Heidevolk - 'Vinland' Lyric Video

In anticipation of the North American release of "Velua", Heidevolk just released the lyric video for the track titled 'Vinland'. The video itself is pretty well done, with more effort put forth than most other lyric videos.

As for the track itself, I like it. It is quite interesting to hear Heidevolk's vocals in english. It worked well for Månegarm on "Legions of the North", so I am intrigued if it will work as well for Heidevolk on "Velua". While I was already excited for my pre-order package to show up, this makes it even more difficult to wait.

Paganfest EU Thoughts

With rumors circulating that North America will not be getting a Paganfest tour this year, it makes the European Paganfest lineup all that more bittersweet. For many folk metal fans, Paganfest quickly becomes the highlight of the concert year, bringing together some of the finest of the genre into one venue, on one night. The North American versions of Paganfest have always boasted pretty decent lineups, but they never quite seem to match the lineups offered in Europe. While some of it probably boils down to logistics, it still leaves many North American fans shaking their heads. With the possibility of no Paganfest in North America this year, the lineup announced for Europe will no doubt leave many disappointed. 

The announced lineup is as follows:

Wintersun

Turisas

Heidevolk

Obscurity

Frosttide

Special ‘extended show’ guests at some of the dates include:

Korpiklaani

Grailknights

Finterforst

Personally, I don’t really care about Wintersun. While they have tons of ‘fanboys’ and ‘fangirls’, I’ve never quite seen the superiority that is preached regarding this band. Plus, Jari’s constant whining has basically turned me away from the band. I’ve seen them live once, and that was enough. Unless of course they come through on a package tour where I want to see other bands.

I feel somewhat the same about Turisas. I loved ‘Battle Metal’ and ‘The Varangian Way’, but it fell off the rails after those two albums. I have seen them a couple of times, and they are an energetic live band, but I can’t get into the newer material. 

Heidevolk, on the other hand, is a band I could see time and time again. The one time I did see them, they blew every other band in the lineup out of the water. (Including both Ensiferum and Tyr). With a new album that promises to offer more of the sheer awesomeness one would expect, it would be nice to see them again.

Korpiklaani is another one that I could see live time and time again. They have always been good, and stayed true to what you would think Korpiklaani should sound like. Paganfest or not, at least I will likely have the opportunity to see them again this spring.

Both Frosttide and Finterforst are bands that I would like to see. While I’m not overly familiar with their material, I have enjoyed what I have listened to. I’ve never listened to either Obscurity or Grailknights, but chances are if they’re included in a Paganfest lineup, they’re at least worth watching or being introduced to. 

While the lineup in North America would likely be quite different, it would still be nice to get a Paganfest tour this year. This does not appear to be in the cards, leaving many supporters wondering. 

Intriguing Releases for 2015

I wanted to share a few of the albums set to be released in 2015 that have piqued my interest. Some of my favourite artists will be releasing new material, and material that can likely be counted on to be solid. While I have probably missed a few albums/artists that I am interested in, the following list gives a brief commentary on the ones I know about, and am excited for. 

Eye of Horus

Eye of Horus are a local death metal band who can be likened to several prominent names in the genre such as Bloodbath and At The Gates. Their ‘Suffer Eternity’ EP is fantastic, and they are just as solid live. I’m looking forward to a full-length from this band in 2015, as well as attending (hopefully) several shows.

https://www.facebook.com/EyeofHorusOfficial

BLËED 

Another local band, playing ‘death n’ roll’ (as described by one of the band members in an interview). BLËED is a hard band to put into a genre, drawing influences from many different genres. I think they have a bit of a death metal vibe, but others have differing opinions on the subject. Either way, another great band with absolutely insane live shows. Their EP was impressive, and they seem to have several other songs (that have been played live) in their repertoire. While I have yet to see anything official, BLËED did hint they would be recording a full-length album this year. I sure hope so!

https://www.facebook.com/bleedband

Entrails

Earlier this month, Entrails finished the recording process of their upcoming album. Dan Swanö has been put in charge of the mixing, which bodes well for a death metal album. I am incredibly excited for this one as Entrails instantly shot into place as being one of my favourite bands from the moment I first heard them. If you don’t like death metal with an old-school Swedish feel, I doubt this one will change your mind. But if you enjoy that sound, it will definitely be an album worth checking out. 

Månegarm

Another Swedish band, and another one of my personal favourites, will also be releasing a new album this year. While the details are scarce at this time, it will be a “late” 2015 release. Månegarm has been in the studio the last several weeks working on the upcoming album. While I am not typically a fan of a band that changes their style, it worked incredibly well for Månegarm on their last release, ‘Legions of the North’. That being said, it wasn’t so much a departure from their style as it was having a lot of the lyrics in english, instead of Swedish. It will be interesting to see what the band chooses for this next album. 

Unleashed

While the title has yet to be announced, we can expect an ‘early spring’ release from Unleashed. This will be the 12th full length album from this particular band, and a release that I am quite excited about. Apparently picking up where ‘Odalheim’ left off, it should be a solid album for anyone who is a fan of Unleashed, or the style of music that they play. My fingers are crossed for a pre-order bundle with a really nice hoodie included...

