• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

If I were an 11th century monk and I heard music like that on Iceland's Old Temples of Pagan Gods while dragon-headed longboats landed on shore, the speed at which I would begin crapping my robes would be divinely inspired, indeed. Old Temples of Pagan Gods is Viking/Pagan-themed Black/Death from Poland, home to a lot of Pagan Metal but perhaps not the first place you'd think of for Viking Metal. Regardless of their origins, Iceland plays some mean Black/Death Metal. Blast beat tempos and growly vocals are underpinned by aggressive, powerful guitar riffs. The supporting keyboards, rather than giving the album a symphonic feel, add a sense of dread and menace to the songs. Highlights include the majestic instrumental opener "Slawa" and the pounding closer "Waiting for the Storm." While the album is on the short side, you still get the feeling you are plying high seas or sharpening your axe in preparation for battle.

Iceland has been around since 2007, according to their label, but information about them is rather hard to come by. I certainly hope that Old Temples of Pagan Gods is just the beginning for the band as it shows a lot of promise.