Swedish metal band Bathory 's fourth album , released in 1988 and called Blood Fire Death , was the first Viking metal album . Their first album Bathory was released in 1984 and is `` regarded by many as the first black metal record . '' The band 's fourth album Blood Fire Death was released in 1988 and includes two early examples of Viking metal â `` the songs `` A Fine Day to Die '' and `` Blood Fire Death '' .