad starting point for folks getting into Týr either, the band's first album with their most consistent roster, with Heri Joensen taking on full lead vocal duties.

Seeing as how Land came out half a decade after Eric The Red, I figured this album wouldn't be as epic or richly produced, the band still in the process of finding their footing. Nope, Týr comes in as finely polished as you could hope for a prog-metal band from a tiny cluster of islands (very good, is what I'm saying). Opener The Edge immediately hits you with walls of guitars, nifty drumming, a confounding time-signature, and Heri bellowing suitably grand, poetic lyrics about Viking things. While the mixdown isn't quite as full as heard on Land, the bass a bit buried under the guitars, its still crisp and clear, especially compared to some of the other examples of Viking metal I've heard from this era.

All well and good, but Týr's use of traditional Faroe folk music was what helped set them well apart from their contemporaries, and second track Regin Smidur gets in on that kick-ass metal chant. I haven't a clue what they're saying, but I don't care, quite eager to get in on that heavy bellowing action. Preferably with a stein in hand, banging on a table with equally inebriated Norse folk. Wait, isn't that an Irish cliche? Speaking of, it's weird hearing the Irish standard The Wild Rover on here. Týr perform it well enough, and I suppose the Faroe Islands had just as many folks of Celtic heritage as Norse migrating there over the centuries. Still a surprising moment of levity from a band that's generally all about the epic tales.

And epic tales are continuously told for the remainder of Eric The Red. Some of it sounds more like regular ol' metal rather than prog or folk inspired (especially the solos), but I'll allow it, Týr clearly still discovering just how far they can push things. The only thing that brings this album down is the inclusion of two bonus demos in the reissue, ending things on an unfortunate limp note when the titular song served as a fitting closer. Ah well.

Amon Amarth - With Oden On Our Side

Metal Blade Records: 2006

This is Amon Amarth's best album, if Sputnikmusic is anything to go by, the Swedish death metal band's only 4/5 as rated by the userbase. Mind, it's not by much, inching out over Twilight Of The Thunder God and Versus The World by a mere 0.1 each. Plus, how accurate can an online community rating system be? I'll grant I have more faith in the general consensus of long time metal fans over, say, fresh-faced trance fans, but these things can get a little screwy with review bombing and whatnot. Still, reading the discourse in those review threads leads me to believe I can trust these opinions, especially with over 1,500 folks contribute the rating.

I mentioned in the previous Amon Amarth review that this period in the band's output is considered Peak Amon, and I can hear why. Stylistically, there isn't much difference between this and Twilight ..., released two years apart. Listening to these back to back, I can tell this is the sound of a group that have figured out exactly what their style is, what themes they want to explore, and are in perfect sync as musicians to do so. In fact, if you were to do a blind test and mix songs from either album up, you'd probably think they were all from the same record. I admit I wouldn't have known the difference, but hey, that's why I'm taking a little extra time in digesting these things. There are differences though.

The first thing I noticed is the dreaded Cookie Monster growl isn't so prominent. Sure, it's there – death metal just can't help itself – but Johan Hegg doesn't go to the absolute bowel-decibel levels as frequently as he does in Twilight.... This lets me take Amon Amarth's brand of Viking metal a little more ...seriously? What a weird thing to say.

Also, and this may come as a shock, the topics covered in this album are different compared to the latter. You'd think Viking metal would have an incredibly narrow niche of themes, with almost no room for variation, and you'd be mostly right. That doesn't mean a band can't explore those specific things to the nth degree, however. Twilight..., for instance, most dealt with mythological stuff, whereas With Oden... focuses mostly on the sorts of shenanigans the Earth-realm mortals were getting up into, far and wide from the lands of the Rus to the isle of the Irish. Y'know, the pillaging and the warfare and the glory of victory and all that gory rot. Okay, not always 'glory of victory', as Rune To My Memory details the final thoughts of a warrior dying on the battlefield, but mostly. There's no reinterpretation of Gods Of War Arise though, wherein Johan bluntly goes on about setting fires to churches, 'honourably' slaughtering those who stand and fight while enslaving the survivors and making off with their gold. It was tough times, y'see. Don't worry though, they'll get what's coming when the Mongols arrive.

