Apparently, I find it easier to review albums I adore and enjoy listening to multiple times. Understandable, you’ll say. Yeah but, downside: negative reviews will appear only once in a while. So while I try to attain a balance that may just boost me up to the sacred elite of true reviewers (now that would be quite a feat, would it not?), let’s keep up my recent penchant for symphonic epic (metal) music.
Another gem in the genre’s chest is without doubt Turisas‘ The Varangian Way. These Finns have put out two very fine full lenghts so far, plus a single and – as far as I know – a demo dating back to a couple of years ago. The Varangian Way is their second and latest FL. It’s very much in the same vein as their previous album, Battle Metal, and it’s actually hard for me to pick a favourite – not that I have to, of course.
To be precise, what Turisas play can more righteously be labelled as viking metal. But if the definition is to evoke tachycardiac drumming of the black metal sorts to you, you’d better forget about it. Rather try and imagine a mixture of folky viking-themed tunes and symphonic, epic-sounding arrangements. Now, these guys don’t falter when it comes to give it all a spicy acceleration (In the Court of Jarisleif being a nice example of a speeded-up folk-based tune), but what pleases the ear is, above all, said mixture. They rarely miss a chance to combine folky melodies (which you can find, alone, anywhere in the region of folk metal bands) with powerful, fitting keyboard chords to keep the mood epic-oriented and the attention high.
As to the lyrical themes, suffice it to say here they deal (surprise, surprise) with viking voyages, ramblings and explorations, all told in a solemn tone – very catchy in my opinion. Choirs as the one to be found by the end of Five Hundred and One, or the one by the start of The Dnieper Rapids, both so well sung and backed up by the ever-present keys and battering drums, can’t really be tagged as anything but catchy.
My personal highlights will have to be the utterly epic opener, To Holmgard and Beyond, whose majestic flavour is hinted back at by the closer, curiously called Miklagard Overture, and the short, rather aggressive Cursed by Iron. The first two are a good sum of the whole album’s characteristics, binding bombastic rhythms with epic melodies – leading to an awesome symphonic mix which steadily keeps the album together.
THUS SPAKE THE CENNSOR: Let me once again stress on the symphonic result of this mix; the blending will sound perfect to those who like metal with a plurality of voices, where neither melody is left behind in favour of the heavy side, nor the other way round. What The Varangian Way represents is an intelligent (let me even say: non-cliché) interpretation of the viking epic tales told through music. a nice proof you don’t have to sound as black or doomy as possible to deal with it; another (symphonic) way is possible, and that’s right the one Turisas tread. 8/10
