Vreid I Krig
Candlelight USA CDL384 September 25, 2007
By Wayward_Son
Everyone should, by now, know Vreids story. And everyone should, by now, accept the band on their own merits as opposed to where they came from. Yet it seems whenever a discussion of Vreid pops up, it is inevitable that Windir will be mentioned along with countless comparisons, no matter how far apart the two bands are in sound. The funny thing is, other than a few songs on the early albums, Windir never truly grabbed this writers attention. Within that limited sub-genre, Windir failed to stand out. Until Valfars untimely death, that is, but well leave that alone.
The fact is that Vreids music can stand strongly on its own, without the ties to that other band. I Krig is the Norwegians third album (first for this writer) within just a few years. Their sound is a well played blend of black metal, rock and roll, and thrash. Its not something that this writer looks for in music nowadays, but it cannot be denied that I Krig is just a damn good time. Its thrashin, rockin and rollin all thrown together within a web of black metal aesthetics. The songs have many riff changes, so the listener will not get bored. The rhythm section is a tremendous asset that the band needs to utilize and exploit for future releases.
I Krig opens up strongly with 'Jarnbyrd' that most certainly creates an in-your-face attitude, and gives a taste of what is to come. 'Under Isen' follows suit to perfection, but with the title track, Vreid truly delivers. An eight minute opus with stellar drums, and touching violins, and pure black metal potency makes for the albums centerpiece. The surprises did not stop there. The cleanly sung vocals in 'Svart' were a positive touch. Saving a song like 'Millom Hav Og Fjell', with its Finntroll-esque beat and chants, to end the album was a stroke of genius. It will keep you coming back for more.
This writer will make it simple. Vreid do what they do very well. Theres not a lot of depth to the music, but sometimes music taken at face value is exactly what you need. It is almost a guarantee that you, Faithful Reader, will have fun (yes, you read that correctly) with Vreid. I Krig will make you forget all about that other band. It may even remind you why you got into heavy metal in the first place.
Official Vreid Website
Official Indie Recordings Website
Candlelight USA CDL384 September 25, 2007
By Wayward_Son
Everyone should, by now, know Vreids story. And everyone should, by now, accept the band on their own merits as opposed to where they came from. Yet it seems whenever a discussion of Vreid pops up, it is inevitable that Windir will be mentioned along with countless comparisons, no matter how far apart the two bands are in sound. The funny thing is, other than a few songs on the early albums, Windir never truly grabbed this writers attention. Within that limited sub-genre, Windir failed to stand out. Until Valfars untimely death, that is, but well leave that alone.
The fact is that Vreids music can stand strongly on its own, without the ties to that other band. I Krig is the Norwegians third album (first for this writer) within just a few years. Their sound is a well played blend of black metal, rock and roll, and thrash. Its not something that this writer looks for in music nowadays, but it cannot be denied that I Krig is just a damn good time. Its thrashin, rockin and rollin all thrown together within a web of black metal aesthetics. The songs have many riff changes, so the listener will not get bored. The rhythm section is a tremendous asset that the band needs to utilize and exploit for future releases.
I Krig opens up strongly with 'Jarnbyrd' that most certainly creates an in-your-face attitude, and gives a taste of what is to come. 'Under Isen' follows suit to perfection, but with the title track, Vreid truly delivers. An eight minute opus with stellar drums, and touching violins, and pure black metal potency makes for the albums centerpiece. The surprises did not stop there. The cleanly sung vocals in 'Svart' were a positive touch. Saving a song like 'Millom Hav Og Fjell', with its Finntroll-esque beat and chants, to end the album was a stroke of genius. It will keep you coming back for more.
This writer will make it simple. Vreid do what they do very well. Theres not a lot of depth to the music, but sometimes music taken at face value is exactly what you need. It is almost a guarantee that you, Faithful Reader, will have fun (yes, you read that correctly) with Vreid. I Krig will make you forget all about that other band. It may even remind you why you got into heavy metal in the first place.
Official Vreid Website
Official Indie Recordings Website