Wintersun - Wintersun

Nuclear Blast: 2004

You wouldn't think the Viking metal scene was large enough to allow for splintering. Maybe occassion personnel rotations, but if a band struck it hot with success, you'd be best served sticking things out together. That's not what happened with Ensiferum though, the lead vocalist and guitarist, Jari Mäenpää, striking out on his own after just two albums with the band. Okay, that's not quite accurate.

Seems Jari had been writing his own material before joining the Finnish folk metal band, and though having success with Ensiferum, continued stockpiling songs for future side-project consideration. Why not produce them with his current band? These just weren't compatible with the type of themes Ensiferum was exploring, Jari having visions of grand, majestic, and even melancholic in mind. Less pure folkish influence, more “spacy”, as he put it. So committed to the project he was, that Mr. Mäenpää decided he'd do all the music himself. Then he realized he couldn't do the blast-beat drums he'd wanted, so got Rotten Sound drummer Kai Hahto to join in. Everything else though, from vocals, guitars, synths, and miscellaneous, he'd produce.

So sounds good, and after a while, Jari managed to compile enough songs to see his 'Wintersun' project to fruition. Only, he'd booked studio time that would conflict with an Ensiferum tour. He requested a break to meet his studio schedule, but the band apparently fired him instead. Cold, man, like a Nordic winter.

If I thought the Ensiferum stuff was at a blistering pace, it's got nothing on Wintersun. In fact, it sometimes sounds too fast, like the guitars are pitched up and the drums can't quite keep up, though Kai is doing it absolute best to try. Or are the drums too fast? Is there any need to be ultra blast-beating during the operatic bridges? Plus, the overall mixdown seems rather tinny to my ears. As I've said, I don't know enough about Nordic death-folk-speed metal to know what the scene's bassline of production standards are, but surely it's beefier than this? Mind, as it is Jari doing almost everything here, having to record each part separately across many studios, so it's remarkable this debut album came together as well as it did. And while even Jari admits Wintersun can sound a bit 'demo-ish' compared to his later efforts, it certainly wasn't lacking in songwriting ambition.

Oh yes, despite all this, Wintersun does kick a lot of ass, in an epic, over-the-top sort of way. I can't take much of it seriously, but when that chorus in Battle Against Time erupts, holy Hell, do I ever want to fist pump along with. Plus, each successive song is longer than that last, showing some thought and care in the album presentation as a proper journey. Which is a fancy way of saying it does drag by the end, but I'll allow it. Given all the struggles Jari had in seeing this album to completion, Wintersun deserves a little indulgence.

Amon Amarth - Twilight Of The Thunder God

Metal Blade Records: 2008

Getting into Viking metal by way of bands of Ensiferum and Týr was all well and good, but I was told if I truly wanted more than just a poseur-bluffer's collection, I needed to get some Amon Amarth. Okay, wasn't so much 'told', but generally gleaned from discussions on the subject matter. Makes sense though, the Swedish death metal band having been among the earliest to incorporate Norsemen themes into their lyrics. Not the earliest, mind, which would probably be Bathory, but early enough that they're frequently name-dropped as giving it enough credibility that others could follow. They've also toured with death metal elite (Slayer, Cannibal Corpse ...Goatwhore?), so I feel I'm in good hands checking these guys out.

And according to Sputnikmusic, my always reliable source for metal music discourse, this here Twilight Of The Thunder God is as good a starting point as any. Or the previous album to this, With Oden On Our Side. Heck, may as well get both, but alphabetical stipulation states this one gets reviewed first. Regardless, this period seems to have been peak Amon Amarth, so let's hear what this icon of Viking metal has on tap.

