Viking Metal (slow black metal with influences from Nordic folk music) is a style that fits perfect for all the ancestors of the Vikings up in the cold Nordic countries. So what could be more fitting than a band from Norway that plays Viking Metal? The band I talk about is called Vardoger. After years of waiting they have finally released their EP consisting of five tracks of slow majestic Viking Metal. Silent Witness is my favourite track. An excellent track with hardhitting lyrics: "What is it that you fear? What is it that prevents you from seeking Him? When you got His Spirit to guide you. His angels to hide you. Open up let Him in so that you can be a radical son in the battle for truth." Another great tune is Footprints of Thunder with it's catchy viking sound. The only tracks I can't get into are Desert Pale and Inferno. But the other three tracks are excellent and as a whole Whitefrozen is a really cool cd that gives good hope for the future. Singer in the band is Peter Dahlbakk and his shrilling voice sounds even better here than his growls in Schaliach. As I said a really nice cd for everyone into slow black metal.


References: Recommended for fans of Viking Metal. Fans of Antestor and Vaakevandring are also gonna like this cd.


Orderinfo: Check with the mailorder companys listed here

Venia is hailing from Finland and a couple of the tracks are also in the Finnish language. Their demo was more Heavy Metal-oriented while this cd is more in the thrash vein. The Path is a good example of their new style. Really enjoyable thrash with lots of variation. Heikko is another fave with many harmonies as well as crunchy faster parts. Venia's lyrics often talk about our human limitations and that you can have a new meaning in your life by putting it into God's hands and submit to God. Venia has plenty of talent and variate the tunes well. But the tracks are still too uneven to match the best bands out there. On the first two tracks the tempo is also way too slow, which makes me to lose interest and skip to next track. In coming releases I would like them to do more tunes in the caliber of The Path and Heikko and that they don't slow down too much but keep the tempo up.


References: Recommended for fans of thrash and heavy metal.


Orderinfo: Check with the mailorder companys listed here


Website: http://www.veniaband.com

This is the first release from these finnish metallers. Typical for their sound is that there are a woman (Veronica) that handles the vocals. I'm no big fan of female vocals in metal but Veronica sounds alright and she has a good voice.

Over to the music: Stylewise I would describe their style as straight ahead melodic metal with plenty of hooks. Ei Mun Tarvitse has a nice crunchy melodic rhythm. I totally love Eternal Sanctuary that makes me thinking of Tourniquet. This track plenty of cool timechanges, crunchy hooks, tasty guitar solos and on top of it some violin. Really cool! I hope they do more tunes of this kind. Taivaassa has a great hookfeel and tasty guitars. Genesis and Tormented Souls are also really enjoyable.

On the negative side production is somewhat muddy, just like it often is on demos. Besides that this is really good and I like almost all tunes. To sum it up I do hear plenty of talent here, so keep going Venia and keep it melodic! I look forward to next release. This band can go far.

This is definately a cd I can recommend and I give it a 3+ rating. Check it out if you want to hear some new fresh melodic metal.


References: Recommended for fans of melodic metal.


Orderinfo: Check with the website below.


Website: http://www.veniaband.com

These two cds do sound very different from most of the music I have heard. Music is slow and jazzy with a metal twist. All tracks are instrumental. Production is crystalclear.

I find the music too slow and too jazzy to really grab me. That doesn't mean it sounds bad, it is just means that this it not my thing.


References: Do you want your metal jazzy? Then give this band a try.


Orderinfo: Check with the mailorder companys listed here


Website: http://www.visualcliff.net

Veni Domine have had severe problems to get this album out and it has been finished for almost 3 years. But God hears prayers and now the album is finally released. If you haven't heard this band I would describe their sound as progressive, slow and heavy doom metal. With this album they go back to their roots and there are plenty of influences from their first two albums.

The vocalist Fredrik has a great highpitched voice. Many think his voice reminds of the singer in Queensryche. Torbjörn is a very competent guitarplayer and he put on some really heavy riffs and solos on the album. Compared to previous albums the tunes are a bit shorter.

I wasn't really happy with Spiritual Wasteland. Found it way too progressive. But this album I do like since it is more accessible and has a better flow in the tunes. It truly sounds like they were inspired when they recorded this cd. My favourite tracks are Doom of Man, Eli Lema Sabachtani, The Healing The Mystery, Healer's Face and River of Life I. Many of the lyrics are taken from the Book of Revelation (the last book in the Bible) and talks about how things will be in the future and that we are living in the last days.

Veni Domine is back and has put out the best release for a long time. It's still not in pair with their classic Fall Babylon Fall, but it is a big step in the right direction. With some more harmonies added to their sound next release can be even better than Fall Babylon Fall.


References: Fans of progressive, slow and heavy doom metal should definately give this a try.


Orderinfo: Check with the mailorder companys listed here


Website: http://www.venidomine.com

This is a another new and talented black metal band from Norway. Musically they remind a bit of Crimson Moonlight. Vocals are topnotch, the singer has a nice shrilling voice. First tune is a cool black metal version of the prayer Our Father! You got to hear it to believe it. Good tune. Next tune is pretty repetitive and boring so I hit the skip button. The 3rd and last tune really stands out. Fast, catchy melodic black metal with lots of atmosphere. Great stuff! With more tunes like this they will surely go to the top.

The future looks great for this band, check'em out.


References: For fans of Crimson Moonlight, Antestor, Dimmu Borgir, Covenant and Emperor.


Website: http://home.sol.no/~iumentum/vaakevandring/


Orderinfo: Check with the mailordercompanys listed here


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VITAL SIGN - Vital Sign

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