Angantyr is a Danish one man band that exists since 1997 and has a unique style, but unfortunately still unknown to most of the black metal audience. Their sound is mainly rooted in the harshness of the old Norwegian school, but maybe the melodic, polyphonic riffs in tremolo are an element of Swedish derivation. But above all, the music of Angantyr has a feeling, a mood that is unique in the whole black metal scene. Their music is gripping, evocative, has an intense, dramatic tension; all this in a typically Nordic, Scandinavian and at the same time brutal and icy sound.
The Danish band had previously released four albums, each of which is very beautiful: Hævn (2007), their third album, is a masterpiece; Svig (2010) is a pearl. After Svig Ynleborgaz, the man behind Angantyr, moved to Sweden and gave birth to his new creation.
The last album Forvist (‘Banished’, 2012) is another wonderful album to be added to the art collection of this band that never disappoints. It contains all the typical elements of their sound: the album begins and ends with the sound of the sea and with the music leads us on the journey symbolized by the ship on the cover. And then sumptuous, polyphonic riffs in tremolo picking, sometimes accompanied by blast beats, sometimes in mid-tempo, create an epic and engaging atmosphere, while the arrangements are perfect. The music and the atmosphere are based on the guitar lines, although not technically complicated, while the bass and the drums have simpler lines and are limited to a filler role. But the structure of the songs is quite complex, the tracks are quite long (lasting the shortest as much as six minutes) but involve the listener and slip by easily, on the contrary you cannot help but nod all the time transported by the music. The singing is also very intense and expressive and conveys a big amount of passion, but at the same time it is harsh and contributes to the epic atmosphere.
I'm not able to point out the most beautiful songs because the album is all beautiful in its entirety; instead I point out some a bit special moments, such as the beautiful acoustic introduction; another beautiful acoustic arpeggio is at the end of “Stille skarpe knive”; the title track begins with a bridge riff which then evolves into a riff on blast beats; but above all so many dramatically melodic, intense riffs throughout the album. Perhaps the most outstanding moment is the closing song “Skovens egne våben” which is simply wonderful and engrossing.
The lyrics are as usual in Danish and continue the story of Angrimr that had already been begun in Hævn; Angrimr is a legendary Scandinavian hero mentioned in several Old Norse sources and he was the father of Angantyr. The lyrics of the album relate his departure from his homeland to seek revenge on the Christian invaders who murdered his family (hævn means ‘revenge’ in Danish).
I think it's remarkable to point out that Ynleborgaz really played and recorded all instruments. Maybe a little flaw of this album is that there is variation but not so very much; an album like Hævn perhaps has more variation, but Forvist is and remains a wonderful black metal album.
Notes:
Forvist was released on November 16, 2012 through Northern Silence Productions. A digi-pack limited edition was also released in only 999 copies worldwide. Angantyr is the name of a mythic Norse hero, son of Angrimr, mentioned in several Norse sagas according to which he was given the magic sword Tyrfingr by his father Angrimr.
Tracklist:
1. “Lænket” 11:28
2. “I forfædres fodspor” 06:07
3. “Vemods hjemstavn” 07:40
4. “Thinking Below the Ocean” 06:30
5. “Fælles fjende” 07:08
6. “Stille skarpe knive” 09:06
7. “Skovens egne våben” 09:15
Personnel:
Ynleborgaz – all instruments and vocals.
The Danish band had previously released four albums, each of which is very beautiful: Hævn (2007), their third album, is a masterpiece; Svig (2010) is a pearl. After Svig Ynleborgaz, the man behind Angantyr, moved to Sweden and gave birth to his new creation.
The last album Forvist (‘Banished’, 2012) is another wonderful album to be added to the art collection of this band that never disappoints. It contains all the typical elements of their sound: the album begins and ends with the sound of the sea and with the music leads us on the journey symbolized by the ship on the cover. And then sumptuous, polyphonic riffs in tremolo picking, sometimes accompanied by blast beats, sometimes in mid-tempo, create an epic and engaging atmosphere, while the arrangements are perfect. The music and the atmosphere are based on the guitar lines, although not technically complicated, while the bass and the drums have simpler lines and are limited to a filler role. But the structure of the songs is quite complex, the tracks are quite long (lasting the shortest as much as six minutes) but involve the listener and slip by easily, on the contrary you cannot help but nod all the time transported by the music. The singing is also very intense and expressive and conveys a big amount of passion, but at the same time it is harsh and contributes to the epic atmosphere.
I'm not able to point out the most beautiful songs because the album is all beautiful in its entirety; instead I point out some a bit special moments, such as the beautiful acoustic introduction; another beautiful acoustic arpeggio is at the end of “Stille skarpe knive”; the title track begins with a bridge riff which then evolves into a riff on blast beats; but above all so many dramatically melodic, intense riffs throughout the album. Perhaps the most outstanding moment is the closing song “Skovens egne våben” which is simply wonderful and engrossing.
The lyrics are as usual in Danish and continue the story of Angrimr that had already been begun in Hævn; Angrimr is a legendary Scandinavian hero mentioned in several Old Norse sources and he was the father of Angantyr. The lyrics of the album relate his departure from his homeland to seek revenge on the Christian invaders who murdered his family (hævn means ‘revenge’ in Danish).
I think it's remarkable to point out that Ynleborgaz really played and recorded all instruments. Maybe a little flaw of this album is that there is variation but not so very much; an album like Hævn perhaps has more variation, but Forvist is and remains a wonderful black metal album.
Notes:
Forvist was released on November 16, 2012 through Northern Silence Productions. A digi-pack limited edition was also released in only 999 copies worldwide. Angantyr is the name of a mythic Norse hero, son of Angrimr, mentioned in several Norse sagas according to which he was given the magic sword Tyrfingr by his father Angrimr.
Tracklist:
1. “Lænket” 11:28
2. “I forfædres fodspor” 06:07
3. “Vemods hjemstavn” 07:40
4. “Thinking Below the Ocean” 06:30
5. “Fælles fjende” 07:08
6. “Stille skarpe knive” 09:06
7. “Skovens egne våben” 09:15
Personnel:
Ynleborgaz – all instruments and vocals.
Text by Herjann
herjann@unholyblackmetal.com
herjann@unholyblackmetal.com