ALBUM REVIEW: Saga á Tveim Tungum I: Vápn Ok Viðr – Árstíðir Lífsins

Ván Records may just be the most exciting record label in the underground at the moment. While titans like Nuclear Blast and Metal Blade are dominating the upper echelons of heavy music, Ván Records is churning out stunning albums left and right from both cult favourites and relatively unknown up and comers. The latest output from the label comes from the Icelandic/German black metal outfit ÁRSTÍÐIR LÍFSINS with their fourth full length Saga á Tveim Tungum I: Vápn Ok Viðr. Do we see Ván Records continue their underground dominance with ÁRSTÍÐIR LÍFSINS‘ latest album, or is this the label’s first blip of 2019?

ÁRSTÍÐIR LÍFSINS are an incredibly interesting band and their fourth album is just as enticing. The band, for their entire discography, have been fully immersed in Old Norse history and culture. This in itself is nothing new – lyrics about Odin and Ragnarok have become as strong a mainstay as Satanism and warfare in heavy metal. What sets ÁRSTÍÐIR LÍFSINS apart from their conceptual contemporaries is how deeply they embody this theme. Every aspect of the band channels this appreciation of Nordic history – the use of classical instruments and ritualistic chants give a dark, ancient element to the music, while the album is entirely sung in Old Icelandic, and the lyrics are far deeper than surface level platitudes.

Vápn Ok Viðr continues in this vein, and those who have followed the band through their career shouldn’t be overly surprised by any of the elements at play here. What may come as a surprise, however, is the quality of the execution. ÁRSTÍÐIR LÍFSINS entire discography is strong, but this is something else entirely, and may prove to be a very real game-changer for the Icelandic/German trio. The first part of a duo of albums, Vápn Ok Viðr tells the story of 11th century Norwegian King Óláfr Helgi Haraldsson, with a follow up – Saga á Tveim Tungum II: Eigi Fjǫll Né Firðir – due later this year. This deep-running concept lends itself to the true greatness of ÁRSTÍÐIR LÍFSINS. While the lyrics will obviously help guide the listener through the story of Vápn Ok Viðr if they happen to be fluent in Old Icelandic, for the majority of listeners there will be a considerable language barrier here. However, so immersed in their conceptual masterwork, ÁRSTÍÐIR LÍFSINS channel the works of classical composers absolutely perfectly, using the music itself to tell the story. This is, of course, not revolutionary – storytelling music without lyrics has existed for millennia – but in the world of heavy music, it is rare to hear such a tactic utilised so incredibly well.

Though this is a true album that should be listened to in its entirety, ÁRSTÍÐIR LÍFSINS show their talent for writing tracks that work as both a piece of the whole, and as a whole themselves. Opening song Fornjóts synir ljótir at Haddingja lands lynláðum kicks things off in a visceral fashion, hitting with all the power of a Howitzer and bleeding some of the best black metal to be released in years. Similarly, Morðbál á flugi ok klofin mundriða hjól and Vandar jǫtunn reisti fiska upp af vǫtnum are single-worthy offerings, seamlessly dancing between raw, ferocious black metal to the softer, more atmospheric side of the band. Sundvǫrpuðir ok áraþytr, Siðar heilags brá sólar ljósi and Fregit hefk satt don’t quite work as well when listened to in isolation, focusing more on atmosphere and spoken word or chanted vocals, but as a part of Vápn Ok Viðr as a whole they are excellent, sliding perfectly into the narrative journey of the album.

The crowning glory of Vápn Ok Viðr lies in the album’s longest offerings, however: the mid-album one-two of Líf á milli hveinandi bloðkerta and Stǫng óð gylld fyr gǫngum ræfi creates an absolutely stunning 21 minute section, drowning in emotional, powerful storytelling and simply incredible black metal. Just shy of 15 minutes, closing song  Haldi oss frá eldi, eilífr skapa deilir masterfully draws the album to its climax, as the weight of the preceding 55 minutes of musical narration comes to a head. Significantly less feral than the majority of the album, this makes absolutely no difference to the intensity and crushing atmosphere of the closing song, ending the record in truly spectacular fashion.

There is no getting around the fact that Saga á Tveim Tungum I: Vápn Ok Viðr is a complex and difficult album. It requires an unbreakable focus, multiple listens, and to be consumed as one whole piece, rather than nine separate songs. However, for fans of black metal that enjoy something a little bit different from the standard MAYHEM worship, Vápn Ok Viðr proves to be utterly devoid of weakness. The storytelling throughout the album is absolutely magical, the songwriting is second to none, the execution is unparalleled. Though ÁRSTÍÐIR LÍFSINS have a pretty incredible, if underappreciated, discography, Vápn Ok Viðr sees the band at their absolute best. And with Saga á Tveim Tungum II: Eigi Fjǫll Né Firðir due in just a matter of months, it won’t be long before we see if ÁRSTÍÐIR LÍFSINS can recapture the magic.

Rating: 10/10

Saga á tveim tungum I: Vápn ok viðr is out now via Ván Records.

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