#amon-amarth — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #amon-amarth, aggregated by home.social.
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Amon Amarth have announced their 13th studio album, The Allfather Awakens, arriving in October via Metal Blade Records. The band has also unleashed a video for their new single “Gjallarhorn.”
#AmonAmarth #TheAllfatherAwakens #Gjallarhorn #MetalBladeRecords #NewMusic
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I know I didn’t have a single good thing to say about #AmonAmarth’s last single—the acoustic fire place thingy one. But this new track absolutely slaps!
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I know I didn’t have a single good thing to say about #AmonAmarth’s last single—the acoustic fire place thingy one. But this new track absolutely slaps!
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Okay. Vorbestellung inklusive #Ticket zur Release Show in der #ZecheCarl in #Essen - wen von Euch sehe ich da? #amonamarth #metal #TheAllfatherAwakens #Gjallarhorn 🤘
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Okay. Vorbestellung inklusive #Ticket zur Release Show in der #ZecheCarl in #Essen - wen von Euch sehe ich da? #amonamarth #metal #TheAllfatherAwakens #Gjallarhorn 🤘
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Now that's what I call a proper campfire #acoustic song 🤘
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Now that's what I call a proper campfire #acoustic song 🤘
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AMON AMARTH (Suècia) presenta nou single: "Gjallarhorn" #AmonAmarth #MelodicDeathMetal #Juliol2026 #Suècia #NouSingle #Metall #Metal #MúsicaMetal #MetalMusic
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Amon Amarth have released their first-ever acoustic song, “Upphaf”
Details: https://metalinsider.net/video/amon-amarth-release-first-ever-acoustic-song-upphaf
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Nah, the new acoustic song by #AmonAmarth doesn't work. At all. Nope. Sorry.
https://musiccloud.io/KtH_o -
Shadowborne – Heaven’s Falling Review By Andy-War-HallI used to love poppy, ultra-processed power metal. Blind Guardian basically killed that whole scene for me when I discovered them and realized power metal could have riffs, but a part of me still remembers what I loved. A part of me won’t let it go. And like a shadow from the past, Sweden’s Shadowborne arrived with their debut Heaven’s Falling. Led by vocalist Eira Shadowborne and accompanied by keyboardist The Warden, guitarist The Oathbearer, bassist The Keeper, and drummer The Warbringer,1 Shadowborne seek to make their mark on the genre with fantasy storytelling, monumental hooks, and shiny, bloopy synthesizers. With groups like Twilight Force, Fellowship, and Brothers of Metal reminding me in recent years that there’s still room in my heart for things campy and glossy, and catching some nostalgia pangs to boot, I decided to give Shadowborne a fair shake. But does Heaven’s Falling spell a new rising star in power metal, or are Shadowborne just another curd in the cheese wheel?
Heaven’s Falling is an uncomplicated debut for Shadowborne: ten tracks,2 thirty-five minutes of dramatic, anthemic, and highly polished power metal. Shadowborne pivot between two modes on Heaven’s Falling: folky, Brothers of Metalesque jaunts like “Hold the Door” and “The Wall” and synthy, pop-hooked 80s LARP à la Battle Beast on songs like “Stranger to Myself” and “Wolf and the Queen.” Oathbearer does the Sabaton thing and riffs in sync with Warden’s synth stings on “High and Low” while Warbringer lays out mid-paced marches, barring one diversion into speed on “Custodians.” Production-wise, Heaven’s Falling is bright and loud, and nothing sounds particularly real, especially the wispy clean guitars (“End of the World”) and Warden’s toothless gang vocals (“Hold the Door”). It’s the kind of metal that Beast In Black can, and likely do, write in their sleep. Simply, anyone familiar with the Europower scene over the past fifteen(ish) years will know what to expect from Shadowborne.
