 According to Trafford and Pluskowski , practically all Viking metal bands claim Viking ancestry , and after its inception in Scandinavia , Viking metal spread to areas historically settled by Vikings , including England , Russia , and Normandy . Viking metal bands have even formed in the United States and Canada , with their members claiming Viking descent either directly from Scandinavia or through England . Some members of the Viking metal scene believe that it is impossible for someone to be a Viking unless they themselves are of northern European descent . However , the scene also spread to other parts of Northern Europe in areas united by a common Germanic heritage , such as Austria , Germany , and the Netherlands . Trafford and Pluskowski cite the Austrian band Valhalla , which makes extensive use of Viking iconography , including horned helmets . Another Austrian example is Amestigon , which on the cover of its promotional album Remembering Ancient Origins depicts a wood carved scene of Sigurd killing Regin , a panel held in Hylestad stave church . 
