Bathory: Hammerheart

“Hammerheart” saw Bathory’s full transition into the folk/doomy genre that would eventually become known as Viking metal. Again, I don’t actually recognize Viking metal as its own genre, but rather a description of a sound too blurred to say definitively which genre it falls under (similar to speed metal). In any case, Bathory’s transition from a raw, blackened thrash outfit to a refined Viking sound is nothing short of observing the metamorphosis of a musical caterpillar transforming into a butterfly.

I will say that, the main difference in Quorthon’s stylistic change is that, the appreciation factor is more of an acquired taste. For instance, “Bathory” was a straight forward, blast of blackened thrash intent on destroying whoever listened. “Under the Sign of the Black Mark” was a black metal classic with various layers of sounds incorporated to give it a deep atmosphere. What they have in common is that, it only takes one listen to fully become hooked with either of those albums. By the third listen, you already know which section of which song is your favorite and prepare for it accordingly. With “Hammerheart” one cannot simply listen to the album once and fully grasp what it is Quorthon is trying to orchestrate. There are far too many layers of sound, emotion and story incorporated that the album requires multiple listens before one can even begin to appreciate the basis of his ideals. The length of the songs is another reason, as a lot can occur within a 9-11 minutes’ span, much of that getting overlooked if you’re not focused on that song at hand.

I remember my first listen of “Hammerheart” left me disappointed. I was hoping for more black metal infused with folk/Viking sound, but that was not the case. Upon my second listen, knowing what to expect sound wise, I was still not convinced, as I was merely listening to the music, not hearing what it was trying to convey. It probably took me a good four or five listens before I began to appreciate the pounding drums, the amazing use of horns, the fluctuation of harsh and clean vocals, all while keeping with the folk/Viking overtones that was the basis of the album in the first place.

“Hammerherat” is indeed a fine album. I wouldn’t go as far as say it is a masterpiece or even Bathory’s best effort, but solid, nonetheless. There is plenty to admire on this landmark (for Viking metal’s sake) album, but you will only notice it over time. If you’re in the boat that thinks, “this album missed the mark” that could very well be your final opinion, which is fine. But, I find many people who share this opinion may want to give the album another in-depth listen and try to focus on the layers of sound within. Maybe you’ll discover a new appreciated for the album, maybe you won’t. In any case, I certainly recommend “Hammerheart” to those looking to broaden their metal horizons.

Highlights: “Shores in Flames” “Valhalla” “Father to Son” “Baptized in Fire and Ice”

Rating: 4.5

Bathory: Under the Sign of the Black Mark

Black metal has a very murky history. Beginning with demonic inspired thrash and evolving into actual demonic worship, the history and culture surrounding the genre make for an interesting read to say the least. Now, when I’m asked to recommend a few albums of “quintessential” black metal,  I always point to a handful of albums. Among those albums, “Under the Sign of the Black Mark” is always near the top (as is “Bathory”). Why? Well, for starters, aside from this being an incredible listen, which we’ll get into shortly, this album, in my opinion, would be Bathory’s purest attempt at black metal ever. As it began, “Bathory” was an excellent display of blackened thrash metal with evil riffs and dark ideals. “The Return…” saw a little more thrash exude from their sound, but was no less evil in nature. “Under the Sign of the Black Mark” however, shifts to the black metal sound that most will associate with the genre. But, there’s a twist. What makes “Under the Sign of the Black Mark” so special (and the band in general for that matter) is that, even though the music on display here is indeed black metal, it has such many layers to its sound that makes it so much more than just black metal by definition.

The sound on “Under the Sign of the Black Mark” can only be described as intently above and beyond. I don’t just mean in your face, blasting noise that will burst your ear drums and leave your neck broken from too much headbanging (which is still possible), rather a complex mixture of sounds, styles and emotions. Quorthon unleashes his creativity like never before on this album, which as stated before, would help develop the truest sound of black metal. A sound that bands to this day still incorporate into their own (every time I listen to the band Countess, I think of “Call from the Grave”). However, what makes this album a true masterpiece is just how varied the sounds are layered throughout the album. This isn’t just a tremolo pick fest that morphs into one long winded song. This is black metal with catchy riffs, seamless rhythms and well executed solos. That alone, especially at the time, made this an anomaly of sorts, but it doesn’t stop there. The addition of Viking chanting displayed on “13 Candles” or the doomy (Viking I suppose) lead on “Enter the Eternal Fire” or the short, but spastic thrash riffs shown on “Chariots of Fire” show just how much creativity went into the song writing for this album.

I thought the production on “The Return…” saw great improvement, but on this album, it is even better. Somehow, all the instruments and sounds are able to stand out on their own, but, to my ear the drums seem to have been brought to the forefront of the sound. This offers a unique experience, as they don’t take away from the rest of the sound, but they demand your attention as they establish their importance to the flow of the music itself. You could argue that the drums on “Under the Sign of the Black Mark” are easily the driving force to the overall sound, a force that in and of themselves add their own layer to the music, but in the end help bring everything together.

