Not every heavy metal record greets you with blood-surging excitement, ready to bathe you in the glory of an art form that misunderstood by so many. That’s OK, by the way. Some albums and bands serve up misery, or death, or total blackness, sometimes a combination of all of those. Still, it’s nice when one kicks you in the ass with ferocity and fervor.
Long-running Viking metal band Ereb Altor is one that never pulls back on the melodic tidal wave while still maintaining a thorny exterior. On their great 10th record “Hälsingemörke,” the Swedes add to their lore with seven tracks of molten gusts that mix power, classic metal, death and black metal to their hammer-wielding attack. Longtime listeners know this is nothing new, but they tighten their assault and leave their edges as razor sharp as ever as the band—vocalist/guitarist Mats, guitarist/vocalist Ragnar, bassist/vocalist Björn, drummer Tord—unleashes something that could bring together followers of Iron Maiden and Bathory alike. On top of that, they just keep getting better and more nuanced.
“Valkyrian Fate” charges out of the gates with mighty melodies and powerful singing, the calls of, “In times of fire, in times of war,” ricocheting off the inside of your skull. Warm leads lap as vicious shrieks enter, laying waste even as other colors surround, a blast of energetic fire taking you to the finish. The title track opens with clean leads that meld with ferocity, the vocals coming in their native tongue. The playing is sweltering as the melodies surge, gushing through mighty singing and a sweltering chorus, the energy sending seismic waves that drive to a massive crescendo. “Ättestupan” charges and chugs, mystical synth wafting to create a fantastical element, immersive playing thickening the moodiness. Darkness swells and the playing pummels, an enthralling force pushing back hard as the song comes to a spirited end.
“Vi Är Mörkret” starts clean before it bursts, strong singing and scathing howling uniting, guitars lathering and daring. Shouts rouse as fiery madness sprawls, the pace stampeding as the singing soars, the drums gut, and everything fades into the cold. “Träldom” has guitars burning and gruff vocals, blunt force mixing with melodic gusts to increase the impact. The power charges as clean singing smokes, speed taking on greater importance, energetic thrashing making heart rates spike before a blazing ending. “The Waves, the Sky and the Pyre” starts with vocal chants and then heads straight into a murky haze, slowly dripping as the playing drives a dagger, the bass chugging muscularly. Group calls rouse as shots land through thick mist, the tempo blasting through a frosty ambiance. Closer “The Last Step” aims to end the record with blinding glory as the singing glows, following mashing howls that inject thorniness. Melodies cascade before settling into a synth cloud, setting a dream-inducing state that eventually breaks with guitars splitting through with intensity. The gates of Valhalla are stormed as the flowing guitars mount a final surge, bringing the record to a heartfelt and fire-lapped ending.
It’s impossible to experience an Ereb Altor record and not come away with your adrenaline spiking in the least problematic way possible. As usual with their work, “Hälsingemörke” is an escape, but one that’ll thrill you from beginning to end as their brand of Viking metal transports you to the ancient forests and battles that live in your mind. This is another stunner from a band whose catalog is full of them and shows no sign of the fires in their hearts extinguishing.
For more on the band, go here: https://www.erebaltor.com/
To buy the album, go here: https://erebaltor.lnk.to/halsingemorker
For more on the label, go here: https://www.hammerheart.com/
Meat Mead Metal 