#19 - Top of 2020

Brothers of Metal - Emblas Saga (AFM Records)

Brothers of Metal have definitely grown a lot since their first album, Prophecy of Ragnarök, which showed some interesting elements that have leveled up in the Emblas Saga. Straight from the great intro about the well-known trickster god, "Brood of the Trickster" to the melodic "Powersnake" (talking about Jörmungandr) and the more brooding but mellow "Hel" (telling the story of the queen of the Underground) the band retells the epic Scandinavian sagas under their own heavy/power sounds and great song writing. The combination of female vocals by Ylva Eriksson, rough & clean male vocals by Joakim Lindback and Mats Nilsson and of course epic choruses with strong male vocals elevate all tracks and make them memorable! The list of tracks that are sing-along worthy is long as they achieve a great balance between the catchy Van Canto-like rhythm and one-of-a-kind Sabaton-reminiscent epicness adding their own touch. The most memorable tracks are the uplifting "Chain Breaker",  the heavier "Njord" and the 100% feel-good "One" which show two different aspects of the band's sound! Brothers of Metal do not only excel in heavy riffs but also in more melodic slow-paced songs like "Weaver of Fate" and the Enya-turns-heavy title song "Emblas Saga" which change the album's pace midway preparing the listener for a second and equally awesome dose of power metal epicness! The band goes the extra mile and puts a lot of effort in the presentation of their songs through imaginative, funny and in theme music videos which fit perfectly with the mood and makes you wanna join them for some beer/wine/ale to sing along together!

 

94.45/100

Below are the official music videos for "Njord", "One" and "Chain Breaker".

#23 - Top of 2020

 Ensiferum - Thalassic (Metal Blade)

Three years after their previous effort, and following two regrettably mediocre releases by their standards (One-Man Army and Two Paths), Finnish epic folk metallers Ensiferum returned with a vengeance, releasing Thalassic in 2020. Bringing keyboardist/vocalist Pekka Montin (Judas Avenger) into the fold, the band embraces all aspects of their music in this album, making their intentions known from the epic intro "Seafarer's Rum". "Rum, Women, Victory", leans on the pirate-y side, which is not the bands forte, and is possibly the weakest moment of the whole album. However, it is nothing but epicness from hereon till the end of the album, with the truly epic "Andromeda" and the power metal anthem "The defence of the Sampo". These are followed by the quite heavy "Run from the Crushing Tide" and the Amorphis-leaning folk metal "For Sirens". For the final three songs of the album, "One with the Sea" and "Cold Northland" are true epics and among the best songs of the bands for more than a decade, while "Midsummer Magic", provides a nice folk breather between the two, as to not overwhelm the listener with epic brutality. In conclusion, this is one of the best recent Ensiferum albums and among the best epic folk metal releases in a while. 

94/100

Below is the music video for "Andromeda"

#19 - Top of 2019

Borknagar - True North (Century Media Records)

Despite the title, cover and premise, misleading the hapless listener for a probable regression to black metal paths,  for  Borknagar,  north and has been transformed here into a more philosophical place with appearances deceptive of its true nature. The meaning of the above phrase is not immediately apparent as "The Fire Burns" is more along the lines of a "typical" song of  the band with progressive and Viking black metal alternations, heralding the return of ICS Vortex to the band. However all that changes as soon as track #2 ("Up North") starts. I think that what one can hear in this track is how the future of the band looks like: Guitars that have a reason to exist,  riffs that sound aggressive without being too extreme, a belief that old-school aesthetics can be aggressive but also thought provoking and deep. Of course, Vortex's vocals are in the spotlight, a driving force throughout the disc, almost  reminiscent, through the scattered rhythmic alternations, of Arcturus. Borknagar, once more, manage to release another album with a multitude of great songs. The concept of the album is quite  cohesive, culminating in the nine-minute nautical epic "Tidal", which acts as a mirror and a finale at the same time. "True North" is an endoscopic, almost solemn in its way, album - a result of true artistic collaboration among its creators.

94.35/100

Below are the music videos for "Up North" and "Voices".

