What do you think is the greatest Viking Metal album?
What is the greatest Viking Metal band?
tell me your opinion:

I think either Enslaved or Moonsorrow are the greatest viking metal bands. Lyrically, I'd choose Enslaved, but I'm not totally into their sometimes unharmonic riffing. Moonsorrow, on the other half, is greater in the harmonical aspect, but I can't understand a thing of their lyrics...

But to say a favorite viking metal-album, I'd actually go for Thyrfing's Hednaland.

what is the actaul definition of viking metal anyway?

Mainly it is black or death metal with viking-related lyrics I think. The only real trademark for viking metal though is probably the hymnic vocals.

I guess we shoud characterize viking bands as those who show an interest in that particular era, lyrical and conceptual.

But in the bigger picture, I am not really a fan of all this genre-hysteria

I wonder when we get our first dinosaur metal bands? hehehe
Maybe Iron Maiden? Quest For Fire: "In a time when dinosaurs ruled the earth..."

There is a hysteria around cof, dimmu borgir, children of bodem.

Viking Metal defined

Introduction
Many people ignorantly ridicule the genre of Viking Metal [VM], or simply claim to "not understand the purpose of the genre," leading me to offer a small paragraph addressing the issue. First, an introduction. If you think defining VM is a waste of time, or that labels are pointless, that's your problem and just learn to deal with it. A definition is necessary because of the parasitic dregs that deride VM without understanding it, and labels are an important part of music; whether you like it or not, labels aid in classification, organization, and description, much like in science (and life in general).
If you are a politically correct, bleeding heart, waste-of-life version of Ásatrúar [and a poor excuse for a so-called Heathen] whom thinks VM and Ásatrú have no connection and should never be combined, or that Ásatrú is some hippy, fluffy, equality-seeking, peace-loving path, I can only mock you and tell you to simply rot in your eternal ignorance ... and go drown in your corrupted, p.c., wiccanized beliefs.
Some also say my definition is too extreme, while it is not extreme enough for others; to this I only reply "oh well," because as bands know, you can never please everyone. Additionally, to the few fools that think parts of my definition are inspired by some mindless, canned right-wing Burzum-esque philosophy, let it be known that I am in no way influenced by that confused, talentless yokel. Nothing in this definition is racist or anti-racist, so don't write me to whine about one side or the other. I make no disclaimers about what follows, and I have no desire to preach about any of my beliefs, thus that which follows are simply the basic facts, and whether or not you choose to agree is up to you ... even though this is THE definition of Viking Metal, so why deny it?! } So, without further ado, some may ask ...


"What exactly is Viking Metal?"

Viking Metal is about Norse Mythology, Ásatrú, Nature, the Nordic landscape, pride and strength, characteristics of the Vikings, historic events of the Vikings, and so forth. VM also deals with the Heathen/Pagan 'soul' (if you will), and the eternal battle with judeo-x-ianity, as well as all foreign slave religions. One can even say that VM is enshroud in social Darwinism [Note: only ignornant simpletons will insist that social Darwinism is inherently about racial supperiority; it isn't] and the survival of the fittest--the survival of the finest--of Nature's creation (e.g. the Vikings, the Norse, Heathens, etc.). Moreover, VM is a medium for viewing and celebrating life and the world through our eyes--eyes of European folk, kin, and our ancestors--without foreign influence, perversions, and lies. VM is not just music, it's not meant for bleeding hearts or those laden with European ancestral guilt, and it's not about a bunch of rowdy pirates wearing horns, getting drunk from mead, and swinging axes around. Based upon my interactions with other fans, VM is also important because there are many people whom crave extreme music, but want little to do with 'childish' Satanism or 'pointless' gore lyrics, thus VM provides a form of aggressive metal free of such topics.
Furthermore, the VM genre does not have a typical sound, and styles can range from Death Metal based (eg: Unleashed) to Black Metal based (eg: old Enslaved), or from traditional Heavy Metal based (eg: some Einherjer) to Folk Metal based (eg: Månegarm). Quite unfortunately, many people are brainwashed into thinking that a Viking Metal band has to sound like old Enslaved (or similar), but can't sound like Amon Amarth or Unleashed. Additionally, VM bands may or may not use folk instruments, and they may or may not have female vocals; in other words, there is no set formula, and instead, the genre is defined by the lyrics and image as described above. Another criterion I firmly adhere to is that only bands of ancestral European decent--which can include American, Australian, Canadian, and Russian bands (but excludes those from the vile Mediterranean lands)--can be VM. Still further, just because a band prances around with swords (eg: Bathory and many others; don't write me to make a case for Bathory, because I won't hear it. Bathory is NOT a VM band!), has a Mjölnir in their logo (eg: Borknagar), or has a band name from Norse Mythology (eg: Nifelheim and countless others), it does not make them VM! Likewise, just because a band does a concept album relating to VM themes, such as Therion, they are not automatically a VM band. Finally, even though VM can theoretically include political views/issues (both direct and metaphorical), they are not required, nor are they shunned; possessing or lacking political views/issues does not immediately include nor exclude a band from being VM. Concluding that all Viking-related bands are political in nature is just as ignorant and immature as claiming that all political-related bands inherently cannot be VM. Rephrased: if a band presents political themes, it is their choice and so be it, but that is not a defining characteristic of VM.

With all of the above said, you now have a firm understanding of Viking Metal!

MB
http://members.aol.com/Einherjer/VM.html

And there is already a topic about viking metal

So now it is this Odin dude who defines the genres, huh? Just kidding, that seems to be a reasonable definition...

Best viking metal albums ever ARE (this is up to me to define )

Moonsorrow - Kivenkantaja
Bathory - Hammerheart
Thyrfing - Valdr Galga

__________________

I like Thyrfings Vansinnesvisor and Hin Onde - Songs of Battle the most.

The best bands in this genre are IMO Thyrfing (and Bathory, if you only count the viking albums).

well said, vladimir.

Except for the Bathory thing.. do you mean you don't think they are VM now, or haven't ever been?

I go with viking-era Bathory...

No it is from Mattias Blood axe a friend of mine who also haves a page about viking metal.
I think the viking-era of bathory also is viking metal.
It definetely inspired alot of bands!!

"...because I won't hear it. Bathory is NOT a VM band"

__________________

Official Thyrfing website

Someone addressed the point of Social-Darwinism above, saying that it is not inherently racist/right-wing extremist. I might agree with that (the word social doesn't necessaraly mean race-bound, could also be rich-poor, etc.), but he also says VM is mostly about survival of the fittest etc:

"the survival of the finest--of Nature's creation (e.g. the Vikings, the Norse, Heathens, etc.). "

Does this mean you believe/VM is about Vikings, the Norse, etc. being the finest of natures creations inherently, or just about their struggle to survive in the "battle of the fines", if you will? If the first is true, I think your statement about social-darwinism and VM not being racist (and I sincerely hope that's not the case - it's hard to figure out wether it is or not with all those lunatics about) is contradictorary to what was said in the qouatation above, so I really mean you ment the second.

The best viking metal record? Personal that must be a battle between Thyrfing's- Thyrfing and Einherjer- Dragons of the North

Urkraft and Eld...

I'm going to have to agree with you there.