BATHORY - HAMMERHEART (1990) & TWILIGHT OF THE GODS (1991)

Hammerheart the limited edition gatefold first print vinyl on Noise International. Not often that I find such gems as this one in my own midsized Swedish hometown (approx 100 000).

Twilight Of The Gods vinyl is a 2003 reissue on Black Mark Production.

Been listening too Bathory extensively for quite some time so I thought of doing a 2 part series of their viking albums. This is part I or II:

Hammerheart & Twilight Of The Gods were the 5th & 6th Bathory albums. Hammerheart being the first release in their "viking era". Sure there were hints of it with songs like Odens Ride Over Nordland; A Fine Day To Die and also the title track from their previous Blood Fire Death (1988) record.
Other bands had released viking themed songs long before. But here Bathory go all into full Viking Metal mode and the Hammerheart album was the first of its kind.

Believe I bought both these albums on CD back in 1996 it could maybe even been in 1997 at the same time. Because the Jubileum I & II compilations had many of the best songs and being 16 years old one had to prioritize albums to buy.

Hammerheart didn't quite blow me away like the albums Blood Fire Death; Under The Sign Of The Black Mark; The Return and the debut Bathory had done. I appreciated the songs that appeared on the compilations especially Shores In Flames and Song To Hall Up High.

But it didn't take long before I realized just how excellent the album really is. It starts perfectly with the already mentioned Shores In Flames and it's 11 min of pure amazing Scandinavian Viking/Black Metal at its finest. Then another excellent song Valhalla also a long one 9,5 min.

Already 2 songs into Hammerheart one can hear especially where especially the early Viking/Pagan Metal bands from the Norwegian Black Metal scene found their inspiration. Bathory were truly the godfathers of the Scandinavian scene.

Baptised In Fire And Ice and Father To Son are both amazing songs and just like almost all the other songs on the album quite long but feels way shorter. Actually the shortest song on the album is the 2,5 min long Song To Hall Up High.

I'm not sure when Home Of The Once Brave was written. But it sounds more like something like a less refined song from the follow-up Twilight Of The Gods rather then a Hammerheart song. Still one of my favorites on the record though.

Now for a long and maybe controversial topic. I really like One Rode To Asa Bay but I got to be in the right mood to fully appreciate it. Still one of their most overrated songs in my opinion. It wouldn't be my choice to make a promo video for that one from Hammerheart. The video they did was really impressive and spectacular though.

Don't know but I have this love/hate relation to One Rode To Asa Bay. Love and hate are very strong words that I wouldn't use for it but those describes my feelings for the song best.

The 10,5 min feels very long sometimes when I listen to it. Also I wouldn't have it as late on the record either. That's my opinion on One Rode To Asa Bay let's move on.

Altogether Hammerheart is an amazing album and my 2nd favorite of the viking records and that's definitely a great rating for it. The highs might be a little better on Hammerheart but I think that Twilight Of The Gods is a much more even record and the best one of all the viking albums Bathory did.

Starting with the 14 min title track Prologue - Twilight of the Gods - Epilogue the sound and production is more refined on this album and it already shows in the opening song. Even if it's a great opener I can hear why it was the ending song of the compilation Jubileum II.

Also I think that Quorthon's vocals has evolved so much for the better on Twilight Of The Gods.

Through Blood By Thunder is another song that appeared on one of the Jubileum albums and is a personal favorite on the album. The 10,5 min Blood And Iron is another one that I really enjoy.

I know that it sounds like I'm repeating myself I'll try and mix it up the text a bit. Under The Runes is a top-3 song on this album amazing guitars on that one. To Enter Your Mountain begins with this Folk music feeling to it and guess what? I think it's a great song even if I know some don't like that particular one.

Bond Of Blood has a very interesting story behind it. That one was recorded as In Nomine Satanas in 1987 and that version wasn't released until Jubileum Volume III (1998). The lyrics are of course way different from each other. Both versions are great but I do prefer Bond Of Blood slightly more maybe because I heard it for so long before on Jubileum II in 1995. It's in my- top 3 songs on this record.