# 40 - Top of 2019

Brymir - Wings of fire (Out of Line Music)

Finnish symphonic death metallers Brymir are back with their third (and so far the best!) full length album Wings of Fire. Opener "Gloria in Regum" brings to mind the early Turisas sound by combining imposing male choirs, melodic guitar riffs and Ensiferum-like vocals by Viktor Gullichsen. Titular track "Wings of Fire" takes a completely different approach by relying  heavily on synthesizers combined with melodic riffs and harsh vocals.  "Ride On, Spirit",  a personal favourite, is without a doubt the most epic song of the album, mixing heavy guitar riffs, blasting drum-beats and an EPIC chorus! The darker "Sphere of Halcyon" which follows, adds a blackened-death Dimmu Borgir-like touch relying heavily on a heavy aggressive symphonic sound. Songs in the middle of the album "And So We Age" and "Hails from the Edge" are more straightforward NWOSDM songs, following  a quick-paced format & act as a bridge to the rest of the record. The latter part starts with the dark and eerie "Starportal" with a more modern sound, before moving to the keyboard-based "Vanquish the Night" that is improved through the addition of orchestral parts and perfectly balanced low-key ending. The acoustic intro of "Lament of the Ravenous" allows some time for breath-catching before "Chasing the Skyline", an intriguing  track balancing well all the best parts of typical "Finnish" sound with melodic parts (like Amorphis) along blasting roars of death (like Wintersun), creating their own unique mixture. The album concludes  with the more mellow and epic "Anew", graced by a cameo of Noora Louhimo's distinct voice that complements the narration, perfectly wrapping up the record!

92.6/100


Below is the official music video for the song "Wings of Fire".

#41 - Top of 2018

Grimner - Vanadrottning (Despotz Records)

The 2018 Best Albums countdown kicks of with a great viking folk band which released its third full length album year. Grimner march from Sweden showing us that they can blend clean (Martin The Warrior) and brutal (Ted The Jarl) vocals with folk notes from a range of traditional musical instruments and heavy guitar riffs! "En fallen jätte" and "Fafnersbane" are awesome examples of uplifting folk songs that don't need to be in English to make you wanna sing along. The title song "Vanadrottning" has some amazing guitar riffs that perfectly mix with powerful vocals. "En vilja av järn" showcases the folk elements (by Johan The Blacksmith) and the chorus vocals while "Avundas hennes ungdom" and "Dödens dans" are more classic quick-paced folk songs (with great sing-along points). "Kvällningssång" is a highlight of the album packed with awesome flute melodies that are again mixed with great vocals and is followed by the heavier "Vårt blod, våra liv" which some more epic elements to the record. "Ägers salar" adds a more heavy/symphonic note with melodic guitars and great brutal vocals which is followed by the personal favourite of the record "Sången om grimner" thanks to its even more epic vibe! "Freja vakar" is a great finishing touch  (with catchy guitar riffs) that wraps-up this is engaging folk elegy and kick-starts our 2018 top albums countdown!


91/100

Below is the official music video for the song "En fallen jätte".

#12- Top of 2011

Turisas- Stand Up and Fight (Century Media Records)

Stand Up and Fight is undeniably one of the best albums released by Turisas to date, as it manages to capture the epic feeling that the Finnish symphonic/ folk metal band represents inviting the listener to join in the journey to battle and glory! The record starts of with the powerful "March of the Varangian Guard" and keeps going with blasting tunes and strong (clean and brutal) vocals along with amazing choruses. The songs throughout are full with excitement and great melodies, with examples like the "Take the Day!", unique and uplifting "βένετοι! - πράσινοι!" (with its amazing orchestration) and refreshing pirate-themed "Hunting Pirates" that invites you to sing along. The album doesn't slow down with one of the peaks being the excellent "Stand Up and Fight" and the melodic "End of an Empire"!
The choirs and orchestras along with all the metal elements erupt into a bombastic album with unique replay value, especially when you are filling low and looking for something like a catchy battle anthem that can be uplifting and melodic!



94/100

Below is the official music video for the song "Stand Up and Fight".

