So here , the first post at Toxichof , I though I would jump straight into an album review so here we go.
Thyrfing is one of the best examples of pure Viking Metal in my option , I started listing to them a few years again after experimenting with some folk metal and looking for something harder but well retaining the folkish sound , after listening to a a moment in Valhalla https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGaFtJQuiSA I decided to give them a try and here we are , some of their earlier albums lean a bit to the Melo Death side but with the 2002 Release of Vansinnesvisor they had found a more distinct Viking sound. The album opens with a Draugs Hard a fast-paced melodic track you can hear the black style come through especially in the lyrical style with some melodic Death style drums, overall a good track a nice opener for the album showcasing what can be expected from the album the second track Digerdöden you can hear a slower more folkyish sound almost reminding me of early Fintroll , the song really comes into its own at about the halfway point with an established melody complemented by the clean chanted vocals before breaking into the guitar and drum driven blast again . My favourite track though is no5 Ångesterns Högbor , you can feel the story being told to you , seeing an epic Viking quests it really feels like one of those songs that keep on giving at around the 3min the song gets a second force blasting beautiful melodies at you this is one of the most epic songs and what Viking metal should be . one more track i would like to discuss is no 6 the Giants Laughter a translation of the Swedish poem Jätten , an different direction in terms of song style in comparison to the rest of the album , generally I don't like their English sung tracks but this one works the clean vocals really help in telling the story of the Giant and love the electric organ opening .
Overall this is a very solid album in the Viking Metal genre , the technical skill has increased from the early black metal days that inspired the genre to a more distinct sound that has come into its own resulting in mature well polished albums that suit the genre.