And if you know Europower, then you know that Chorus Is King. Heaven’s Falling hits its stride with every chorus, accomplished by the phenomenal pipes of Eira Shadowborne. Evoking the likes of Ylva Eriksson (Brothers of Metal) and Noora Louhimo (ex-Battle Beast), Shadowborne belts and croons with power and charisma, sounding thoroughly in charge across Heaven’s Falling. Album highlights “Heaven’s Falling (Dragon’s Hymn)” and “Raven” demonstrate Shadowborne at her best, pouring copious heart into their strong melodies and itch-scratching layered harmonies. Beyond Shadowborne’s battle cries, there’s a commitment to bigness across Heaven’s Falling that contributes to its catchiness. Whether stomping away in “Wolf and the Queen” or waxing melodramatic balladry on “The End of the World,” Shadowborne fill as much sonic space and layer parts as hard as the music can take before bursting. Shadowborne the band is built around Shadowborne, the singer, and Heaven’s Falling is shaped around letting her shine in its biggest moments.
Heaven’s Falling’s greatest strength, however, comes with a price. Like much chorus-centric music, Heaven’s Falling suffers from a severe case of Boring Verse Syndrome (BVS).3 Most songs default to banal chugging and space-filling synths with little flair or variation. Even Shadowborne’s lines aren’t nearly as engaging in the verse, sounding somewhat thin on “Stranger to Myself” and “The End of the World.” As a result, Heaven’s Falling feels somewhat hollow. Where songs do feel fleshed out, like “Custodians” with its propulsive tempo and “Raven” with its darker verse contrasting its bright chorus, plus an Amon Amarth march in the intro, they stand out drastically. Oathbearer’s solos in particular could’ve cooked longer, as they’re slick, proficient, and wickedly fun across the board but also far, far too brief to leave a lasting impact. A great chorus is good to have, and Shadowborne can deliver them, but Heaven’s Falling needs great whole songs to be a great whole album.
What holds Shadowborne’s debut down is what holds much of the genre back: entrapment within genre tropes. Heaven’s Falling is loaded with talent and vim, and a lot of these hooks are going to be stuck in my head for a long time. But between the BVS, flaccid production, and played-out approach to power metal on Heaven’s Falling, Shadowborne have crafted a record that simply can’t stand out. Maybe Shadowborne just needed to prove to themselves they could write an album, and their sophomore will be more adventurous. Or maybe this is exactly what they wanted to write. Either way, fans of power metal may like what they’ll hear, but they’ll certainly have heard it already.
Rating: Mixed
#25 #AmonAmarth #BattleBeast #BeastInBlack #BlindGuardian #BrothersOfMetal #Fellowship #HeavenSFalling #PowerMetal #Review #Reviews #Sabaton #ScarletRecords #Shadowborne #SwedishMetal #TwilightForce
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps MP3
Label: Scarlet Records
Websites: bandcamp.com/heavens-falling | facebook.com/Shadowborne
Releases Worldwide: June 19th, 2026 -
Shadowborne – Heaven’s Falling Review By Andy-War-HallI used to love poppy, ultra-processed power metal. Blind Guardian basically killed that whole scene for me when I discovered them and realized power metal could have riffs, but a part of me still remembers what I loved. A part of me won’t let it go. And like a shadow from the past, Sweden’s Shadowborne arrived with their debut Heaven’s Falling. Led by vocalist Eira Shadowborne and accompanied by keyboardist The Warden, guitarist The Oathbearer, bassist The Keeper, and drummer The Warbringer,1 Shadowborne seek to make their mark on the genre with fantasy storytelling, monumental hooks, and shiny, bloopy synthesizers. With groups like Twilight Force, Fellowship, and Brothers of Metal reminding me in recent years that there’s still room in my heart for things campy and glossy, and catching some nostalgia pangs to boot, I decided to give Shadowborne a fair shake. But does Heaven’s Falling spell a new rising star in power metal, or are Shadowborne just another curd in the cheese wheel?
