Månegarm - Vargstenen (2007)^{Release ID: 11729}

The best Folk/Viking Metal album of all-time?

Each of the 12 songs is full of such a potent dose of the vibrant pagan spirit that I scarcely know what to do with myself when I listen to the whole album. My lungs are bursting to sing/roar along throughout the duration... every time!

If I were to describe Månegarm's sound to a newcomer, two aspects would stand out to me: the vocals and the violins. Månegarm's vocalist has a unique deep-throated raspy roar that's perfect for this genre of music, able to convey both ferocity and heartfelt passion across several different styles (cleans, growls, screams, yells, chants). I don't understand the Swedish, but every word and note is delivered with utmost conviction. I can feel what he's singing. The violin plays a bigger role than ever before on a Månegarm album too, near-omnipresent alternating between frantic, devilish riffs and more delicate melodic lines.

From sections of furious black metal to rockin' midtempo folk metal sections to even the beautiful acoustic folk interludes and everything in between ... this album is pure pagan gold. The songwriting has taken a step up from previous albums, most notably the band's command of melodies. It is far better and more consistent here than on anything they did before or after. Warning - many of these melodies are addicting. But never cheesy like some of the more accessible folk metal bands. This is authentic Viking stuff right here.  

Some bands have that one gem of an album where everything came together perfectly. This is that album for Månegarm. 

Highlights: Ur själslig död, En Fallen Fader, Visioner Pa Isen, I Underjorden, Vargstenen, Vedergällningens tid, Eld