Today we’re going to Sweden. It’s a free trip; all you have to do is read this review. That’s easy enough, right? I’m not asking for anything too crazy, just two minutes of your precious time.

I picked Havamal with the hope that I would get a Falkenbach type of thing, because Falkenbach has a song called “Hávamál” and boy, I was wrong as hell. It doesn’t matter, Havamal Age of the Gods is still a powerhouse performance, so even though it wasn’t Falkenbach, it’s still Swedish, melodic viking-themed death metal perfection. Excuse me while I go swing a sword around in the backyard…

Age of the Gods is Havamal’s third full-length album, and it’s incredible. There you go, review over.

No, not really. If I didn’t mention the depths of badassery that these guys dive into with this crushing release in detail… well, what kind of reviewing person would I be?

“The Pagan Path” is the thunderous opener, and holy fucking shit, they knock heads out of the park. There is a galloping beat that does kind of remind me of Falkenbach, but that’s where the comparison ends. It’s quiet at first, like fog on the battlefield, and then boom! It erupts into that galloping Power Metal groove, and let me tell you a story; when Havamal lock into a groove, they fucking LOCK. My ears are literally in tatters after listening to Age of the Gods, and brothers and sisters, that is fucking grand.

The assault keeps going with “Wolfraiders,” and they pepper it with beautiful blasting where it is called for, and that’s one thing I love about this album is that it’s not all a blast fest. Just when the moment calls for it. The same goes for “The Day of Reckoning”; it’s a huge song with some Iron Maiden meets Amon Amarth, and naturally, with a name like that, it has to be monumental. It cuts through your ears and brain like a broadsword.

“Sigmund Fafnirsbane” dips its nose into Iron Maiden territory big time with a galloping rhythm section that feels like you’re being sucked up into some sort of insane combat. The solo in the middle is just chef’s kiss, it’s a huge presence on this motherfucker. But, it’s the death by a thousand cuts delivery of “The Shaman” that makes me giddy as fuck. Starting with a flurry of deadly blast beats it goes back and forth between savage blasts and Speed Metal fury, a bludgeoning track indeed.

“Hymns of the Fallen” is another mid-paced crusher, heralding the memories of the ones who have gone before. The midsection is beautiful and reflective before the big finale and melds perfectly into “Loki’s Damnation” a violent whirlwind of raging blasts and battle axe sharp riffs. This is an incredibly brutal track, as anything Loki-related should be.

I could have gone the easy route and just compared Havamal to Amon Amarth. I mean, you saw how quickly I could have ended it, right? Anyway, these guys don’t sound like Amon Amarth, not completely. I hear some Einherjer and Enslaved in the barrage of Age of the Gods, and that’s where the final track “Ashwalker” blasts out of the speakers like a blizzard. It’s a brutal closer to this utterly fantastic album.

Age of the Gods is a powerhouse album; it melds Black Metal, Power Metal, and Melodic Death Metal together to make a stew of tasty riffs and bludgeoning drums. If you like any of the bands I mentioned, hell, maybe you’ll hear something different than what I did; that’s the magic of music. Go ride your horse to the local mom and pop store and violently demand Age of the Gods.

[Visit the band's website]

---

Comments