ALBUM REVIEW: Redneck Vikings From Hell – Æther Realm
Making their Napalm Records debut, North Carolina melodic death troop ÆTHER REALM stake their claim for the most Scandinavian-like American Metal band with the help of some folk influences straight from the lakes of Helsinki themselves. With no intention of making a Tarot 2.0, the band hones their songwriting craft and moulds it into a more precise and focused effort on Redneck Vikings From Hell.
The album explodes with the folk infused title track. Starting the album with a banjo riff on a metal record is a ballsy move that surprisingly pays off. Gang vocals bellow in the chorus that is built for drunken festival sing-a-longs while an impressive solo weaves in between. A curveball is thrown for the follow-up track with THE 69 EYES-tinged single Goodbye. It shows us a different side of ÆTHER REALM not previously heard on previous releases and reveals the band’s capability of writing a more accessible number without losing their signature sound or being accused ‘selling out’. While it may alienate certain fans that long for their heavier and more progressive work, they can’t deny that it’s a certified banger that wouldn’t seem out of place in the HELSINKI VAMPIRE’s back catalogue.
Never fear those who aren’t taken by the more streamlined and lighter sound. Tracks like Lean Into The Wind and One Hollow Word pick up the pace and will satisfy the hunger for those more epic and powerful songs. The latter featuring a soaring build in the final third that reaches for the heavens and stays there with its gentile acoustic outro. Along with Goodbye, the anthemic Hunger also features an earworm chorus that will be sung aloud while beer spills over concert hall floors as your arm is draped haphazardly over the stranger’s shoulder next to you. This track shows how the band don’t really take their lyrics to seriously and while most of them are quite fun they can sometimes be the album’s downfall. There is almost a sense that ÆTHER REALM can’t decide whether to be serious or not. Guardian is a more sombre track that is quite thought-provoking but when it’s placed alongside the more tongue-in-cheek tracks it loses that emotional connection that it is trying to build with the listener. The clean vocals of Vincent ‘Jake’ Jones feature prominently and are for the most part, very fitting. His harsh vocals are packed with bite but don’t always cut through during the more chaotic sections.
There is no doubting the musicianship of all four members. The drumming of Tyler Gresham is rapid, tight and commanding but the true stars of the show are the budding guitar duo of Heinrich Arnold and Donny Burbage whose riffs and solos shine throughout. Their talent is showcased in the riff-laden, aptly named, Slave To The Riff which features an appearance of a Spanish classical guitar moment midway through which again, surprisingly works. The album ends with the grandiose instrumental closer Craft and The Creator that begins with an acoustic intro before opening up the skies and unleashing a barrage of heroic riffs and peppered blast beats. It dances from riff to solo effortlessly and during its 11 minute, never feels like it outstays it’s welcome. It also gives the Bass a chance to take centre stage for a period of time.
With a title like Redneck Vikings From Hell, you would be mistaken to write this album off as a parody record when in fact it’s a collection of well-written meldodeath songs with scattered influences of folk and other genres heard in Scandinavian metal that show a different side to ÆTHER REALM without disregarding their previous works. While fans looking for a Tarot 2.0 will not find that here, what they will find is 11 expertly crafted tracks with a mix of styles and influences that will no doubt have something to please most fans.
Rating: 8/10
Redneck Vikings From Hell is set for release April 24th via Napalm Records.
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