By Jonny Bakes
Seven years ago, Skálmöld released what is possibly my favourite live album of all time when they teamed up the Icelandic Symphonic Orchestra for a series of tour dates. It was at this point that I was absolutely sold and a couple years later I was fortunate enough to catch them at Hammerfest (even if I had snapped my ankle on the first night of the festival). It was clear then that Skálmöld are an absolute live force to be reckoned with, so when I caught wind of their new tenth anniversary live album, there was no way I could turn down the opportunity to check it out.
‘10 Years of Pure Viking Spirit’ was recorded during the band’s three consecutive sold-out shows in their hometown of Reykjavik and from the very start you can tell that this is clearly their home turf. Judging by the reception of the crowd throughout this performance, it’s pretty obvious that “Viking Spirit” doesn’t just refer to the band. Instead it applies to the loyal following of fans who made their way to these special anniversary shows (some of whom travelled a significant distance to get there) to bear witness to the incredible Nordic stylings of Skálmöld.
From the very start of the recording, the crowd is frenetic in their anticipation for what lies ahead, and they are not disappointed. Opening with the most appropriate track, the haunting chant of ‘Heima’ which is embellished by an impressive choir that appears to feature a wide range of vocalists, from young children to adults. The magic of this captivates the crowd who, instead of interspersing the chanting with cheers of their own, find themselves singing in unison. This is certainly a powerful opening and sets the standard for what is a great homage to the last 10 years of dominance by these Icelanders.
It’s not until the second song that you get to appreciate the full might of Skálmöld when the full band launches into ‘Árás’. Everything about this song screams absolute power thanks to the fantastic mixing that allows every band member to shine through, particularly the vocals. Björgvin’s vocals have always been impressive in the way that he belts out the lyrics with such clarity (if you understand Icelandic) and in this performance he seems to be on top of his game as he vibes off the reaction of the crowd. The same goes for the rest of the band too, from the moment they all join forces on this track you can tell that this is a seriously big deal for them and they are playing out their skins to give their loyal fans the best experience they can.
The setlist is full of big hits and old favourites that spans the entirety of their 10 year career to date. There’s ‘Fenrirsúlfur’, the epic tale of the battle against Fenrir the monstrous wolf (and son of Loki) with an intense guitar solo that thrusts you into the middle of it all. You’ve also got ‘Að Vetri’ which is a folk-tinged story of Þórunn (the focal character of 2014s ‘Með vættum’) as she tracks her way through the snow as an old woman to continue her journey to guard Iceland from attack.
But obviously no Skálmöld show would be complete without closing with what is arguably one of their most popular, or at least their most well-known track, ‘Kvaðning’. Considering this was first featured on their debut album ‘Baldur’, it has really stood the test of time and remained a fan favourite ever since. Certainly for me, this is the first Skálmöld song that I heard and is the most fitting way to end their 10 year celebration. The whole crowd sings along with the musical interlude which results in a chilling moment when the band stops playing leaving the crowd to carry on. This sounds incredible on the recording, and I can only imagine what it must have been like to be present for this!
So overall, this is another fantastic live album from Skálmöld and clearly shows how far they have come over the last decade. Their previous live album may still be one of my favourites, but with ‘10 Years of True Viking Spirit’ Skálmöld show that they do not need an entire orchestra to sound fucking huge, they can manage that pretty well on their own. There’s no doubt that I’ll be picking up a copy of this album, and if you’re a fan of Skálmöld then you should too. If you’re not familiar with the band, then where have you been for the last decade? Norse mythology enthusiasts, fans of the heavier side of folk metal, and general connoisseurs of metal should all get involved with this and give it a blast.
- ‘10 Year Anniversary – Live in Reykjavik’ is released tomorrow (Friday 23 October). You can get your copy HERE.
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