Myrkvedr – Gengångare Review

Under the belt of Viking Metal many rounds and rounds are allowed. From TNT to Amon Amarth literally just to cite the most known. Moods change a lot among all the bands that sail under this flag. And it’s always a surprise. I’m 52 years old, 38 of Metal music and I still get surprised by the music some bands deliver. That’s really a good thing since Metal music has been changing for a while and it’s a way the keep the flame high. In these five years writing reviews here I had the splendid oportunity of running into wondrous bands and some of them with, let’s say, a different sound. Myrkvedr with “Gengångare” are certainly one of them. Their music goes a little bit farther than the average Metal band with a combination of elements that will for sure make the fan ask ” What the hell is this?” in the good way.

Myrkvedr combine Death Metal with some Folk Metal and sometimes Gothic elements. The more interesting thing is that all these combined lead the sound to a Progressive mooding. Myrkvedr really try to create a dark and somber atmosphere with instruments that, most of the time, sound out of the context as the keyboards emulating a flute in “Dellings Drapa” or the medieval mood of “Sprit,Kott och Latta Kvinns” with the vocals and flute. The general mood of “Gengångare” is a musical surprise to all fans that are used to the pattrens used nowadays by many bands. In a way, the band is the fresh air that allows Metal music to keep evolving and getting more fans each year.

By the very first beginning with “Intro – Nordisk Vrede” and “Nifelheims Vindar” the fan will notice that the band really means it. The intro is mysterious and has a somber mood that gets the fan by the guts leading to “Nifelheims Vindar” and its flutes that really sound something else. The guitars were written in order to create a that broken feeling that the fan gets when the riffing doesn’t really have a proper end. By the way, most songs of the album were written this way. The guitar riffing sounds as if there’s no end. But what really calls the eyes is the flute with a medieval feeling but kind of out the song. Following song “Urdarbrunnr” gets deeper into this feeling. There’s a Jethro Tull feeling in the flute but, I guess, the sense is more of an experimental thing. The guitars are heavy and loaded and contrast a lot with the instrumentals especially with the keyboards. In a general sense, thugh the awkwardness at first, the general mood is very positive.

“Gengångare” an album to be heard with that open feeling to expect to be surprised. Not the standard album many would expect.

Myrkvedr “Gengångare” was independently released on July 19th.

Track Listing:

  1. Intro Nordisk Vrede
  2. Nifelheims Vindar
  3. Urdarbrunnr
  4. Sindres Saga Jörmungandr
  5. Cerdic
  6. Mossdrotten
  7. Gengångare
  8. Gråben
  9. Children Of Frost
  10. Dellings Drapa
  11. Sprit, Kött & Lätta Kvinns

Watch “Gengångare” official video here: