SKÁLMÖLD : " Ýdalir "

 It's been a minute since we have reviewed any viking metal , so lets dive into the 6th album by this Icelandic band. The first song sets the stage for a high energy brand that carries the roar of the throaty vocals. The guitar playing in more melodic than you might expect, without diving into the more folk centric strains of the genre. They continue racing forward on the second song that finds a more screamed vocals starting things off and a sung baritone bellow chanting. They bring in dynamic changes to offer everything you might want from the genre without devolving into drinking songs. I would say there is less theatrics than what Amon Amarth does. There is also a little less thrash to suggest they might be more influenced by both Manowar and Bathory depending on where you are at in the song. 

What they do not do is wandering off into folk atmosphere or throw themselves into black metal passages, instead sticking to a very deliberate manner of song writing that still maintains a great deal of drive. This works for me as there is already a great deal of extremes in metal out today so to find a balance that lends it self to melody always works in my book. There might be a surplus of guitar solos, but they work to break things up in the songs. The whole boat full of singing Vikings feel comes into play by the third song, though it feels less like frolicking than what most bands do. Bands like this do not hit a groove in the conventional sense metal bands do , instead they latch onto a solid gallop. I think one of the things that works for me with these guys is how they are marginally darker than most bands drinking from this mead horn , which is enough to give the needed menace. When they come close to frolicking with cheer there is more balls to and keep the triumph from turning to glee. 

At times there is a pronounced Iron Maiden influence when the guitar harmonies lead into the gallop. Though it's never like they are ripping off  "To Tame a Land". Heavy chugs come at the right time to ground them. Five songs in and I am really surprised how good this album is. Granted it's not something I am always in the mood for, but excellence in execution for sure. "Sklud' finds them at their most deliberate which lends it's self to giving the vocals more purpose. There are a few moments when they play it a little too safe, and epic becomes redundant. The ten minute closing epic being one of these. I will give this album a 9.5, not sure how much mileage I am going to get out of it, but I have to recognize how well done this is, if you are a fan of this sort of thing this album is a must. It drops the 18th of August on Napalm Records.