Heaven’s Falling is an uncomplicated debut for Shadowborne: ten tracks,2 thirty-five minutes of dramatic, anthemic, and highly polished power metal. Shadowborne pivot between two modes on Heaven’s Falling: folky, Brothers of Metalesque jaunts like “Hold the Door” and “The Wall” and synthy, pop-hooked 80s LARP à la Battle Beast on songs like “Stranger to Myself” and “Wolf and the Queen.” Oathbearer does the Sabaton thing and riffs in sync with Warden’s synth stings on “High and Low” while Warbringer lays out mid-paced marches, barring one diversion into speed on “Custodians.” Production-wise, Heaven’s Falling is bright and loud, and nothing sounds particularly real, especially the wispy clean guitars (“End of the World”) and Warden’s toothless gang vocals (“Hold the Door”). It’s the kind of metal that Beast In Black can, and likely do, write in their sleep. Simply, anyone familiar with the Europower scene over the past fifteen(ish) years will know what to expect from Shadowborne.
And if you know Europower, then you know that Chorus Is King. Heaven’s Falling hits its stride with every chorus, accomplished by the phenomenal pipes of Eira Shadowborne. Evoking the likes of Ylva Eriksson (Brothers of Metal) and Noora Louhimo (ex-Battle Beast), Shadowborne belts and croons with power and charisma, sounding thoroughly in charge across Heaven’s Falling. Album highlights “Heaven’s Falling (Dragon’s Hymn)” and “Raven” demonstrate Shadowborne at her best, pouring copious heart into their strong melodies and itch-scratching layered harmonies. Beyond Shadowborne’s battle cries, there’s a commitment to bigness across Heaven’s Falling that contributes to its catchiness. Whether stomping away in “Wolf and the Queen” or waxing melodramatic balladry on “The End of the World,” Shadowborne fill as much sonic space and layer parts as hard as the music can take before bursting. Shadowborne the band is built around Shadowborne, the singer, and Heaven’s Falling is shaped around letting her shine in its biggest moments.
Heaven’s Falling’s greatest strength, however, comes with a price. Like much chorus-centric music, Heaven’s Falling suffers from a severe case of Boring Verse Syndrome (BVS).3 Most songs default to banal chugging and space-filling synths with little flair or variation. Even Shadowborne’s lines aren’t nearly as engaging in the verse, sounding somewhat thin on “Stranger to Myself” and “The End of the World.” As a result, Heaven’s Falling feels somewhat hollow. Where songs do feel fleshed out, like “Custodians” with its propulsive tempo and “Raven” with its darker verse contrasting its bright chorus, plus an Amon Amarth march in the intro, they stand out drastically. Oathbearer’s solos in particular could’ve cooked longer, as they’re slick, proficient, and wickedly fun across the board but also far, far too brief to leave a lasting impact. A great chorus is good to have, and Shadowborne can deliver them, but Heaven’s Falling needs great whole songs to be a great whole album.
What holds Shadowborne’s debut down is what holds much of the genre back: entrapment within genre tropes. Heaven’s Falling is loaded with talent and vim, and a lot of these hooks are going to be stuck in my head for a long time. But between the BVS, flaccid production, and played-out approach to power metal on Heaven’s Falling, Shadowborne have crafted a record that simply can’t stand out. Maybe Shadowborne just needed to prove to themselves they could write an album, and their sophomore will be more adventurous. Or maybe this is exactly what they wanted to write. Either way, fans of power metal may like what they’ll hear, but they’ll certainly have heard it already.