The song Hammerheart that confusingly appears on Twilight Of The Gods does really stand out on the record because it's so different from the other material. It took me many listens before I learned to like that one but when I did it's a really great song.

That's my opinions on Hammerheart and Twilight Of The Gods two brilliant records that should belong in any serious collection. I don't know many who prefer Twilight Of The Gods over Hammerheart but if you're one of them feel free to leave me a comment.

I'll do post II about Blood On Ice (1996); Nordland I (2002) and Nordland II (2003) soon. Usually don't do the same band two times in a row so we'll what I post next.

WARDRUNA LIVE at DALHALLA in SWEDEN August 9th 2018

Me and my old friend Kim from the great band Tyrant Wrath witnessed Wardruna live at Dalhalla located North of Rättvik, Sweden this Thursday. It was the 2nd time I saw them live since the release of the Ragnarok (2016) album.

Took a few pictures and I only filmed 2 songs live Jara and Helvegen (with support act vocalist Eivør Pálsdóttir guesting) because I wanted to focus on the concert. Great setlist a bit unusual for what they normally play.

I don't remember every song they played and I didn't want to take notes during their performance because I wanted to focus on the show. But some of the songs were: Tyr; Rotlaust Tre Fell; Odal; Fehu; Algir - Stien Klarnar and the closing solo performance by Einar Selvik of the song Völuspá.

As always Wardruna were amazing and we had seats on row 5 so it was a great view. With the great surrounding that Dalhalla brings it made the gig even more special.

SWEDEN, BATHORY & SCANDINAVIAN METAL ATTACK

Today on the 6th of June is the National Day of Sweden and I will honor the fathers of the Swedish and Scandinavian scene today. Bathory!! With their three compilations “Jubileum Volume I-III” albums but also the split compilation the Swedish first print vinyl of “Scandinavian Metal Attack” (1984). Where Bathory made their first ever recording performance.

An old LP that used to belong to my older sister but she gave to me in the mid 90’s. Guess she bought it around 1991/92 (?) at the store that sold used records in our hometown. In 1995 I bought my very first Bathory CD the “Jubileum Volume II” (1992) album. At that same store where CD's and LP's were 50% cheaper then other stores with new records. The only Bathory songs I had heard up until this point were the ones that appears on the LP Sacrifice and The Return of Darkness And Evil.

To process Bathory from their primitive early 80's Black Metal to the Viking Metal era from the early 90's. It actually took me a few listens before I could fully appreciate the whole CD. But once I did... Oh fucking hell how amazing it was!!

I would play it nonstop again and again, over and over. It was such an eyeopening record and Bathory became one of my favorite bands from my home country. Later I read in an interview that one of my top-5 favorite Bathory songs The Golden Walls Of Heaven lyrics that the first letter of each line spelled out SATAN in every verse was great. For example:

"Silent watching gaze
Across the blackened plains
Two eyes like burning embers
Awaits the moment for the
North star to blaze

Sythanagon winged
Angel rides deaths wind
To cloudless sky
And sound a summon call of war
Now burn does the skyline"

and I thought that was the coolest thing. Hadn't discovered that in the booklet to the release because it ain't as apparent in the lyrics that's printed in the “Jubileum Volume II” booklet.

There's so many classic songs on “Jubileum Volume II” just to name a some of my favorites: Call From The Grave; The Return of Darkness and Evil; Die In Fire; Shores In Flames; Burnin' Leather; Possessed; Bond of Blood; Total Destruction; Twilight of the Gods etc.

Not long thereafter I bought “Jubileum Volume I” (1993). Once again later I discovered that the lyrics to another top-5 song of mine Dies Irae first letters spells out Christ The Bastard Son Of Heaven and the 15-16 year old me thought it was the coolest thing.

This album was even a little bit better in my opinion. It had so many amazing ones like: Odens Ride over Nordland; A Fine Day to Die; Sacrifice; War; Song To Hall Up High; Crawl To Your Cross; You Don't Move Me (I Don't Give a Fuck) Blood Fire Death etc. Also two other of my top-5 Bathory songs Equimanthorn and Enter The Eternal Fire. I could write every song!