So the titular opener immediately hits with the epic guitar riffs and vicious rhythms, and I'm digging it. Then vocalist Johan Hegg starts up with those guttural death metal growls, to which I can't help but think, “Oh no! Not the Cookie Monster growls.”

I can put up with the falsetto wailing, the raspy shouting, and even some mid-range growling, but the lower the tone goes, the sillier it sounds to me, to such a point it takes me right out of whatever musical vibe I may get out of a given song. I just can't take it seriously! Granted, there are some instances where going full baritone with the death metal growls works – heck, there's examples right here on this album! In the song Tattered Banners And Bloody Flags, when Johan intones “The earth moves under our feet; The great world tree, Yggdriasil; Trembles to its roots”, you really feel that earth-shuddering rumble.

And honestly, it's not like that's the only vocal style heard on this album. Plus, once it's been worked in for a while, my brain acclimatizing to the vocal delivery, so it's no longer a turn-off. I just wish I didn't always have that initial reflexive reaction to hearing it, that I need a few songs before I'm willing to go with the guttural growls.

Vocal deliveries aside, Twilight Of The Thunder God is pretty kick-ass. I've seen Amon Amarth's style described not so much as Viking metal (which is often lumped with Folk metal), but as melodic death metal, or melodeath, just with Norse tales and mythology thrown in. Sure, I'll go with that, with equal measures of melodramatic riffage joining in with aggro-assaults. And sweet, there's even an Apocalyptica guest spot on Live For The Kill. Nothing sells 'epic' like a cello metal band!

ACE TRACKS: September 2020

Time for another round of Sykonee Vs The Work Radio. Today's case study features what happens when being transferred to a brand new location with the station defaulted to the most modern music you can play for a clientele of all ages, but secretly wanting that younger, affluent demographic. Logic dictates it'll be pop music, with a heavy favouritism towards timeless hits of the '80s and '90s, but that's old people music now. You need something that connects with millennials, and hoo boy, do they love 'em some Marshmello. Or so whomever is in charge of curating these work radio playlists assumes.

That wouldn't be the worst of it though. Oh no, our mysterious taste-maker knows we can't subsist on a steady diet of Marshmello forever. There's just too much nutritious '80s and '90s pop to ignore, but we can't have the originals playing - it'd make Marshmello sound bad. Somehow, then, our faceless music merchant has found modern covers of all the old hits, and by modern, I mean tropical house remixes, with the occasional Ed Sheeran-style acoustic ditty thrown in. I'm honestly more flabbergasted and even a touch bemused by the fact there exists such an extensive library of this music now, enough to fill a contemporary pop playlist.

Needless to say, this stuff was rapidly annoying as all hell, but fortunately, I got my hands on the music feed (re: was asked to install some additional wiring, because I'm apparently The Guy who knows how to do such things). And while I couldn't change the music selection (don't have that authority), I did adjust all the volumes so it wasn't so blaring in the areas that it mattered. Where I can play my own stuff on my own portable speakers, away from discerning ears. Oh yes, there's a party in the Sykonee work corner! Even playing music as found in September's collection of ACE TRACKS!


Full track list here.


MISSING ALBUMS:
RX-101 - Like Yesterday
Buttertones - Midnight In A Moonless Dream

Percentage Of Hip-Hop: 0%
Percentage Of Rock: 36%
Most “WTF?” Track: Sunscreem - Love U More, just for *that* lyric.

Is this the highest percentage of rock music we've ever had in one of these playlists? Maybe when I did that Neil Young boxset, there was more, or perhaps when I took on a sizeable chunk of Ishkur's CD collection from his angsty rock teenage years. Aside from that though, yes, I do believe it is. And how could it not, what with two offerings of Viking metal and two offerings of surf rock. Heck, could have been three of the latter, if the band hadn't deep-sixed their prospects with awful behaviour.

