German pressedmusic cassette. Black cassette with gold text. Limited 333copies

The intro to AvNorron Aett (Of Norse Lineage), a modern neoclassical piececonsisting of piano and violin, already makes it clear that thisalbum is not just another extreme metal album, but a highlyambitious work of art. I would not go as far as to call this albumprogressive, but it certainly is not an easy listen. Thesongwriting is stuffed with so many details that one has to payclose attention to the music in order to capture the fullness ofit. One thing that has greatly improved in comparison to theirdebut-album is the vocals: they are still very harsh and throaty,but much more bearable than the ear-piercing, extremelyhigh-pitched screams they used on `Jormundgand´. Some clean maleand female vocals are also featured, and they are well done andfitting for the most part. The drumming is outstanding, not in theway that it is especially fast or technical, but in that manyuncommon (for Metal) rhythms are used, but which always fit themusic perfectly and make it even more interesting. I think Hrymr isone of the most underrated drummers in extreme Metal, he has a veryown unique style, using the drums not only to play a rhythm, butalso as a creative tool to add yet more depth to the music. Thesame goes for the bass: it is not hidden away behind the otherinstruments, like so many Black and Viking Metal bands tend to do,but it is clearly audible in the mix and used as an instrument ofits own, with patterns that often differ from those of the mainguitar-riffs. These (mostly tremolo-picked) riffs are sharp andslicing like Viking-swords. `Av Norron Aett´ was recorded atGrieghallen, which is a guarantee for great, individual sound, nottoo polished or overproduced, but allowing every single instrumentto be clearly heard. Helheim do not create their`Viking´-atmosphere by playing `nice sing-along boy-scout-campfire´melodies, like some other so-called Viking Metal bands are doing,but by stirring violent emotions in the listener that make himdream that he was taking part in a bloody Viking raid. Equally, andfortunately, the lyrics omit shallow stereotypical tales ofbearded, drinking, big, strong men; but deal instead with the moreoccult aspects of Norse mythology, conjuring obscure, apocalypticvisions. Not that `Av Norron Aett´ sounds very dark, it is ratherepic and majestic, but at a very mature, sophisticated, non-cheesylevel. Despite the aggressiveness of much of the music, it alwaysstays varied. Folk-elements are present, in the form of someacoustic interludes and clean folkish vocals, and the sparse use oftraditional instruments like mouth-harp, fiddle and trumpet; butthey merely complement the music, the foundation of which remainsfirmly rooted in second-wave Black Metal. I think that thedemanding ambitions the band had for this album have beenfulfilled. Released ten years before I wrote this review, thistruly timeless album has lost nothing of its effect; and even morethan its predecessor `Jormundgand´, it established Helheim as thesecond-most important Norwegian Viking Metal band of themid-nineties, after Enslaved of course. For anybody who thinks thatViking Metal should sound different than Folk/Power Metal with somegrim vocals, this album is a must-have.

Track list:
1. En Forgangen Tid
2. Vinterdoden
3. Fra Ginnunga-gap Til Evig Tid
4. Mork Evig Vinter
5. Apenbaringens Natt
6. De Eteriske Andevesenes Skumringsdans
7. Av Norron Aett

Condition cover:nm

Conditioncassette: nm

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