CoC : Vigrid - Throne of Forest : Review

Vigrid - _Throne of Forest_
(Stygian Crypt Productions, 2009)
by: Quentin Kalis (7 out of 10)

Not to be confused with German Burzum wannabes Wigrid, this one is essentially the side-project of jaunty folkish Finns Heorot. Or is it vice versa? The Heorot debut was released first, so I'm assuming this to be a Heorot offshoot. Under the Vigrid name, the upbeat jauntiness and folk feel is abrogated in favour of a more somber and mid-tempo approach closely aligned with Viking metal and vaguely reminiscent of leaders such as Mithotyn or Einherjer. There does appear to be a conceptual thread running through the album, about a Viking who left his village in exile because "of the preachers / who have taken it as their own" for the solitude of the forest, who, after a period of reflection, undertakes to restore the "the old ways". Most of the lyrics are English except for a centrally located Finnish song, which with its mix of synth and female vocals is more of an interlude and does not disrupt the narrative flow. Atonal clean vocals are sadly and predictably included, but thankfully, they mostly use a high-pitched rasp. The production is a bit weak -- the guitars could do with a bit more oomph -- but it's a respectable, if unexceptional, entrant.

Contact: http://vigridband.com/

(article published 29/5/2010)