Hey metalheads, I’ve got a question for all of you. What
happens when you mix black metal and folk metal? Don’t know the answer? Well fortunately,
I just so happen to have an encyclopedic knowledge of heavy metal music. I know
everything about the subgenres of heavy metal, and therefore I know that the
answer to that question is clearly Viking metal.
Viking metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is based
around Norse mythology and Paganism. These themes helped to create the central essence
of Viking metal, and are the main topics of the subgenre’s lyrics. Musically
speaking, Viking metal is known for being sonically chaotic, sounding like slow
black metal with somber keyboard melodies. The unusual instruments involved in
folk metal are absent in Viking metal, however the subgenre is still heavily
influenced by Nordic folk music. The vocals of Viking metal are usually similar
to those of black metal, but clean singing is present as well.
Viking metal was initially pioneered in the late 1980s and
rose to prominence in the mid-1990s. It was developed as an opposition to
Christianity and served as a substitute for Satanism for many musicians
interested in making a statement against the religion. The band that is most
frequently considered to have started the Viking metal scene is Bathory. Bathory was previously known as a black metal band, but in 1988, the band released its fourth studio album, Blood Fire Death, which contained
a few songs that are now considered to be the first Viking metal tunes. The
band then decided to devote an entire album to Vikings called Hammerheart, thereby
formally creating the entire Viking metal subgenre. Bathory released several
other Viking metal records during its career, but also flirted with
several other subgenres of heavy metal.
Bathroy did a good job of starting the Viking metal subgenre, but Enslaved was probably the subgenre’s greatest contributor. Enslaved was not interested in opposing
Christianity in the same way Bathory was. Instead, the band just had a genuine
interest in Norse mythology and followed in the musical footsteps of Bathory.
From its very first studio album, Enslaved began to build on the template set
for Viking metal, and developed it in new and unique ways. The group’s second
album, Frost, is often considered to be its most important contribution to
the Viking metal subgenre as a whole.
Apart from Bathory and Enslaved, there weren’t many other
Viking metal bands who gained particularly strong followings. Windir, Moonsorrow and Thyrfing helped to keep the subgenre interesting and are fairly well
known groups. Today, Viking metal has died down a bit due to the decreased
interest in opposing Christianity through this style of music. Even Enslaved
now plays progressive black metal as opposed to Viking metal. Nevertheless, Viking metal still remains a very important and prolific part of heavy
metal history.
