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Ice Vinland is an odd Canadian band that seems to release an album once every 10 years or so. Asgard Steel is their third full-length, originally released in 2018 independently but getting the vinyl treatment courtesy of Pure Steel Records in 2019. I reviewed their debut Masters of the Sea back in 2011 and thought it was good, but it hasn't really stood the test of time as I like it less today. I don't see that happening with Asgard Steel. Ice Vinland's songs are still a little off the beaten track, especially the singer who employs some unique vocal lines, à la Cirith Ungol's Tim Baker. He's not out of tune but sometimes it almost sounds like it's just not the right note for the song. Ah, well, variety is the spice of life and they definitely give Ice Vinland's otherwise pounding epic metal quite a lot of character. Asgard Steel has a cohesiveness the Masters of the Sea didn't, and all of the tracks possess a catchy quality that's hard to pin but unmistakably present. If you enjoy the aforementioned Cirith Ungol or Manilla Road, Brocas Helm and others that march to their own drum, you should definitely give this one a spin.