The songs are perfectly chosen, who actually were voted by fans, all from Bathory’s 6 first records on both “Jubileum Volume I & II”. Sure songs like Hades; Necromancy; Born For Burning; Sadist; Massacre; Woman of Dark Desires; Of Doom...; Pace Till Death; Holocaust;  For All Those Who Died; Valhalla; Father To Son; Blood And Iron plus MANY are missing and would've been great. But still what one gets on these 2 compilation albums are very high value for ones money.

It actually took me a trip to Stockholm and the record store Sound Pollution to locate my two favorite Bathory albums "Blood Fire Death" (1988) and "Under the Sign of the Black Mark" (1987). Because finding them in my hometown wasn't happening except for the used one I found and “Jubileum Volume I”. Later I ordered "The Return....." (1985) and "Bathory" (1984) then finally I got "Hammerheart" (1990) "Twilight of the Gods" (1991).

By then "Blood On Ice" (1996) had already been released and one of the best songs from that album The Lake appeared on a compilation CD that came with an issue of Close-Up Magazine a Swedish metal mag. It actually took me a few years before I finally got and also liked "Blood On Ice" on CD because it didn't blow me away when I listened to it at one of the local record stores back in 1996.

All three compilations are essential to own just for the 8 previously unreleased 80's songs:

• Die In Fire and You Don’t Move Me (I Don’t Give a Fuck) recorded in 1983
• Satan My Master and Witchcraft recorded in 1984
• Burnin' Leather Rider; At The Gate Of Dawn and In Nomine Satanas recorded in 1987
• Crawl To Your Cross recorded in 1989

I also want to note that the versions of Sacrifice and The Return of Darkness And Evil is from the split compilation LP “Scandinavian Metal Attack”. I definitely prefer those recordings over the album versions they sound much better in my ears.

The 6 first albums will always be my favorites in the Bathory discography. Hence I think that “Jubileum Vol III” (1998) is more uneven then the two previous volumes.

The songs from the albums “Requiem” (1994) and “Octagon” (1995) and the two unreleased 90’s songs Resolution Greed and Genocide are good, but they all pale in comparison to the 2 previous compilations. I still think that the record is worth buying just for the unreleased 80’s recorded 2 songs and those from the amazing “Blood On Ice” (1996) album.

Have a great day and celebrate Sweden and Quorthon who died in 2004 on June the 3rd with some beer and Bathory!

ALLEGIANCE X 3

The first Allegiance song I ever heard was A Dawn For Steel Unsheathed from the demo “Odin Äge Er Alle” (1993). It was on a compilation CD that came with the autumn issue of Close-Up Magazine #12 in 1994 a Swedish Metal magazine that I had just started subscribing to.

The Marduk members Roger “B-War/Bogge” Svensson (lead vocals/guitar, later bass) and Fredrik Andersson (drums) are both original members of Allegiance and appears on all 5 demos and 3 albums. Other notable members in Allegiance during the years are Devo Andersson from Marduk was vocalist/guitarist in Allegiance from 1990 to 1993. Also L-G Petrov aka. Drutten (Entombed, ex Morbid) were their vocalist in 1989 the year they started when they played Death Metal. Later the band changed into play Black Metal with the Pagan/Viking titles and lyrics.

The debut “Hymn Till Hangagud” (1996) was recorded with Dan Swanö in his Unisound Studio during the Julyof 1995 and like always Dan Swanö's studio was the best place to record in Sweden. It was released by No Fashion Records in 1996 and I bought almost every release from that amazing Swedish record label at the time without.

All 3 Allegiance records was released by No Fashion Records during 1996-99. It was the first album by Allegiance I ever bought and it’s still my favorite out of all their 3 albums. Some might think nostalgia plays a huge part in me thinking that it's their best album. But it's that great! It's probably their most known album if someone owns a Allegiance record it's usually “Hymn Till Hangagud” they have in their collection. Before being signed to No Fashion Records the band had released 5 demos. It wasn't until the 4th one the already mentioned “Odin Äge Er Alle” that the band started to play Black Metal and adopt the Viking/Pagan lyrics. Beside Bogge and Fredrik Andersson they have Mikael Almgren on bass, Pär Thornell plays guitar and he also wrote 4 of the lyrics for the album. While Bogge wrote 3 of them and Fredrik wrote 1 of the lyrics. Anyway this is a great album one that have a place in Swedish Black Metal history at least in my book as one says. Or my bookshelf rather where I keep all my CD's.

