Wulfgar
Midgardian Metal

March 2010
Released: 2010, Trollzorn
Rating: 2.0/5
Reviewer: Theis Rytoft

I had given Wulfgar some listening before putting my hands on this one, so I was quite excited about the prospect of MIDGARDIAN METAL. What a true Viking needs is not some Pussycat-metal which can be produced here and there but something containing a few ingredients: brutality, blood and sweat, axes, swords, spears, or what you might prefer, and occasionally something to fill the wooden horn! So are Wulfgar the right Vikings to set out with?



Norsemen and Vikings always have something they are best at, be it defending the wooden walls, assault on the British or slave trade. One element Wulfgar is keen on and uses successfully is riffs. These lay the foundation to many of their tracks and thus is just like the handle of the beloved weapons of the Vikings, the axe. The melodies are satisfying in some parts but lack the spark and creativity to keep me interested. The musical composition is unvaried and to me it seems like Wulfgar has been trying too hard on this one. To be more specific the band tries to generate a brutal output but ends up being repetitive.



MIDGARDIAN METAL also features loads of battle cries! The thing about battle cries though is that it takes a master to accomplish a memorable one, and this does not inspire neither fear in the enemy or in its own Viking horde.



I need to briefly mention the production: Just as a Viking cannot go to battle without a sharp edge and well-repaired armour, neither can Wulfgar achieve its full potential with a production that leaves the vocals too low in tracks. This is not reflected in the rating but it annoys my ear.



MIDGARDIAN METAL is trying to accomplish a vicious sound which ends up being unvaried and lengthy. If you are extremely into the sub-genre of viking metal you might find something here if you check out my recommended track which is a killer: 'Fight, Win, Kill & Conquer'.