Rating: Mixed
#25 #AmonAmarth #BattleBeast #BeastInBlack #BlindGuardian #BrothersOfMetal #Fellowship #HeavenSFalling #PowerMetal #Review #Reviews #Sabaton #ScarletRecords #Shadowborne #SwedishMetal #TwilightForce
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps MP3
Label: Scarlet Records
Websites: bandcamp.com/heavens-falling | facebook.com/Shadowborne
Releases Worldwide: June 19th, 2026 -
Here Is Our Review Of The Recent Amonklok Conquest Tour https://aggrogamer.com/article/12794/Review--The-Amonklok-Conquest-Tour-2026 #Music #Dethklok #AmonAmarth
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Here Is Our Review Of The Recent Amonklok Conquest Tour https://aggrogamer.com/article/12794/Review--The-Amonklok-Conquest-Tour-2026 #Music #Dethklok #AmonAmarth
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Review — The Amonklok Conquest Tour 2026 https://aggrogamer.com/article/12794/Review--The-Amonklok-Conquest-Tour-2026 #Music #Dethklok #AmonAmarth
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Review — The Amonklok Conquest Tour 2026 https://aggrogamer.com/article/12794/Review--The-Amonklok-Conquest-Tour-2026 #Music #Dethklok #AmonAmarth
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Review — The Amonklok Conquest Tour 2026 https://aggrogamer.com/article/12794/Review--The-Amonklok-Conquest-Tour-2026 #Music #Dethklok #AmonAmarth
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Review — The Amonklok Conquest Tour 2026 https://aggrogamer.com/article/12794/Review--The-Amonklok-Conquest-Tour-2026 #Music #Dethklok #AmonAmarth
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ICYMI: Review — The Amonklok Conquest Tour 2026 https://aggrogamer.com/article/12794/Review--The-Amonklok-Conquest-Tour-2026 #Music #AmonAmarth #Dethklok
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ICYMI: Review — The Amonklok Conquest Tour 2026 https://aggrogamer.com/article/12794/Review--The-Amonklok-Conquest-Tour-2026 #Music #AmonAmarth #Dethklok
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Review — The Amonklok Conquest Tour 2026 https://aggrogamer.com/article/12794/Review--The-Amonklok-Conquest-Tour-2026 #Music #Dethklok #AmonAmarth
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Review — The Amonklok Conquest Tour 2026 https://aggrogamer.com/article/12794/Review--The-Amonklok-Conquest-Tour-2026 #Music #Dethklok #AmonAmarth
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Amon Amarth, Dethklok, and Castle Rat turned Milwaukee into complete chaos during the "Amonklok Conquest" tour stop.
Viking battles, giant row pits, theatrical rat warfare, and enough fog to accidentally end the night early? Somehow, it was one of the most entertaining metal shows of the year.
Read the full review: https://metalinsider.net/photos/photos-review-amonklok-conquest-brings-viking-battles-giant-row-pits-and-dethklok-chaos-to-milwaukee-5-16-2026
#AmonAmarth #Dethklok #CastleRat #AmonklokConquest #Metalocalypse #LiveReview #Metal #DeathMetal #MelodicDeathMetal #ConcertReview
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Abandon Agony – Endbringer Review By Tyme
In a year that’s seen At the Gates release a seminal album that stands not only as a career touchstone but as a fitting swansong for Tomas “Tompa” Lindberg, the bar for Swedish melodic death metal is pretty high in 2026. This fact, however, did not deter Trollhättan’s fledgling act, Abandon Agony, from entering The Jester Race to flex some Gothenburg muscle of their own. Assembled in 2023, Abandon Agony released their first music a year later on the Dark Matter EP, and are now ready to unveil their debut long-player, Endbringer. As a group of relative unknowns, free from the confines of expectation that comes with an established amount of pedigree, Abandon Agony have gambled on themselves, choosing to release Endbringer independently. Will Endbringer signal the start of a long and successful career for Abandon Agony, or will it serve as a cautionary tale, relaying the slaughter of yet another up-and-coming melo-death soul?
Abandon Agony do melodic death metal really well. Endbringer passes everything that makes In Flames and Dark Tranquility exciting through a Mors Principium Estuary of modern, thrashy, power-melodic slickery before hitting open waters teeming with Amon Amarthic life.1 Guitarists Tobias Järvelä and Christoffer Tönnäng2 have the Gothenburg sound nailed down, their dual guitar assault wrecking necks, employing all the expected tropes: galloping, moody riffs, emotive, hooky leads, and tons of great solo work. Like the arms of Endbringer’s reaper slowly opening, the folds of his robe unfurl, inviting us in with the majestic power chords of album opener, “The Truth,” which then crank up a notch to catch Robin Toresson’s speedy double-bass rolls. Johan Hedström’s excellent vocals—a hybrid of Johan Hegg (Amon Amarth) and Randy Blythe (LoG)—fade in from a rumbling growl to a scream that’s met by some of Tönnäng’s nifty solo work and the song’s first fleet-footed verse; Endbringer is up and running. This track embodies everything about the Abandon Agony experience, which is one that offsets powerful, deathly aggression with atmospheric and melodic subtlety.