“Under the Sign of the Black Mark’s” legacy will forever be set in stone as, not only one of the forefathers of true black metal, but it would also serve as the beginning of Quorthon’s journey into discovering another sound that he would go on to pioneer and mold: Viking Metal (more of a description rather than a gene, but we’ll get into that on a later date). I recommend this album every time I’m asked about black metal, as it should, but it will almost always be mentioned in the “top x” metal albums of all time as well and rightfully so. Enough’s enough. Go listen to this album if you haven’t already instead of reading about it.

Highlights: “13 Candles” “Enter the Eternal Fire” “Call from the Grave”

Rating: 5

Bathory: Twilight of the Gods

“Twilight of the Gods” is often considered Bathory’s magnum opus in terms of their Viking metal era and although I still favor “Hammerheart”, I won’t disagree with the statement. This album is the culmination of everything Quorthon had been dabbling with ever since “Blood Fire Death”. The use of the thick guitar riffs, pounding drums, chants, acoustic guitars and folk elements are nothing new, but here, they sound so in tune with the narrative of the album, that I would say it is his most complete effort. In addition, Quorthon’s vocals seem to have improved overall. I’m not sure if he just simply discovered his range or if he sought any type of coaching, but it sounds very clean and on point.

The album opens with the 14-minute epic “Twilight of the Gods”, a song that displays the aforementioned elements into a wonderful experience. “To Enter Your Mountain” and “Through Blood by Thunder” are not as long or on the scale of epic, but are equally as entertaining and show solid song writing to create the Viking/folk atmosphere Quorthon sought. The one thing I will say against this album is that the repetitiveness of the riffs seem to drag on in certain songs. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but at times I felt that perhaps a few seconds shaved off here and there may have allowed songs like “To Enter Your Mountain” reach their climax more promptly. At the end of the day, Viking metal fans will no doubt want to give this a listen, but metal fans in general shouldn’t miss out on such a landmark release.

Highlights: “Through Blood by Thunder” “Twilight of the Gods” “To Enter Your Mountain”

Rating: 4

Bathory: The Return...

“The Return…” is sandwiched between the landmark “Bathory” and the black metal classic “Under the Black”. As such, I always found that “The Return…” seemed to be overlooked when it came to discussing the classics of the era. It’s a shame really, as “The Return…” may not be as iconic as wither of those albums, it is still a very good release nonetheless. Now, first and foremost, although I enjoyed this album, it no way in shape or form was better than its predecessor. Nor its successor either, but that’s another review. However, by no means, am I insinuating that “The Return…” should be overlooked. Far from it.

The music on “The Return…” is another slab of blackened thrash centered around the themes of darkness and evil. The overall sound is a bit more thrash oriented than “Bathory” but there’s still plenty of black metal influence lurking within the music. The song structures, intense riffs and sporadic solos show off the band’s ability to create a layered sound without trying to become too overly complex. The bass on this album is a huge upgrade as its presence is quickly noticed by way of your speaker vibrating though the album. The production should also get a tip of the cap, as the overall sound is less of a garage style recording, allowing the instruments to come together a little more homogeneously instead of centering on one particular sound.

At the end of the day, “The Return…” should not be overlooked when it comes to classic black metal or even thrash metal. I can’t say that it is as memorable as Bathory’s other albums, but it’s still a solid addition to their catalog. Fans of primal black and thrash will enjoy the album for what it is, but I would suspect most will always point to other Bathory albums when asked which to choose. All in all, still worth a listen.

Highlights: “The Wind of Mayhem” “Sadist (Tormentor)” “The Return of Darkness and Evil”

Rating: 3.5

Bathory: Bathory

One of the two albums that birthed everything we know and love as Black Metal. Venom's "Black Metal" is another topic altogether, but Bathory's debut would be the beginning of what would become a legend in the making.

"Bathory" is, at its core, blackened thrash with the intent to destroy all those you dare listen. The speed and riffs right from the opening track "Hades" (this is true for the original pressing. My reissue has Storm of Damnation, an intro for the first track), tell the listener exactly what they are in for and they don't let up until the end. "Reaper" is my favorite Bathory song hands down and I can remember blasting this my first year in the dorms at college, despite my neighbors being terrified of what kind of psycho would listen to such evil. The drums blast away relentlessly to match the ferocity of the guitars, while Quorthon belts out some of his best vocals. There is plenty of technique on display with well executed solos and catchy melodies to please any metal fan.

Now, this may blur the lines of what the standard sound of what modern day black metal would evoke into, but Bathory's influence would be felt in black metal circles to this day. This album is like a fine wine; an intoxicating first experience that only gets better with age. Even today, I play this record and still feel like a stupid 19 year old kid, banging my head and putting on an air guitar display for Satan himself.

Highlights: (From original pressing) All tracks, but "Hades" "Necromansy" "Reaper" "Armageddon" are exceptional.

Rating: 5