VANIR – Epitome
Release Date: 16th February 2024
Label: Mighty Music
Bandcamp
Genre: Melodic Death Metal
FFO: Amon Amarth, Dark Tranquillity, Unleashed.
Review By: Trina Julian Edwards
Danish melodic death metal favorites VANIR offer up their seventh full-length album, Epitome, out on February 16th via Mighty Music. Epitome features Martin Rubini on vocals, Kirk Backarach and Michael Lundquist on guitars, Mikael Christensen on bass, Jon Elmquist Schmidt on drums and Stefan Dujardin on keyboards.
According to press releases, the primary theme of the new record is the Danish middle-ages and the battles fought to gain and keep the throne. With the epic feel of these tracks and the dramatic dynamics, this comes as no surprise.
The first track, Twisting the Knife, has a slow, acoustic intro that builds into a pounding, frenzied rhythm with fiercely growled verses. The dynamics are impressive, switching from an insane pace to mid-tempo, legato lines at the chorus — and then back again. The slow, chugging rhythm about 2/3 of the way through is also a nice foil to the faster tempo that takes precedence in this track. I got some Finntroll vibes from this one, perhaps because it seemed a bit blackened at the end. Whatever the reason, I’ve got no complaints.
One Man Army is said to be about strength, valor, and courage, but I knew that without being told. This is probably my favorite on the album. It’s got this legendary, heroic feel, and that melody line is catchy as all get out. The moving leads drive this track, and I can’t get it out of my head. The cadence of the growled verses is clearly a narrative, and you won’t want to miss that superb solo. The guitar harmonizing always gives a track a huge, epic sound, which clearly speaks to the theme and drives the point home.
Wood Iron and Will has a slower, rhythmic-forward intro with those harmonizing guitar riffs I love. However, it soon picks up the tempo and drops into that driving melodeath groove we know and love. The melodic chorus is hooky and memorable, and the tremolo picking is superb. The solo has some of that early 2000s Gothenburg sound, but that’s never a bad thing. I’m always a fan of a good blast beat, and I liked how they gave the ending some additional intensity.
The atmospheric intro of Sanguis et Aurum is a nice change of pace, with simply bass and the sound of wind in the background. The minor chord progressions throughout this track are interesting and unexpected, and it gave the piece a dramatic, eerie feel, like a setting straight out of MacBeth. I suppose that should be Hamlet because they’re Danish… But I digress… The blast beats accompanying the chorale parts with the growled vocals overlying the whole is a masterstroke, and it keeps that moody ambiance at the forefront.
Sorte Grete starts off straight away with a lively, moving melody line that flows into the chorus like water. The harmonized guitars are front and center just how I like them, and that solo with the building rhythm in the background is brilliant. The pace stays on the faster end, barely letting up, but the moving leads make this piece more dynamic than it might be otherwise.
Call to Arms is definitely that, with a quickly building intro that evolves into a manic rhythm with plenty of synthy, symphonic elements. We also get some nice chorale elements in the background that are nicely juxtaposed with the growled vocals. That tremolo picking building up to the chorus adds just the right amount of intensity before that huge chorus with those harmonizing guitars I can’t get enough of. There are some interesting chord progressions here that also give this piece some added spice.
Next is Fall of Arkona, which starts with just a single, moving guitar line before the rhythm and vocals hit like a hammer. This is a riffy little beast, and you can’t help banging your head in time. There are some lovely dynamics here, highlighting an already catchy chorus, and the brilliant solo over the steamroller underneath adds to the epicness of this track.
Blood Eagle gives us some of that old school heavy metal riffing right off the bat, and that synth is absolutely majestic. The sweeping chorus is huge and powerful, with the fierce vocals giving it even more punch. The tremolo picking in this track is splendidly played, and it’s perfectly placed to add the right amount of drama to these already impressive dynamics.
The final track, Kings Will Fall, has a slower intro with plenty of synthy, symphonic elements to give it that properly regal air. The tempo gets a little quicker just before the chorus, but it primarily stays closer to mid-tempo, befitting the narrative. The chugging riffs before and after the fiery solo give it this track some added texture without being over the top. The melodic leads are like a thread weaving throughout this piece and keeping it all beautifully tied together.
Overall, Epitome is a solid album, with a truckload of melodeath and some blackened, folk-y Finntroll-esque kind of vibes. The dynamics kept things interesting, the guitarwork was damned impressive, and the rhythm was plenty punchy. There was not a huge variation in the vocal lines, but they most certainly fit the themes, and there’s no doubt Rubini has plenty of fire. If you’re looking for some melody with your death metal this week, look no further than VANIR’s Epitome.
(4 / 5)
