EP REVIEW: Forever Viking – Luke Appleton

The Viking era has always garnered a lot of attention and admiration. The Northman became a cult hit in moments; Assassin’s Creed jumped into the fray with their Valhalla instalment; Netflix’s The Last Kingdom shows the glory of the drengr from the other perspective; TikTok is awash with acapella renditions of MIRACLE OF SOUND’s Valhalla Calling or PEYTON PARRISH’s Ragnarök. All in all, these warriors are cast in an impressive if not ominous light as they plunder lands anew. While this image needs no bolstering, with a title like Forever Viking, guitarist LUKE APPLETON certainly gives the impression he’s jumping on the bandwagon.

The follow up to 2019’s Snake Eyes opens with a confusing number in Before Your Eyes. While it gives the tones of melodic heavy metal, Appleton’s vocals read nothing like the Viking aesthetic he wants to portray. His guitar work blends with that of Rishi Mehta’s to create dual elements which run throughout the track but the vocals read more of pop-punk or pop rock than heavy or folk metal.

Following track A Thing Called Fate houses promise with murky guitars sifting through the introduction. The drums from DAKESIS’ Adam Harris feel a little typical in their tribal nature which is great for world building. Yet this effort is cast asunder when the track clears into a middle of the road song. “The writing’s on the wall” for Appleton as he speaks of the feeling of apathy we all experience before finding our true life’s calling. Appleton treats us to a bass solo which drives the track forward, replacing the typical guitar. While there are moments like this which pique the attention, there is very little so far to keep us coming back for more.

What Heroes Do dwells in bassier and more rounded tones which the previous tracks could have languished in also. The twang of Appleton’s bass never goes unnoticed. Again however, it’s the vocals’ pitch which brings the quality down. They sit too high for a track which is soaked with atmosphere. With an instrumental comprised of bass and drum tracks, the vocals have to be strong and almost match the tone. Appleton simply falls short of the mark. “A hero is made not born” the guitarist claims, but this is one of those heroes Tina Turner doesn’t want another one of.

The EP closes with the title track, which is also the longest on the record at six minutes. Again it oozes atmosphere, the instrumental slipping through the soundscape like fog atop the water. Appleton’s vocals are more restrained yet still sit too high, pulling us from the moment. As he sends a soul out to “sail to distant shores”, the funeral pyre heads to Valhalla. Yet this homage to a glory filled warrior doesn’t set the flame within us. The song simply reads too bright in the aural capacity. This is a track meant to mourn yet celebrate a life and it does neither convincingly. Guitar solos and drum rolls aplenty, there is no denying there is a serious amount of talent on display. It’s the execution which is lacking.

Does Forever Viking add anything to the rich tapestry of its namesake? No. It dilutes it if anything. The four-track EP is a confused effort and leaves us with a cloudiness of our own. Lending a title to something as prominent as the Viking era comes with many expectations and sadly Appleton falls short of many of them. Though it is not just imagery where the execution is lacking. Forever Viking feels underbaked and flat. Perhaps with more time in the proverbial cooking pot and a clear vision it could have fared better.

Rating: 4/10

Forever Viking is set for release on April 14th via Rocksector Records.

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