#20 - Top of 2011

 Brymir - Breathe Fire to the Sun (Spinefarm Records)

Breather Fire to the Sun is the first full length album of the Finnish melodic death band Brymir. The band might initially sound as a standard melodic death band but the use of symphonic and folk elements in their music gives them a more unique sound. The album is full with fast paced songs such as the "Burning Within" and blasting riffs in "Withering Past", without being afraid to experiment with longer and more epic songs like the "Breathe Fire To The Sun" and the "Unconquerable"! The songs "In Silence" and "Ragnarök" could be described as the most interesting songs of the record showing that, even though this is the first piece of work we have seen from Brymir (with the second album being released in 2016), we should keep an eye on them to allow them to show their full potential!

92/100


Below is the music video for the song "Retribution".

#16 - Top of 2012

Ensiferum - Unsung Heroes (Spinefarm Records)

Viking folk metallers Ensiferum released in 2012 one of their most epic records, in Unsung Heroes. The album starts off with the epic intro "Symbols", leading into the first awesome song of the record, "In my Sword I trust", a fast Viking metal sing-along which sets the tone for what is to follow. The eponymous track who follows brings the speed down and has a more epic feel to it with folk metal overtones. "Burning Leaves" follows with a fully blown folk tune that breaks into power intermitted by folkloric interludes. "Celestial Bond", which follows is mainly dressed in the voice of Laura Dziadulewicz, singer of Medeia and acts as an acoustic interlude to the album's frantic energy. Speedy folk is back in "Retribution Shall Be Mine", while the folky Star Queen is simply a melodic elegy. "Pohjola" is another folk song, which is more reminiscent of older Ensiferum records with a more "black" feel and an added grandiosity to it. "Last Breath" is more solemn with an acoustic vibe and acts as an intro to the final 17 minute epic "Passion Proof Power" which acts as a perfect close to the album. There is an added bonus track of a loose cover of Bamboleo which is a fun note to an otherwise cool and solemn epic folk record. An excellent effort, truly a gem for its genre.

94/100

Below is the music video for "In my Sword I Trust"

# 31-Top of 2012

Myrkvar- As en Bloed (Shiver Records)

Kicking off the retrospective into the top 31 top albums for 2012,
we begin with Dutch folk metallers Myrkvar. Myrkvar released their debut album after 2 demos in 2008. This is their second album and just a little while ago released a new EP which was their first venture after almost 4 years of silence. "As en Bloed" starts with intro song "Noodlot" but does not waist time and quickly becomes stronger with "Voorspelling" and "Nagelschip". "Gjallarhoorn" has some interesting vocals by the lead vocalist Hrabnilaz (and the rest of the band with backing vocals) and an amazing violin piece by Fusilan at the end of the song! The album moves to another quick paced song "Asenbloed" and then to the pleasant surprise of "Twistengod" where clean vocals have been added giving a different tone, which carries on in "Balders dood" as well! The second part of the album has a range of interesting songs including "Widars wraak" and "Donderslag" while it is wrapped up with "Uit as herrezen", an excellent track with piano elements and great heavy drums!


92/100

Below is the official music video for the song "Gjallarhoorn".

#15- Top of 2013

Wardruna - Runaljod-Yggdrasil (Indie Recordings)

Moving up the top, the next entry is a folk/ ambient project that, although it doesn't qualify as metal or rock, is as epic as  (if not even more epic) any other viking metal album and will travel the listener back to the viking age!! Wardruna is a band that at the time of the album release consisted of male vocalist Gaahl (known as the vocalist of black metal band, Gorgoroth), female vocalist Lindy Fay Hella and multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Einar Kvitrafn Selvik (including instruments such as the Kraviklyra, the tagelharpe, mouth harps, and wind instruments like the goat horn)! According to the Norse mythology, “Yggdrasil” refers to the sacred world tree, an ash standing at the centre of the cosmos holding all nine worlds together! The lack of english lyrics usually counts as a negative aspect but in this case, the native language blends perfectly with the vibe of the music and the feeling that is evoked to the listener, making you feel that you really are listening to the music of the vikings. Of course it was only natural that Selvik is also responsible for the hypnotic music that is featured in the TV series Vikings for US History Channel!This album is the second part of a trilogy that was based on 24 ancient Scandinavian runes known as the elder futhark, and we are impatiently waiting for the third chapter that will be entitled ‘Ragnarok’, referring to the final destiny of the gods!




93/100

Below are official audio samples from the album!