Saxorior
Völkerschlacht

April 2009
Released: 2008, Battlegod Productions
Rating: 4.0/5
Reviewer: Luxi Lahtinen

Germany´s long-running melodic battle/black metal warriors, Saxorior, released their 6th full-length album VÖLKERSCHLACHT (which means perhaps something like ´battle of the nations´? Someone please just correct me if I´m totally wrong - thank you), via an Australian metal label Battlegod Productions last year, which has also been pretty well received all around the world. In all honesty, I don´t wonder at all why this album has been received and liked so well amongst the metal community. This is my first time personally to get to know them a bit better, and based solely on my first impression about the content of this album, I must say Saxorior did actually impress me a quite positive way.



Musically we move somewhere between early Moonsorrow albums, already Swedish defunct melodic black metal band Allegiance - not to forget bands like Bal Sagoth (only musically - not thematically) and Finntroll completely either. It´s an interesting yet very pompous mish-mash of several influences actually - and no doubts, sharp ears can surely catch many other influences out from Saxorior´s latest album.



A great thing is that lots of epic-like atmospheres and certain type of pompousness are present on these finely prepared Germans´ newest effort all the time, like well executed battle/Viking/black metal should have. Many well-thought-out acoustic interludes, strong and beautiful horizons-painting passages, nicely fitting folk-ish parts, great melodies and overall everything what it takes to make a strong, different emotions-moving wholeness. Saxorior have collected many of those musically essential elements for this album that give it enough value to stand out for its own good. I found the whole album highly enjoyable, noticing that I'm going back to it over and over within the last 3-4 days or so.



It´s hard to pinpoint any so-called standout tracks for this record as it´s really the wholeness that matters to me. The fact is Saxorior have managed to create a surprisingly tight and yet even upliftingly catchy album anyway and that´s all that counts to me. So, by all means, check this band and album out – at least for the sake of your own curiosity - and who knows, you may get positively surprised as well, just like I was. ;o)