The follow-up record “Blodörnsoffer” was released just 1 year after the debut in 1997. It's my 2nd favorite Allegiance records and it's criminally underrated. I've heard people not even liking this one and I don't understand why? It's not that far behind “Hymn Till Hangagud” in terms of quality in my opinion.

For this album the band decided to record with Peter Tägtgren in his The Abyss Studio during October and November in 1996. Other bands had started to record in The Abyss Studio like Marduk, Dark Funeral, Setherial and many more abandoned Unisound. Probably 95% of the time I prefer a Dan Swanö recording over a Peter Tägtgren one and while I do prefer “Hymn Till Hangagud” over “Blodörnsoffer” I think it sounds phenomenal. I'm not a knocking Peter he has done a lot of other amazing recordings. Anyway for this album the band had the same lineup as on the debut. The whole band gets credit for the music writing but the lyrics was written by Bogge this time. It's still in the same vein of their debut the band plays furious Black Metal it's nothing like say for instance Enslaved or Borknagar from Norway were the music has a much more Pagan/Norse Metal spirit to it. Sure that Allegiance have some passages/elements in some of the songs that could be labeled that. But it's not something I think you should expect from neither of their 2 first albums.

Their 3rd and last album "Vrede" was released in 1999. I remember being quite disappointed when I listened to it at one of the record stores in my hometown. That's why I only have a promo CD of it that I decided to buy at a record fair I visited for a much lower cost probably in 2000/01(?). But I was clearly wrong about this record because this is a great record. 

They don't play as furiously as on the 2 previous ones sure there's still fast songs on it but they focus more on atmosphere and even include some Progressive elements to the songs. Once again they recorded with Peter in The Abyss studio. For this one they play as a trio since their bassist Mikael Almgren decided to leave the band. Bogge plays bass on the record instead besides singing and Pär Thornell does all the guitars.Even if I rate this as this 3rd best record out of 3, I don't want to say worst, because it's a great album. Definitely a great record for the band to release as their last one. Even if they released a best of compilation in 2002 called “Hymns Of Blood” with songs from all 3 records. I would really like to see Allegiance return but it’s been 19 years since “Vrede” so my hopes aren’t high for that happening.

However it would be great if they decided to released a demo compilation album. Sadly none of Allegiance records have been released on vinyl. I highly recommend all 3 albums and preferably listen to them in chronological order if you’re unfamiliar with the band.

Praise hail Allegiance!

Ivar Bjørnson & Einar Selvik - Hugsjá (2018)

Ivar Bjørnson & Einar Selvik’s newly released “Hugsjá” album on a double silver vinyl limited to 250 copies exclusively sold at the European Bynorse webstore in a beautiful designed gatefold release. The US exclusive release was 250 copies on a blue vinyl.

Ever since I witnessed the world premiere of Hugsjá at Grieghallen in Bergen on May the 31th, almost a year ago, I’ve been so extremely excited for this album. To see an entire live performance without being familiar with any of the material beforehand is always hard to take in the whole show as supposed to Skuggsjá that I know inside out.

Already after a few listens to the Hugsjá album I can say that it’s my favorite record of 2018 thus far. If you’ve read my Abigor post you know this year have many amazing releases (and hopefully upcoming Marduk & Immortal).

Do note that I’m a huge fan of everything that Einar Selvik has ever released but even if you don’t like his other band Wardruna you should give Hugsjá a chance because it sounds different from his other music. Part of that is the contributions from Ivar Bjørnson that plays guitar and “electronics” while Selvik except for singing plays instruments like taglharpa, Kravik-lyre, goat-horn, flute and percussion.

On the Skuggsjá album Grutle Kjellson (Enslaved) appeared on the songs with a more Black Metal approach to them, something that’s not present on the Hugsjá record. I would describe the music as traditional folk music with elements of progressive music done in a Norse way.