Endbringer is a potent, hard-driving melodeath album crammed with talented performances, all its poignant beauty revealed through the ghostly wisps of nuance rather than any overt melodic device. Whether it’s a hint of keys here (“The Truth”), the ghost of crystalline guitars there (“Dissolved”), or actual cleans that are both credited—Liv Jagrell’s (Liv Sin) gritty vocals are a great counterpoint to Hedström’s roars on album highlight “Entropy”—and uncredited (“Blind Intentions,” “Polar Shift”), these barely-there accompaniments serve to elevate many of Endbringer’s masterful moments. And it’s this beauty-and-the-beast balancing act that works so perfectly in Abandon Agony’s favor, drawing the listener deeper into Endbringer’s world without devolving into overwrought symphonia. Tönnäng’s excellent guitar work shines; his leads, ranging from the neo-classical (“Blind Intentions”) to the melancholy (“Lunar Storm”), acoustic work (“Rise From the Ashes,” “Polar Shift”), and wonderful solos (insert pretty much any song here), unleash a depth of emotion that enhances Endbringer’s heavy edge.3 And as vocalists go, Hedström’s growls and screams have fast become some of my favorite, period; a far cry from the shaky cleans he employs in his power metal project, Memoria.4
What pains me most, however, is that Abandon Agony have managed to run afoul of one of my biggest pet peeves, which is to pack half of Endbringer with songs that were originally released nearly two years ago.5 As annoying as it is to consider Abandon Agony have essentially mashed a couple of EPs’ worth of tunes together, I must still admit the level of continuity between the two sets of songs bridges an impressive gap in time rather seamlessly. Beyond this fact, though, my only real critique of Endbringer falls on its modern production, which renders nearly all Jonathan Wagerland’s bass work inaudible.Outside the context of my petty-est of peeves, Abandon Agony have released a damn fine melodeath album in Endbringer. Had they chosen to release an EP of five new songs rather than combining everything, not only might I have missed out on Abandon Agony for an even longer amount of time, but I certainly wouldn’t have put them on anyone’s radar here. As it stands, readers, take note, for another Gothenburg titan has arrived, and by the seeing eye of the great Whoracle herself, you can bet your ass I’ll be watching closely for what comes next.
Rating: 3.56/5.0
#2026 #35 #AbandonAgony #AmonAmarth #DarkTranquility #Endbringer #InFlames #May26 #MelodicDeathMetal #MorsPrincipiumEst #Review #SelfReleased #Sweden
DR: 5 | Format Reviewed: 320kbps mp3
Label: Self-Release
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram
Releases Worldwide: May 22, 2026 -
Abandon Agony – Endbringer Review By Tyme
In a year that’s seen At the Gates release a seminal album that stands not only as a career touchstone but as a fitting swansong for Tomas “Tompa” Lindberg, the bar for Swedish melodic death metal is pretty high in 2026. This fact, however, did not deter Trollhättan’s fledgling act, Abandon Agony, from entering The Jester Race to flex some Gothenburg muscle of their own. Assembled in 2023, Abandon Agony released their first music a year later on the Dark Matter EP, and are now ready to unveil their debut long-player, Endbringer. As a group of relative unknowns, free from the confines of expectation that comes with an established amount of pedigree, Abandon Agony have gambled on themselves, choosing to release Endbringer independently. Will Endbringer signal the start of a long and successful career for Abandon Agony, or will it serve as a cautionary tale, relaying the slaughter of yet another up-and-coming melo-death soul?
