Månegarm - Havets vargar (2000)^{Release ID: 11726}

Stepping stone   

There are a few noteworthy songs such as "Havets Vargar" and "Den sista striden", but despite an obvious great effort, Månegarm is not entirely convincing on their second album.  They are a band caught in transition between sounds here.

This not the spine-tingling primal melodic black metal found on Nordstjärnans tidsålder nor the ferocious swashbuckling viking metal found on Dödsfärd. It is stuck in the middle, as the band are still unsure of what exactly they want to be. As a young band with a new vocalist, this is not surprising. As such, Havets vargar lacks cohesive identity and the band seem to almost be experimenting and playing with ideas throughout, trying to find a formula that works for them.  

Fortunately, there are some traces of the greatness to come. "Vargtörne", for example, contains ideas Månegarm would immediately expand on to massive success on Dödsfärd, Vredens Tid, Vargstenen, et al.

Though an inferior experience to both albums that bookend it, Havets vargar is nevertheless an important stepping stone in the stellar Månegarm discography and worth hearing for fans of the band as a crucial link in their evolution. It may be the mighty Månegarm's least compelling album, but it will still please genre fans and outwit (or behead) most of its contemporaries.