Týr - Land

Napalm Records: 2008

I made mention in the Ensiferum reviews that non-Scandinavians finding inspiration in classic Scandinavian folklore and making metal music out of it caused a couple side-eyes. Like, how authentic can one be if your heritage places you somewhere on the other side of a continent? It's definitely a gate-keepy conversation, but perhaps necessary – Mongolian Horde metal would sound weird coming from the folks of Oghuz Turkish descent, is all I'm saying.

Fortunately, Viking metal band Týr has none of that to worry about, hailing from the Faroe Islands. A 'last stop before Iceland' archipelago, the Norse heritage runs deep with the inhabitants there, developing their own language and history as most Norse transplants were wont to do in their remote island habitats. So when these guys go on about Valkyries and adventures across the endless oceans, it's coming from an authentic source, especially since they often sing songs in Faroese, a legit descendant of Old Norse. This is turning into a historical/linguistics class, isn't it?

If you're wondering what got me so enthralled by Viking metal, it's this album right here. Hearing stuff from bands like Ensiferum and Amon Amarth only piqued my interest. Musically though, they were still following death metal tropes, what with the power chords and growling and such. Not these guys, going on more of a prog metal path, constantly changing up time signatures so to fit better with the traditional music of the Faroe Islands.

Plus, them singing in the native tongue really sells that feeling of being... Well, maybe not exactly in the era of their inspiration (no electric guitars in the 11th Century, that's for sure), but as close to immersion one can hope for in our modern clime'. It doesn't even matter I generally don't know what the lyrics are (booklet provides a handy translation, if it's important), I'm still mentally singing along as though joined in drunken celebration at a longhouse. Skipping on the death metal growls help.

Then there are the two 'epics' on Land, songs breaching the double-digit mark, and performed in English (yay, I can connect!). Holy cow, do these ever give me feels I didn't think possible from nearly any form of music. Ocean imparts the thoughts of hesitant wandering sea-faring Norsemen, reflecting upon whether a great future and glory awaits them across the unknown horizon. To take up the call of adventure, leaving all that you know behind? Or was it greed?

Well, Týr do heed that call in the titular song, lost on the endless waters in desperate search of any spot of land. And hot damn, do these guys ever sell that desperate hope, persevering in the absolute worst of conditions, the human spirit indomitable in the face of all that the Gods can throw at you. When they sing “Sail with me across the raging sea; Write your tale into eternity”, I'm ready to throw myself into the nearest knörr in search of Vinland! Oh, wait, I already live there, technically.

Ensiferum - Iron

Spinefarm Records/Icarus Music: 2004/2012

Not that it matters to readers of a blog supposedly dedicated to electronic music, but I should probably clarify a couple things regarding Viking metal band Ensiferum. For one, this band isn't strictly a Viking metal band. Yeah, they use Viking iconography and all, but they tend to fall more in the Folk metal branch of things.

And you may wonder, what's the difference, aren't we splitting braided hairs here? Hey, glass houses and all, fellow electronic music lovers. Especially psy-trance lovers (I'm looking at you, Goblin Psy). But okay, the fact that Ensiferum are Finnish does raise an eyebrow over the band finding inspiration in themes supposedly originated by the peoples of classic Scandinavia. Isn't that like Scots doing Celtic metal? Not that geographical neighbours aren't allowed to crib things from one another – cultural exchange and all that. It would properly make Ensiferum more Folk than Viking metal though, so if the nagging pedantic is bothering you about it, there's the necessary trivia.