Abandon Agony do melodic death metal really well. Endbringer passes everything that makes In Flames and Dark Tranquility exciting through a Mors Principium Estuary of modern, thrashy, power-melodic slickery before hitting open waters teeming with Amon Amarthic life.1 Guitarists Tobias Järvelä and Christoffer Tönnäng2 have the Gothenburg sound nailed down, their dual guitar assault wrecking necks, employing all the expected tropes: galloping, moody riffs, emotive, hooky leads, and tons of great solo work. Like the arms of Endbringer’s reaper slowly opening, the folds of his robe unfurl, inviting us in with the majestic power chords of album opener, “The Truth,” which then crank up a notch to catch Robin Toresson’s speedy double-bass rolls. Johan Hedström’s excellent vocals—a hybrid of Johan Hegg (Amon Amarth) and Randy Blythe (LoG)—fade in from a rumbling growl to a scream that’s met by some of Tönnäng’s nifty solo work and the song’s first fleet-footed verse; Endbringer is up and running. This track embodies everything about the Abandon Agony experience, which is one that offsets powerful, deathly aggression with atmospheric and melodic subtlety.
Endbringer is a potent, hard-driving melodeath album crammed with talented performances, all its poignant beauty revealed through the ghostly wisps of nuance rather than any overt melodic device. Whether it’s a hint of keys here (“The Truth”), the ghost of crystalline guitars there (“Dissolved”), or actual cleans that are both credited—Liv Jagrell’s (Liv Sin) gritty vocals are a great counterpoint to Hedström’s roars on album highlight “Entropy”—and uncredited (“Blind Intentions,” “Polar Shift”), these barely-there accompaniments serve to elevate many of Endbringer’s masterful moments. And it’s this beauty-and-the-beast balancing act that works so perfectly in Abandon Agony’s favor, drawing the listener deeper into Endbringer’s world without devolving into overwrought symphonia. Tönnäng’s excellent guitar work shines; his leads, ranging from the neo-classical (“Blind Intentions”) to the melancholy (“Lunar Storm”), acoustic work (“Rise From the Ashes,” “Polar Shift”), and wonderful solos (insert pretty much any song here), unleash a depth of emotion that enhances Endbringer’s heavy edge.3 And as vocalists go, Hedström’s growls and screams have fast become some of my favorite, period; a far cry from the shaky cleans he employs in his power metal project, Memoria.4
What pains me most, however, is that Abandon Agony have managed to run afoul of one of my biggest pet peeves, which is to pack half of Endbringer with songs that were originally released nearly two years ago.5 As annoying as it is to consider Abandon Agony have essentially mashed a couple of EPs’ worth of tunes together, I must still admit the level of continuity between the two sets of songs bridges an impressive gap in time rather seamlessly. Beyond this fact, though, my only real critique of Endbringer falls on its modern production, which renders nearly all Jonathan Wagerland’s bass work inaudible.Outside the context of my petty-est of peeves, Abandon Agony have released a damn fine melodeath album in Endbringer. Had they chosen to release an EP of five new songs rather than combining everything, not only might I have missed out on Abandon Agony for an even longer amount of time, but I certainly wouldn’t have put them on anyone’s radar here. As it stands, readers, take note, for another Gothenburg titan has arrived, and by the seeing eye of the great Whoracle herself, you can bet your ass I’ll be watching closely for what comes next.
Rating: 3.56/5.0
#2026 #35 #AbandonAgony #AmonAmarth #DarkTranquility #Endbringer #InFlames #May26 #MelodicDeathMetal #MorsPrincipiumEst #Review #SelfReleased #Sweden
DR: 5 | Format Reviewed: 320kbps mp3
Label: Self-Release
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram
Releases Worldwide: May 22, 2026 -
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Vansind – Hævnen Review By ClarkKent
If these Danes had their way, the entrance to Valhalla would greet the deceased with the sounds of bagpipes, tin whistles, violins, and, of course, your standard heavy metal instruments. Vansind has been marrying Viking metal with folk instruments since 2019. While it took them four years to release their debut, Mørket, they released singles and an EP in trickles while showing off their stuff live. Now, 2026 sees them return with a vengeance on Hævnen. I mean that semantically rather than literally—hævnen is the Danish word for revenge, and Vansind seeks to explore “themes of revenge, betrayal, freedom, and sacrifice.”1 So put on your best Viking garb and pour yourself a heaping cup of mead as we check out what these Danes have to offer.
