Rebellion - Miklagard: The History Of The Vikings Volume II |
Published March 16 2007
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Vi Seglar Mot Miklagard (Vocals by Charles Rytkönen) |
| Genre | Heavy Metal |
Michael Seifert
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Vocals
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| Tracks | 13 |
Uwe Lulis
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Guitar
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| Runningtime | 61 Min. |
Simone Wenzel
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Guitar
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| Label | Massacre Records |
Tomi Gottlich
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Bass
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| Release | 23 Feb. 2007 |
Gurd Lucking
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Drums
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| Country | Germany |
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Keyboard
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| Similar artists | Iced Earth, Grave Digger, Paragon | ||
Through the fire and fame, the dedicated dragon ships fly, ruling the waves, with a disdaining fortune, and fever. Avaricious for spices, fur, wealth, and adventure, a young Viking begins his journey. With a sore back to the wind, tasting the salt on his lips, this lustful lad from Sweden and his fellow sons of the dragon, labour to reach the mystical city of Miklagard. With their dishevelled golden locks in disarray, and their knotted hair tangled by gale force, so the strands unravel like this conceptual pilgrimage. With the taste of steel and vengeance, the battle of blood reigns supreme. First these noble artisans must face the snow giants embedded in the iced earth; then they must meet the challenge of the steppes, and piercing paramount of Aifur. As bandits betray, so they must engage in handheld combat. Watch the young warrior wield his sword in the storm - Ulfberth - against the Urgofins and pesky Petschenegans. Hear the whistling blade bite and spin like a wheel of misfortune, proving most loyal and worthy of every coin of his rightful inheritence.
Once they finally arrive at the golden gates of the ancient city, these Swedes will allign with their Norse brethren and Harald Hadrade; whose loyal Varangians will help him to uphold peace and vanquish the emperor once and for all. This is the dark saga of Rebellion and the continuing chronicles of the history of the Vikings' trilogy; now told from the perspective of the son of an Uppsallan Swedish farmer made metal mercenary.
Whereas, in the Sagas Of Iceland, Rebellion would disclose Viking history from the Heimskringla, with a mindful tribute to the honour and life of the noble Norsemen, via an ancestral account; here they adequately exercise historical fiction with stunning storytelling. They have dubbed their new embarkation - Miklagard - the maniloquent master realm of Constantinople. The Vikings laid this spiritual city of Byzantium to waste and ruin when they sieged and plundered her in 860 C.E., burning her churches down, and enacting tribute. These Viking raiders soon became an elite fighting force known as the Varangian vanguard. This "sworn" trothed hierarchy served as the protectors of the ancestral stonewalled city of antiquity. The nobility eventually gained noteriety and evolved as the ethnogenesis for the people later known as the Rus. These noble savages held the key to Kiev. Russian and Slavic tribes owe their allegiance and heritage to our Viking culture.
Just as Rebellion encourage us all to participate in our Viking liniage, with each new mettle saga; so they also continue to write and even play a better level of musicianship. Miklagard is much heavier, and even thrashier with a free flow sonic vibe, lacking on Sagas Of Iceland. Rebellion have met their stride and realized their potential. Newest member, guitar sensation - Simone Wenzel - is a wildcat string titillation. The songs bear that '90s sting with a bite of revenge born out of rebel rousing. The caste iron, flames with a burning passion, as Uwe & Tomi get back to their roots. These crunchy riffs are reminiscient of The Reaper and Heart Of Darkness, from the glory days of Grave Digger. Vocalist Michael Seifert has also improved, enunciating his English with less accentuation. He is a deadringer for Matt Barlow, while still maintaining and upholding the Chris Boltendahl bellow.
The production is superb. There is not one lame track to be found on this treatise of treachery. Free and God Of Thunder might be more mid-paced; but Gurd Lucking's courageous, non melancholic seasoning, guarantees driving drumming deliverance. The galloping and gallantry of On The Edge Of Life or the groove on Kiew are killer. Ripping cuts like Taste Of Steel and Ulfberth, the Franconian sword itself, will pierce you to the bone; while The Rus and Our Backs To The Wind consistently pronounce the power of evil and adrenalin rise. Miklagard has such an infectuious edge, and is befitting as the single and video selection.
These teutonic steel augurs of Asatru ought to impress all fans of true German metal from Accept to Paragon. These progenitors of Rebellion truly have upheld the metal covenant. They must have made their burnt offerings of seven goats to the God of Thunder, and appeased Thor their Powergod; because, this CD is all horns of mead highly held up, rising above the grave, digging into the best of the eighties, willing to meet your demand!
See
also review of: Sagas
Of Iceland: The History Of The Vikings Volume I , Born
A Rebel
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Performance
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Originality
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Production
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Vocals
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Songwriting
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Summary
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8,5 chalices of 10 - Michael the MettleAngel |
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