After a successful debut and tour, the band struck again while the iron was hot, hence the title of this album. Heh, no, it's in reference to Ensiferum itself (know your Latin, kids). While I haven't done enough research to know exactly how stuffed the Viking/Folk metal scene had gotten by the mid-'00s, I can't imagine a complete retread of Ensiferum would do. No, this band went full-in with the Folkish traits. Instead of brief interludes where acoustic guitars or kantele would play a traditional ditty before erupting back into the blast-beats and heavy riffage, you now have full songs dedicated to it, complete with backing orchestra! Okay, synthesized orchestra, but the intent is still there. Honestly, if you found this CD sitting in some ye' olde Renaissance fair merch booth (just ignore the anachronistic nature of it), opener Ferrum Aeternum and closer Tears wouldn't seem out of place in the slightest. Heck, they even got Kaisa Saari to do vocals in the latter, and if you look at the Discogs page of her folk rock band Tarujen Saari, you'll be astounded by how un-metal they be.

But metal is what Ensiferum are, and by golly, metal is what they give. With added synthesizers. And more folkish interludes. Plus much crisper production, such that I can actually hear and understand Jari's vocals now. Well, when he doesn't go full-throated growl, though he's added the classic falsetto wail to the Ensiferum repertoire. And I can't get enough of good ol' group choruses and chants. LAI LAI HEI indeed!

Iron is also a much shorter album than Ensiferum, and not so relentless as the debut either, plenty of pause between its pummelling portions. When the band does go off though, it's as full-tilt as anything from before. And gosh, is it just me, but do some of these songs sound like Metallica's Battery? I must not be the only one, because the 2009 re-issue included a bonus cover of that very song. Inspiration not only regional, but timeless!

Ensiferum - Ensiferum

Spinefarm Records/Fontana: 2001/2008

We all knew this was coming, eh? It's all Blood Music's fault (Blood Music!!). While browsing the label's website for synthwave and CBL, I noticed many striking pictures of Vikings, and couldn't help but wonder what the music within sounded like. When I heard some, a quickly realized I had to hear more, more, MOAR!! Okay, not that much more, but enough for an exploratory dig based on reviews found on Sputnik Music. How novel.

Why Viking metal? I'm not really sure, to be honest. Absolutely there's a romanticism surrounding the peoples of Scandinavia, those who ventured far into lands and waters no sane human dared go. Plus, all that rich lore in their pantheon of pagan Gods, ripe for retelling and such. They also were kinda' massive pricks to their European neighbours, but eh, so was everyone else to everyone else in those times. Basically, my scant metal music indulgences typically go for the escapist, and Viking metal is definitely that, while grounded in some semblance of historical fact. This is my excuse for taking Viking metal somewhat seriously, while still snickering over things like fantasy metal.

Ensiferum was the band that got my attention, so it's only appropriate (and alphabetically fortuitous!) that we're kicking this off with their debut, self-titled album. I had zero idea what to expect going in – maybe something harking back to '80s metal like Manowar? I hadn't counted on the evolution of thrash, power, and death metal having been so thoroughly ingrained in Northern Europe, that even the Viking stuff would be doing it. Just... holy cow, all those blast beats and shredding! Not to mention raspy growl of lead singer Jari Mäenpää going on about folkish tales of Gods and men. At least, that's what the liner notes tell me, as I can barely understand him most of the time, his voice often buried under the aggressive layers of guitars. Was this just how death metal was mastered at the turn of the century?

But yeah, after an acoustic folk ditty for an intro (played on a Finnish instrument called a kantele), it's just go-go-GO after, a relentless assault of guitars, drums, epic power chords, operatic choir choruses, and it's glorious! Okay, maybe a bit on the corny side too, but only if you don't buy into the whole vibe, and Ensiferum, they win you over immediately. Just as you're acclimatizing to the ridiculous speed of their music, in comes one of those choruses celebrating honour and adventure and all that good stuff. Some songs go a little slower (Token Of Time, Treacherous Gods), others heavier (Old Man, Abandoned, Eternal Wait), including brief downturns back into acoustic folk. All is again overcome by d'at galloping metal though, right up to final song Goblin's Dance, more of a metal jig, complete with flute action. Judas Priest namedrop here.

So yeah, great first impression into this realm of Viking metal, but I didn't go on this journey for just one album's worth. Stay tuned...