Take the melodic death metal of Amon Amarth and mix it with the energetic folk of Finntroll, and you’ve got a good base for Vansind. Despite the darker subject matter at hand, Hævnen is a much more upbeat sort of Viking metal than the likes of Bathory or Thyrfing—in fact, it’s much closer in style to symphonic power metal. Songs follow formulaic structures with catchy choruses and tons of hooks. Vansind has a little Coronatus in them, and their blend of beauty and beast style vocalists bears comparisons to Epica. J. Asgaard takes on the role of the beast, with death growls reminiscent of Amon Amarth’s Johann Hegg, and he allows enough melody to permeate his performance to create a compelling presence. Line Burglin, as Asgaard’s foil, has an uplifting, folky lilt and practically steals the show. Just listening to her part on the showstopping opener “Det Største Offer,” as she accompanies an inspired tin whistle, is pure bliss. Then on “Alvild,” while Asgaard’s growls portend darkness, Burglin’s catchy chorus transports you to a happier place. When Hævnen ends on the lower energy “Skæbnens Tunge Vej,” it’s thanks to her that the track doesn’t feel out of place.
Due to their adherence to unique folk instruments, Vansind has a distinct sound. And boy do they have hooks: guitar hooks, bagpipe hooks, tin whistle hooks, vocal hooks, right hooks, left—whoops! Wrong sport. The promo credits Rikke Klint Johansen with the bulk of the folk stuff, namely bagpipes, tin whistles, and keyboards. She does a commendable job of making those instruments some of the most memorable parts on Hævnen. The whistle in particular, plays a surprisingly prominent role. Along with the opening song, Johansen performs some catchy whistle parts on “Blodhævn” and “Det Sidste Nådeskys.” She’s also excellent on the bagpipes, with some great moments on “Alvild,” “I Yggdrasils Skygge,” and the finale.2 And, of course, the heavy metal parts are no slouch either. Danni Jelsgaard’s work on the kit provides a huge boost of energy that never wavers until the final tune. Kirk Backarach and Nikolaj Madsen both play some enjoyable melodic leads (“Det Største Offer,” “Blodhævn,” “Truslen Fra Dybet”) and a nice solo on “Alvild.” Instrumentally, there’s no weak link.
Though tons of fun, Hævnen lacks the edge and daring to really push it into great territory. One issue is Asgaard’s vocals. While overall an enjoyable performance, they feel too polished, monotonous, and lacking in power. Some extra volume and depth from his growls would have helped the tracks carry more weight, but either Asgaard or the mixing falls short. While the formulaic nature of the music serves to highlight the hooks, it also means Vansind plays things a little too safe. Some might also take issue with the song lengths, which mostly run at 5+ minutes. “Det Største Offer,” for example, is the longest at nine minutes, but I personally never felt bothered by this. When the hooks are as great as they are here, it’s tough to complain about repetitive formulas or songs running a little longer than usual.
Vansind have put out an incredibly fun piece of folk metal. “Det Største Offer” currently sits atop my song o’ the year list, and it’s going to be a tough one to top. While the rest of Hævnen doesn’t quite reach the lofty heights of that opener, there are plenty of other bangers throughout. This fun sophomore outing instills lots of hope for what Vansind can offer in the future. While the halls of Valhalla promise plenty of ecstasies for warriors slain in battle, Hævnen serves as an adequate substitute for the rest of us, especially alongside a generous helping of mead.
Rating: 3.5/5.0
#2026 #35 #AmonAmarth #Bathory #Coronatus #DanishMetal #Epica #Finntroll #FolkMetal #Hævnen #May26 #MightyMusic #Review #Reviews #Thyrfing #Vansind
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Mighty Music
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: May 1st, 2026 -
The roar of the Norse gods riding through riffs of war and blood, reminding you that even in defeat, a Viking dies with honor 🤘🏽🤘🏽🤘🏽🎸😈
el rugido de los dioses nórdicos cabalgando entre riffs de guerra y sangre, recordándote que incluso en la derrota, un vikingo muere con honor 🤘🏽🤘🏽😈🎸
#heavymetal #amonamarth #music #metal #vinyl
