Another subgenre in the heavy metal community is Viking Metal. You will find elements of folk, black and death metal inside these metal bands. Viking metal is a exciting and new genre of heavy metal. You will find strong dramatic atmospheres, fast pace beats and keyboard features. Their music has an imagination of Viking battles and fantasy themes. Heavy metal has also had a satanic feel about them, but Viking metal has nothing to do with Satanism. The distortion and dark sound guitars will give you that feel, but none of it is evil themed. There are no songs that talk about the devil of Satan.
If you travel to Norway and Finland you will find that these Scandinavian countries are where Viking metal is most prominent. Viking metal incorporates instruments like the panflute, harp and accordion into their music. With roars and deep growls vocals gives this heavy metal on the medieval atmosphere. Viking metal does give a dark and gray feeling behind the music. The dark and evil sounds of Viking metal was influenced by Black metal techniques and roots.
Viking metal songs usually consist of god and warfare in their music. Led Zeppelin had songs that were the earliest signs of Viking metal. Vikings and other famous gods were the topic of some Led Zeppelin songs. Even Black Sabbath used choir vocals to give a Viking feel to their music. One of the first full written Viking metal songs was Yngwie J. Malmsteen – Rising Force. In 1985 they also had a song called “I am a Viking.” Bathory was the first band to make a full album with all the Viking metal elements. In 1988 “Blood Fire Death” became a black metal album with a Viking atmosphere. Bathory would continue to experiment further inside the genre until their next album “Hammerheart” would include folk instruments. This became one of their stronger and more popular albums.
Viking metal references towards the pagan culture. Viking metal bands usually are formed in northern Europe. Countries in northern Europe have most Viking metal bands. Black metal is often a starting point for most Viking metal bands. You will find that Viking metal tries to go for an epic, mythological and dramatic style of music. Pull Viking metal apart you will find elements from Black, Traditional and Folk. Bands often seemed in English language which gives them a wider audience in the European area.
Here is a list of some of the most prominent bands in Viking metal. As you have read, most of these bands have a different musical background than Viking metal. Ensiferum, Bathory, Amon Amarth, Enslaved, Vanaheim, Equilibrium and Manowar.
This genre of music has been around for 20 plus years. This is still one of the smallest and underground heavy metal genres to the metal community. Albums and songs are still being recording for Viking metal. A strong community and fan base has continued to grow inside of Viking metal. The metal community will slowly recognize the talent in Viking metal and will help it grow to become more popular.
Additional References
Metal News
Black Metal Music
The Elements of Power Metal Music