Kataklysm

“Of Ghosts & Gods”

I do not believe there is a set release date for the new Kataklysm album yet. According to some of their webpages, we should expect a summer release. With Kataklysm on the 70 000 Tons of Metal cruise currently taking place, I wonder if they will preview a new track or two? This could be interesting as it seems as though they are just wrapping up the recording process. One thing is for certain: this will be a decent album as you can always count on Kataklysm to sound like Kataklysm. 

Heidevolk

“Velua”

Heidevolk’s newest effort, ‘Velua’, is set to be released in March. The track listings are already available, as well as some really good pre-order packages. I couldn’t help myself and ordered the limited edition deluxe box set. I decided that besides getting what I’m sure will be a great album, I needed that wicked flag to add to the collection. The necklace is a very nice touch as well. 

LTD edition Heidevolk pre-order bundle from Napalm Records. 

Favorite Pagan Metal Bands

        Without giving any precedence to the various arguments about what exactly constitutes folk, pagan and/or viking metal bands, the following is a list of my top ten favorites. I’m not a big fan of pointlessly debating the nuances of sub-genres, therefore these are what I consider pagan-themed metal bands. In no particular order (other than alphabetical), here are my top ten picks:

Amon Amarth

From: Sweden

Finntroll

From: Finland

Heidevolk

From: The Netherlands

Korpiklaani

From: Finland

Månegarm

From: Sweden

Moonsorrow

From: Finland

Thyrfing

From: Sweden

Unleashed

From: Sweden

Waylander

From: Ireland

Wolfchant

From: Germany

The musical influences and sounds between these bands are widely varied. There are also several other pagan-themed bands that I listen to on a semi-regular basis. Ensiferum and Turisas were left off this list due to some fantastic early albums and some not-so-great later ones. Bathory was left off for the simple reason that not all of their albums are pagan-themed. 

Paganfest North America Concert Review

Paganfest North America Part IV

With Ensiferum, Týr, Heidevolk, Trollfest and Helsott

Starlite Room

April 9th, 2013

With a highly anticipated line-up, it came as no surprise that the Starlite Room was a full house for Paganfest. It seems that one can expect that the bands on Paganfest always manage to put on a stellar show, and last night was no exception. With this tour being the first time that Týr, Heidevolk, Trollfest and Helsott have made stops in Canada, we can only hope that they will soon be back again. 

Unfortunately I missed the majority of Helsott’s set. A show starting at six in the evening is a little early, and Starlite must be trying to repair their reputation for doors opening and shows starting significantly later than what the ticket says. Either way, I was impressed by what I did hear and this lesser known band from the United States served to energize a crowd eager to hear more folk metal. If Helsott manages to make it back, I will not be missing their set next time.

Norway’s Trollfest proved to be a frenzied, frantic attack of fast paced folk-flavored metal. Silly headpieces made a good accompaniment to vocalist Trollmannen’s sense of humor, which was well received by the audience. While I was quite unfamiliar with their material, this did not seem to be the case with a significant portion of the audience. Familiar with the material or not, Trollfest revved up the crowd. Seeing a saxophone used onstage was an interesting complement that is not found at too many metal shows, but it definitely works in this band. Trollfest describe themselves as being ‘about alcohol, joy and music’, and this was evident in a well played set. While I found the sound a little muddy, it may have been due to the sheer amount of instruments being played at once, overpowering the small venue.

Heidevolk was the big hit of the evening. Even though their lyrics are in Dutch, they managed to connect well with the audience. Listening to their studio recordings, one might be surprised to find the bombastic manner in which they translated to stage. Sounding hard and heavy, with clear sound throughout the entire set, Heidevolk brought the crowd to another level of energized. The two vocalists worked amazingly well together, providing voices that resonated clearly and powerfully throughout the venue. Rarely have I heard clean vocals translate with such force from recordings into a live performance.  Favorite songs of the night proved to be ‘Saksenland’ ‘Nehalennia’ and ‘Vulgaris Magistralis’. I believe this city would welcome Heidevolk back anytime. 

While I found Týr’s set to be quite enjoyable, there were some issues with being able to clearly hear the vocals on some of the songs. Despite this, the band from the Faroe Islands certainly did not disappoint. With music anchored in traditional Viking styles, Týr presents a sound quite unique even to folk, pagan or viking inspired metal. They played a set of material familiar to most Týr fans, proving they know exactly what to deliver to the audience. The ‘hammer’ songs, as they were described by vocalist/guitarist Heri Joensen, were favorites of the crowd. It seems that the only complaint anyone had about Týr’s set was that it was not long enough. The audience certainly wanted more.

Ensiferum came out in true Ensiferum style: playing a well oiled set and delivering heavy, near perfection songs. For someone who has seen Ensiferum numerous times, they never seem to disappoint. I was hoping for more of the older material, having to settle for a few old songs. Most of the audience seemed more than satisfied with a set heavily focused on material from the last two albums. ‘Twilight Tavern’ was a crowd favorite, along with ‘Iron’, which everyone seemingly either knew, or caught onto in a speedy fashion. ‘Burning Leaves’ translated well into a live situation, sounding much heavier than on the album. This is a band that is always energetic live, and always proves their skill as musicians, inspiring epic circle pits and plenty of headbanging. They were definitely a fitting end for a night of excellent pagan-themed metal.