The Beginning of Viking Metal

Quick Guide About Viking Metal



Another subgenre in the heavy metal community is Viking Metal. You will find elements of folk, death and black metal inside these metal bands. Viking metal is a exciting and new genre of heavy metal. Viking metal elements often include dramatic full sounds, keyboard characteristics and quick fast beats. Their music has an imagination of Viking battles and fantasy themes. People will tag Viking metal satanic. This is no true. People will get this idea because of the hateful and melodies feel of the songs. Almost all Viking metal songs are about battles and warriors.



If you travel to Finland and Norway you will find that these Scandinavian countries are where Viking metal is most prominent. Some of the instruments that Viking metal uses are harp, panflute and accordion. Viking metal likes to use roars and deep growls in their vocals to give the Viking sound a more metal atmosphere. Viking metal does give a gray and dark feeling behind the music. These types of techniques are found in Black metal, where most Viking metal bands start.



Viking metal songs usually consist of god and warfare in their music. The earliest signs of Viking metal were Led Zeppelin. Led Zeppelin had songs that reference gods and famous Vikings. Also Black Sabbath had songs containing choir vocals that became prominent in Viking metal’s style. Yngwie J. Malmsteen was the first metal band to use all Viking metal elements. They had the song "I am a Viking" in 1985. Bathory was the first band to make a full album with all the Viking metal elements. In 1988 "Blood Fire Death" became a black metal album with a Viking atmosphere. Bathory would then use Folk metal instruments into their Viking metal sound. This is probably one of Bathory's strongest abums recorded.



Most Viking metal is a reference to pagan culture. Most Viking heavy metal bands come from countries located in northern Europe. Viking metal references a lot of Black metal. Music is often epic, dramatic and mythological. Pull Viking metal apart you will find elements from Folk, Black and Traditional. English is a prominent language for Viking metal bands. This gives them a full opportunity in the European countries.



Here is a list of some of the most prominent bands in Viking metal. As you have read, most of these bands have a different musical background than Viking metal. Ensiferum, Equilibrium, Manowar, Bathory, Vanaheim, Amon Amarth and Enslaved.



Viking metal is going on for more than 20 years in the heavy metal community. After 20 years this genre is still underground in the community. Bands like Enslaved, Ensiferum, Bathory and Amon Amarth have continued to create albums. They continue to grow the genre with a strong fan base. For the future of Viking metal, it will continue to grow and become more popular.