The Norwegian lyrics are beautiful and I’m very grateful I can read them being Swedish, they’re translated to English but it doesn’t connect as strong in my mind to read those I prefer reading the original language. I'm not saying you have to be Scandinavian to enjoy it but I do believe it connects more to our roots then again I really enjoy Irish Folk Music. It’s to early to say if I like it better then Skuggsjá but so far I really really like it. Even if it’s my album of the year it might not be for everyone, but believe me you don’t want to miss out on the brilliance this album offer. Beautiful timeless Norse songs and lyrics from my northern realms.

Update May 10th
With some time gone now since its release: I've got to say this is really an amazing album and it grows on me with each listen. It might be the best Einar Selvik have done since the Wardruna debut "Gap Var Ginnunga" from 2009. Me saying that says just how amazing this album really is, because the 2 other albums in the so called "Runaljod trilogy":  "Yggdrasil" (2013) and "Ragnarok" (2016) is almost as brilliant as "Gap Var Ginnunga". I would put “Hugsjá” above Ivar Bjørnson & Einar Selvik’s previous album "Skuggsjá - A Piece for Mind & Mirror" and that one I do love a whole lot. But time will tell if it's will remain as high.

Etched compass on the D-side, kind of hard to see on picture (I'm in need of a better camera on my phone...) 

Some of my Einar Selvik collection Wardruna, Skuggsja, Jotunspor, Bak De Syv Fjell and Gorgoroth

It’s not the biggest collection of Wardruna and his other bands. I don’t own every existing print of each vinyl there is or all merch I’m not that kind of collector (only for Funeral Mist). Sure I buy the albums on CD.

Of all musicians alive in the scene Einar Selvik aka. Kvitrafn is one that I got the most respect for besides Fenriz and Arioch/Mortuus.

First time I heard the Wardruna debut Gap Var Ginnunga (2009) in the winter of 2009 it was a magical experience. That album is still my favorite creation by Herr Selvik and it was like being transported back to the glory days of the 90’s.
The first album in the Runaljod Trilogy is pure Norse magic for the ages and the best album from Norway I can think off the top of my head in 20+ years since La Masquerade Infernale or Filosofem.

I feel like Gap Var Ginnunga was a continuation of some of the best Norwegian albums of all time. It doesn’t sound ANYTHING like Høstmørke; Nordavind; Fjelltronen; Hvis Lyset Tar Oss etc. but in spirit it’s the same as those albums. With passion and the right spirit for ones creation the music gets beyond 10 of 10 even if I don’t like to “number review” art.

With Wardruna he have released 2 more almost equally brilliant albums, 1 excellent in the Skuggsjá project, he played drums in Gorgoroth, Bak De Syv Fjell and in Jotunspor he also played keyboard, guitar and sang just to name some of his other work.

The pendant of Jörmungandr the Midgard serpent was designed by Einar Selvik and the book consists of all the lyrics to the albums in the “Runaljod trilogy” both in Norwegian and English. Got both at www.wardruna.com the pendant something like 1.5 years ago and the book 1 year ago don’t know if they still are available

I’ve seen Wardruna live a couple of times but never when Gaahl was still a member something I really regret today. If you want to see an amazing Wardruna performance with Gaahl check out the song Kauna live at Incubate 2009 further down this post.

Still without Gaahl the band is one of the best bands I ever seen live. Last year I went to Bergen to witness the world premiere of Ivar Bjørnson & Einar Selvik new Hugsjá live at Grieghallen. See 2 video clips from my YouTube channel that I filmed at the concert see further down in this post .

They will release the Hugsjá album on April 20th I pre-ordered the silver vinyl. The title track is available now on iTunes, Spotify etc. Get your copy over at http://aisamerch.de/bynorse/en/ and be prepared to be amazed.

The Wardruna Runaljod complete lyrics book.

Now I have my copy of the Runaljod - Trilogy lyrics book. Written by Einar Selvik of Wardruna. It's both written in Norwegian and English. 

So anybody with a interest for the Wardruna lyrics should pick it up! I got mine at wardruna.com  

From my Instagram @herr_tompa