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This was the debut for Iuvenes (pronounced something like "you weenies", latin for 'young'). And some claim they have never gotten it right since. I can't say, as the only other one of theirs I have is When Heroes Will Rise, which is admittedly not as good as this one. Iuvenes are on No Colours, which means good fucking luck finding their albums anywhere.

This album is pretty much a straight cross between Bathory's Twilight Of The Gods and the Poledouris score for Conan The Barbarian. Metal bands of all sorts rip off the Conan score for music ideas, which is not a shock as it is a really fucking cool score. But here Iuvenes have gone past borrowing and into plagiarism. Imagine hearing the movie score, and now imagine slashing, Bathory-style guitar riffs played over it – got that? That's Riddle Of Steel. It isn't really innovative or imaginative, what it is, is fucking brilliant, because mixing Bathory with Conan is pretty much the only way I can think of to make them both cooler. Chants, pounding war-drums, battle-cries, and then those riffs. Iuvenes have made a mini-career out of mimicking Bathory riffs (though they don't do it as well as Morrigan), and the riffs on this disc are just awesome. This is an epic monster of an album, and yes, an essential for any fan of Viking or Epic Black Metal. Quorthon would approve.