Tales of a Thousand Lakes (1994): All lyrics on this album are based on the Finnish Kalevala.
Although both the Kalevala and Kanteletar have little or no connection to Scandinavian mythology, Amorphis uses pictures of a hammer which greatly resembles Mjöllnir in a lot of their artwork. I was under the false impression that is was Mjollnir, until Matti Soininen pointed out to me that the hammer in their artwork is an old Finnish pagan sign called Hammer of Ukko. Ukko was a Finnish god of thunder and in old Finnish mythology Ukko used that hammer to make lightning. If you look closely you can see that is bit different from Mjöllnir.
Arcturus - Bandmember Garm, also in Borknagar, Fimbulwinter, and Ulver.
See Songs #1 for more information.
Twilight of the Gods (1991)
- Twilight of the Gods: The title implies that this song is about Ragnarök, but it's not.
- Under the Runes: A song about battle, but are the combatants Vikings? "I am marching under the runes." Does this refer to the runes summoned by Oðin from Yggdrasil? Nothing else in the song seems to indicate that, and the line "our black wings fill the air" adds even more confusion.
- A Fine Day to Die: Sounds like a Viking battle song, but who's Ebal?
"By battle worn hunger torn awaitening / For the sun to break through the cold haze / And for the banners of Ebal to appear / On the hill in the suns first warm rays."
- Frost and Fire: "Tales that speak of frost and fire..." Obviously referring to the Scandinavian cosmogony, right?
Dead Horse - Peaceful Death and Pretty Flowers (1991): No relevant songs, but take a look at the album cover. The centerpiece of the picture is a large tree which I believe is Yggdrasil. Yggdrasil is supported by three roots, each of which ends at a body of water. Although the album cover shows the roots in blood, it is said in Gylfaginning that Mímir draws forth mead from his spring, and gains wisdom by drinking it. The blood of Kvasir, wisest of all gods, was used to make mead which gave the gifts of poetry and knowledge to anyone who drank it. In the picture, there is an eyeball in the tree’s branches which may represent the eye that Óðin sacrificed in Mímir’s spring. Other connections with Óðin include a spear in the tree, and several birds in the background which may be ravens. Also, both trees are hanging trees. In the tree is a skull with its lips (jaws?) sewn shut. This is not really connected to Yggdrasil, but a dwarf once sewed Loki’s lips shut as part of a bet. What is significant is that Loki opened his mouth, thus tearing both thread and lips. This could be interpreted as an act of self-mutilation, a common theme in Scandinavian mythology. The most important instance of this theme is Óðin's hanging from Yggdrasil.
Deinonychus - band member Odin.
Dødheimsgard - Band member Fenriz. He is also in the bands Dark Throne, Isengard, and Storm.
Enslaved - These are the leftovers from Songs #1.
Blodhemn (1999)
- Urtical Gods
- Ansuz Astral
- Nidingaslaki
- Blodhemn = "Vengeance In Blood"
- Brisinghamen
- Outro "Perkulator"
- Slaget i Skogen Bortenfor = "Battle in Forest Beyond"?
- Epilog = "Epilogue"
- Slaget = "Battle"
- Balfadr
- Andi Fara
- Hal Valr: Could be like Valhalla backwards or something.
- Niunda Heim
- Enslaved
- The Islands: An environmental song about the sea's ability to protect the Shetland Islands from man-made disasters (in particular, oil spills.)
"We do not fear the long ships, we've seen longships before./Men sailed here from the Northlands and hauled their boats ashore./They brought with them their music, their language and their lore/And they burned their boats and stayed here on the islands." Here the "long ships" which carry crude oil off the shore of Britain are compared to the Viking longships. The best thing about this song is that it shows the positive aspects of the Viking invasions of the British Islands.
"...En Their Medh Riki Fara..." (1996): The title means "...and glorious they will pass...". I believe that's Odin and his hunters riding across the sky on the cover.
- Galdralag: This is about a rider who passes through nine different worlds of experience like pride, hopelessness and finally death ...and birth...
- Laeknishendr: A prayer taken from the Edda which is to be understood as sung by a non-Icelandic Christian priest in the final minute of his life.
- Asum ok Alfum maer...: Instrumental. "Close your eyes and get into Ullr's sleigh to begin the journey through this land; you will take Freya's feathers, Thor's chariot and hammer and Odinn's horse to visit every place of Asgaard..." [Falkenbach, from an interview in Finsternis Zine]
Heavy Load - Swedish power metal from the early 80's. They have Viking artwork and their lyrics are rumored to be "strongly rooted in Viking/Norse mythology and traditions", but I don't know any of them.
Hedningarna - A Swedish/Finnish group who play modern folk music with roots in old Swedish/Finnish history.
Contributed by Bjorn Sundberg of Hrafn.
Helloween - Keeper of the Seven Keys, Part I (1987)
- Twilight of the Gods: A science fiction song which vaguely resembles the story of Ragnarök.
"Another world was born/But the twilight soon will come."
- Lamenting Shield-maid: Shield-maid, or shield maiden, is a term often used to describe Valkyries. However, in this case she's just an ass-kicking chick.
Ildjarn-Nidhogg - Is this the same band?
Inhumation - Lidenskab
- Vision of a Splendid Age: Yawn.
- Tell De Døde: Mentions Balder, but the song is in Norwegian so I can't understand it.
"Balder's tegn sÂr høyt/En ny Êra vil stige"
- Viking Juice: Huh?
- I Am a Viking: "I am a Viking, my mind is set to kill." et cetera, et cetera.
Nocturnal Rites - Tales of Mystery and Imagination (1998): Vikings on the album cover, but that's it.
Silver Mountain - Shakin' Brains (1983)
- Vikings
- My Mother in Darkness: "Valkyrie kisses burn my face." What this song has to do with Valkyries, I’ll never know.
- A Stranger In the Garden: "It's a thinking man's Valhalla."
I think Martin writes these lines just to get on my web page.
Stivell, Alan - Brian Boru (1995): In 1014, Brian Boru led the Irish in battle against the Vikings in Dublin - and lost.
Thyrfing - Valdr Galga (1999): I believe all songs on this album are Viking-related, but I don't have a translation for this one.
- Askans rike: Lyrics in Swedish.
- Vargavinter
- Ur askan ett rike:
Lyrics in Swedish. - En döende mans förbannelse: Lyrics in Swedish.
- Hednaland
vaNakvisl: This is the name of a mythological river according to their (rather uninformative) homepage.
Vandals - When in Rome, Do as the Vandals
- Viking Suit: This song is about a pervert who takes pictures of little boys in Viking suits. : (
Submitted by Ronald Ferrucci.
Viking Crown - Side-project by Necrophagia's Anton Crowley presents stupid black metal.
Vintersorg - Solo project of Vintersorg, vocalist and songwriter for Otyg (see Songs #1.) I can't find any direct references (particularly since the lyrics are in Swedish) but this is definitely Viking metal.
