Track Listing:
- Arise
- Legions Of The North
- Eternity Awaits
- Helvegr
- Hordes of Hel
- Tor Hjälpe
- Wake The Gods
- Vigverk
- Sons Of War
- Echoes From The Past
- Fallen
- Forged In Fire
- Raadh
Released in early July, Legions Of The North is Månegarm’s eighth studio album. Much less known than some of their contemporaries in the viking/pagan metal genre, Månegarm have proven themselves as innovators. In a departure from previous albums, the majority of the tracks on Legions Of The North are comprised of lyrics in English, which, in this case, actually works brilliantly. (‘Raadh’ is the only song sung in Swedish, with both male and female vocals).
The album opens with the instrumental ‘Arise’, leading into the much heavier title track. Folk-influences are obvious, mixed perfectly with the heavy stylings that one expects from the viking/pagan metal genre. Catchy melodies abound on this album, allowing for plenty of head-banging and creating the urge to shout along. Lyrical themes are aptly previewed by the album title itself, generally consisting of anthems of vengeance, battle, death and solidarity. ‘Wake The Gods’ is frantically fast, calling for a return to the pagan past, and a battle cry to bring back the wisdom of yesteryear. Legions Of The North is broken by the instrumental tracks ‘Helvegr’ and ‘Vigverk’, although broken may not be an appropriate descriptor, as the instrumental songs fit seamlessly into the album as a whole. The relatively clean vocals on ‘Sons Of War’ add to the song, making it a powerful anthem. The addition of the female vocals on ‘Echoes From The Past’ creates a sentiment that could not have been expressed as perfectly if they were left out, again demonstrating that this band has a vision and has mastered its execution.
Reminiscent of fellow Swedish artists Amon Amarth and Unleashed, Månegarm adds a signature flavor to their music that is difficult to pinpoint, but is definitely noticeable. Legions Of The North is undeniably a vigorous, heavy hitting album, made more accessible due to the mostly english lyrics. It’s well worth a listen.
Månegarm has also very recently released the video for 'Sons Of War':
