Let us return to the not-so-distant year of 2023. Útgarðar are a Swedish duo, and that very same year, their album titled ‘Fire Smoked upon the Wolf’s Back’ was released via De Tenebrarum Principio, a sublabel of Aeternitas Tenebrarum Musicae Fundamentum.
The record consists of five tracks of well-executed Black Metal with a strong emphasis on the genre’s overall aesthetic. Throughout the songs, we find elements reminiscent of Norwegian titans Mayhem and Burzum; and, by extension, the legendary Bathory. The music features quite a few blistering fast sections alongside passages with a more mid-tempo feel, offering great variety thanks to atmospheric soundscapes that transport you straight back to the Viking age.
All in all, it is a stellar album that any devotee of traditional Black Metal should experience. Trust me on this!
