Norwegian Viking Metallers HELHEIM are streaming the whole of their eighth full-length album “raunijaR” ahead of the 4th December release date on Dark Essence Records. You can listen to “raunijaR”, which is being streamed exclusively on Terrorizer Magazine, at http://www.terrorizer.com/news/helheim-stream-new-album-raunijar
The follow up to 2011’s “Heiðindómr ok Mótgangr”, “raunijaR” brings to a close the “Åsgards Fall ” storyline that began with the EP of that name in 2010, and also completes the themes that have woven their way in and out of HELHEIM’s music since the very beginning. Featuring ALFAHANNE’s Pehr Skjoldhammer and Norwegian musician William Hut on guest vocals, as well as additional guest musicians on violin, piano and horns, the album was recorded at the Conclave & Earshot Studio by VULTURE INDUSTRIES’ Bjørnar Nilsen and mastered by ENSLAVED’s Herbrand Larsen. Artwork for the album is by HELHEIM’s H’grimnir of www.coverart.no. Track listing on “raunijaR” as follows:
1. Helheim 9
2. raunijaR
3. Åsgards Fall III
4. Åsgards Fall IV
5. Odr
“raunijaR” is available to pre-order from http://karismarecords.bigcartel.com/product/helheim-rauniar-cd-t-shirt-bundle or https://helheim.bandcamp.com/
Over their twenty plus years of existence, HELHEIM’s lineup of V’gandr on bass and vocals, H’grimnir on guitar and vocals, Hrymr on drums and Noralf on guitars have made use not just of story lines taken from folklore, but they have enhanced these with the use of traditional instruments to give a realistic Viking feel to their epic music, which many acknowledge to be one of the most authentic , if not the most authentic, in the genre. They have spent their time wisely between their last release and the recording on “raunijaR” , honing and developing HELHEIM’s dark and atmospheric sound, and further enhancing it with additional clean vocals by V’gandr , which now allows the two vocalists to combine their clean vocals to add yet another interesting new dimension to the band’s sound.
V’gandr recently gave his insights on the new album: “The opening track “Helheim 9” is actually the last in the line of the HELHEIM tracks where Hrymr in particular has been the creative force. He has combined his unique creativity and symbolism in a way that overwhelms everything that came before, and the result is a truly fitting closure.
“The title track “raunijaR” continues on from Helheim’s “Heiðindómr ok Mótgangr”, and has a relentlessly driving sound that showcases the confrontational, yet familiar, black metal sound in the vein of “Dualitet og Ulver”. “Åsgards Fall” Parts 3 and 4 will be the final and vital link in the completion of the theme that was begun in both lyrical and musical terms with the “Åsgards Fall” MCD. Closing the album is “Odr”, a solemn track that gives the album an ending full of the grandeur and respect that it deserves.”
More information about HELHEIM can be found on the band’s website at http://www.helheim.com or on their Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/helheimnorway
The official video for the track “Dualitet og Ulver” from HELHEIM’s MCD “Åsgards Fall”, which features a guest appearance from TAAKE’s Hoest, can be seen below and at https://youtu.be/P_fw_nsSHeA
Tracks from all of HELHEIM’s releases can be heard below and at https://soundcloud.com/helheimofficial/sets/helheim-player
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