Awaken Your Inner Viking with a Stream of Einherjer’s “Nord Og Ner”

Photo by Steiner Sortland

Alongside bands like Månegarm, Moonsorrow, and Falkenbach, Einherjer dwells within the yawing chasm that seperates Bathory’s majestic Hammerheart from the kitschy goofiness of the Paganfest franchise. Although their contemporaries Enslaved, Windir, and Storm have either dissolved or moved into different musical territory, Einherjer still hoists the banner high for classic Scandinavian folk/Viking-influenced black metal. The band itself broke up after 2003’s Blot, but reformed in 2011 with renewed fire.

The Norwegian trio takes a darker, more abrasive approach than that of cheeseball troll-chasers like Korpiklaani or Finntroll, tempering their jaunty traditional folk melodies and full-voiced Viking choruses with seething black metal aggression. Drawing upon stories from Norse mythology and holding tight to the blackened chords of old, Ulvar (drums, keyboards), Grimar (guitar, vocals), and guitarist Aksel Herløe ensure that their sixth album, Av Oss, For Oss, does its forefathers proud.

Listen to the rousing “Nord og Ner” right here.

Av Oss, For Oss will be released by Indie Recordings on 1/13 in North America

Kim Kelly is chasing dragons on Twitter.