Vanir
Særimners kød
Rating
Style: Folk metal
Release date: 11 April, 2011
Playing time: 35:00
 

No matter how Christian this country has become, our religious roots will never quite disappear. Although banned for centuries, the belief in the Norse gods couldn't be killed off and was even dusted off and used to rewoke the Danish spirit a couple of hundred years ago when the Germans and Swedes and English had so utterly beaten us and thus diminished the size of the realm considerably. That rewocation was, of course, initiated by the Romantic poets, sculpturers and painters, and their renditions of the Norse myths were naturally...well, romantic and not quite the way I'd reckon the Vikings told them to their sons and daughters.

The greatest irony, you could argue, is that the myths that many of we Scandinavians love and adore were written down by Christians. We have no guarantee that the myths we are taught in school alongside the Christian mythology are actually the myths that were told around the fire more than a thousand years ago. There is a real danger that we're relying on Christian interpretations rather than the raw and untouched mythological truths of Valhalla, Thor and Odin.

Anyway, fact is that the stories are part of our soul and identity, and therefore a natural theme for artists.

Vanir, who have taken their name from one of the tribes of gods in Norse mythology (the Aesir was the other tribe), are along with fellow folk metal band Svartsot one of the most serious offers you find in this country if you're fan of folk metal.

I haven't yet seen Vanir live, but I'll have to! Forget all about stuck-up technicality and look the other way if you don't like bagpipes: this is about mixing genres and having a feast. Eat some meat, dance and fornicate, that's the clear message this music sends to all the boring Christians out there.

If I'm to mention one important thing that I'm not quite happy with, then I'd have to mention the vocals. The almost-but-not-quite-growl that dominates the album is not my cup of teas. The 'real' growl in the songs Holmgang and Togtet is much more to my preference.

Still, a fun album that is recommendable for a night of downing a barrel of mead and crushing skulls.


Tracklist

01. Af Brages Æt
02. Gildet
03. Elverkongens Brud
04. Særimners Kød
05. Rejsen til Udgårdsloke
06. Suttungs Mjød
07. Lokes Listighed
08. Niddings Dom
09. Holmgang
10. Togtet
11. Langt Over Havet

Label: Mighty Music
Distribution: Target (Denmark)
Artwork rating: 85/100
Reviewed by: Thomas Nielsen
Date: 16 April, 2011
Website: Vanir @MySpace