Helrunar & Árstíðir Lífsins "Fragments - A Mythological Excavation"
Summer 2013, Ván Records/Prophecy Productions
Helrunar
and Árstíðir Lífsins not only share a common member, the singer, but also
recount stories and events of similar themes, like nature, paganism and
mythology. It has been a couple of years since we have last heard of each band,
so a new anything is pleasing, let alone a split that contains new material
from both bands. The release is also a collaboration between each band's label,
Ván Records and Prophecy Productions. These labels are selective when it comes
to band signing and that is the reason they only have amazing bands in their
rosters.
The music
of an album is not the only aspect that describes its quality, especially in
metal, thats why most of the fans seek the ideology or concept of the bands
they like and never stay for the music and only. As the title explains, this
split is indeed a mythological excavation, that makes it even more beautiful,
when one knows what the bands are referring to. The artists here have taken a
small bit of the Greek and Scandinavian mythology and recite it in their own
unique way. I was already familiar with the Greek tale (we have been taught the
specific story at school) but had to search for the other one, which was also
notably interesting.
Helrunar's
subject is a part of the Homeric Tales, two capacious poems called
"Odyssey" and "Iliad", counting 12221 and 15692 lines each,
respectively. The specific incident they describe here is taken from Odyssey,
which describes the journey of the hero Odysseus as he tries to return home,
but faces all kinds of obstacles, since he is hated by the Gods for some of his
past actions. At that point, he is trapped in a cave of an one-eyed giant with
his crewmates, that keeps them there and eats one every day. Odysseus decides
to offer wine to the giant, he drinks it and loves it. A while after, he is
dazed by the sweet nectar and falls asleep, and then he is pierced through his
only eye with a giant spear. He wakes up screaming and blind, Odysseus and the
rest of the party grab the giant's sheep and stay under them while they move
out of the cave, and that's how they escape. The giant's name was Cyclops or
Polyphemus and the song title can be translated as "Wine for
Polyphemus".
Árstíðir
Lífsins take us to a different time and different location, way norther to
Scandinavia. Their musical composition is strongly influenced by a poem called
"Vafþrúðnismál" (and i have no idea how to pronounce it), part of a
collection of Old Norse poems with the name "The Poetic Edda". In
that poem, Odin asks Frigg whether to go at Vafþrúðnir's hall or not, and he is
adviced against the idea, since Vafþrúðnir is a very fierce giant. Despite
that, Odin heads for the hall and there plays the game of wisdom contest with
the giant, which ends up to be a win-or-die competition. In the end, Odin asks
a question that only he knows the answer, what did Odin say to Baldr's ear
before his placement to the funerary ship. That is when Vafþrúðnir finds out
about the identity of his opponent, and admits defeat.
Having read
about all these, i went into the music itself. Helrunar hired the greek singer
Hildr Valkyrie for additional vocals, specifically the chants that can be heard
at the beginning and ending of the song. There is an ode close to the greek
rhapsody style with the actual lines of Homer in ancient Greek, even though the
band is from Germany, they managed to pronounce the words almost perfectly.
After this three minute introduction, there is a mysterious melody with a
clean/acoustic guitar, that opens the way to Helrunar's destructive black
metal. It explodes with powerful riffs and vocals, fast paced drums and an
awesome sound. There is more clean vocal narrating in between the intense
moments of the track, that varies melodies throughout its fifteen minute
length. Not tiring at all and very well crafted it is, it had me hooked the
whole time. It finishes as silently and elegantly as it starts, with the voice
of Hildr Valkyrie and pounding waves as a background.
The second
and final track by Árstíðir Lífsins lasts nineteen minutes and it is about as
flawless as the first. Their lyrics are fully Icelandic, and after a calm intro
begins a monologue with deep clean vocals. As it continues, the instruments
embrace the voice and lead the way to tremendous screams and howls. The track
contains multiple violins, cellos, choirs, keyboards and acoustic moments, as
the band consists of many people that commit themselves to each instrument.
Transferring the song in its mother language leaves it unspoiled and even
though I don’t understand the meaning without translation, it does have its own
potent vibe. Due to the variety of instruments and singers, it is more
musically enriched than Helrunar’s track, even though both tracks are
remarkably good. It closes with a three minute melancholic outro, almost
nostalgic of a long forgotten era of swords, magic and paganism. Árstíðir
Lífsins have constructed a great atmosphere that is present during the whole
synthesis, making it of grand musical merit.
Definitely
one of the best albums I’ve heard this year, both for the music and the
subject. Helrunar’s approach aimed straight to my heart, for the great story
they chose to represent and their support to my country, whereas Árstíðir
Lífsins dominated the second part of the listen with one of the most amazing
songs of that length that I have heard lately, since Agalloch’s Faustian
Echoes. This split is overwhelming.
Fuck
materialism.
DAMAGE: 10/10
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