The return of the Vikings. King of Asgard are back with their fifth release, their last being the moody “:Taudr:” album, way back now in 2017. For those not in the know, the Kings play a brand of extreme metal that teeters somewhere between the blackened rasp of Viking metal and the bombast and aggression of melodic death metal. There’s a host of former bands in the past for the fourpiece, including spells in Thy Primordial, Niden Div.187, Throne of Heresy and Mithotyn.
I’ve been an admirer of their craft, being slightly disappointed with their last release, which I thought lost some of the special feeling of the band. The good news is that they’ve managed to recapture the magic, and without simply going back to the formula of “…To North”, they’ve somehow constructed something that anchors itself in their strengths but still provides plenty of novelty. Opener “Frodr” is a perfect example. Yes, it has the fast, treble heavy guitar parts and the unmistakable hoarse roar of Karl Beckmann, and while the guitar melodies don’t really make an appearance until the pace slows down, there is also an expansive, almost progressive feel to the latter part of the track that makes this a magical number. The stomping and sinister “Rifna” comes next, coming on like the bastard love child of latter era Bathory and Enslaved. Next is “Haemir”, a sprawling, vast soundscape of mid-paced riffage and percussive battery, being the most out and out melodic death metal track on the platter. “Kvikr”, a nine-minute epic which begins with an acoustic strummed guitar, but then moves into more familiar castle-storming battle territory is probably the keystone of the whole record, holding a fulcrum around which the rest of the songs can revolve. “Ammobierg” is essentially the heavy metal sound of a king being crowned in death metal format, with majestic choral chants, ominous rumblings from the bass and warlike drums. Title track “Svartvidr” romps through over eight minutes, but truthfully feels like a song which is half as long. “Harmdaudr” begins placid enough, with another spell of acoustic introduction, but then essentially goes off like a Winterfylleth track, all atmospheric black metalisms and sweeping key changes. “FaegiR” is the album closer, a funereal aural representation of the aftermath of a battle; gentle and mournful piano, wind and crows cawing.
What are to make of the album then? In terms of production, this is right up there with their best, managing to keep enough of their biting edge but having more heft than a warhammer. Much of the anthemic nature of their first couple of albums is missing, but this is a more sophisticated record. The song writing has matured beyond making simple bangers, and learning from :Taudr:, Kings of Asgard have managed to ensure that there is some variety and changes of tone to be heard. Quite how they manage to continue to slip under the radar to the extent that they do is really baffling. This is the sound of a band who are confident in their craft, and at the height of their powers.
(9/10 Chris Davison)
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