In the early days of Facebook (when I have had one, that is), one of the things I did was something called Doc Reviews the Classics, where I would take a look at an album and give it a small review along with why I think it is a classic. Ladies and gentlemen, it is time that I take that segment out of the mothballs and resurrect it here, so without further ado, here is a look at an album.
Falkenbach-Ok Nefna Tysvar Ty
Track listing:
1. Vanadis
2. ...As Long as Winds Will Blow
3. Aduatuza
4. Donar's Oak
5. ...The Ardent Awaited Land
6. Homeward Shore
7. Farewell
Bring up the genre of Viking metal and what is the first band that comes up? If your answer is Amon Amarth, then you have a long ways to go. Yes, Amon Amarth has been around for over ten years, but their style of Viking metal isn't specactular, nor is it epic. To clarify that statement, all one would need to do is throw in the 2003 Falkenbach album Ok Nefna Tysvar Ty. It is Viking metal in the epic sense, and is one of the most perfect albums in any genre. The opening track "Vanadis" is a nine minute-plus adventure that mentally places the listener on a viking boat that is on its way to new lands. All of the songs have the storyteller feel to them that conjures memories of heroes taking lands for their country and heroic battles, though it isn't nearly as cheesy as some bands tend to do. What makes Falkenbach stand out even more is that it is primarily a one man project.
It has been a while since the last Falkenbach album (2005, to be exact), and albums such as Ok Nefna Tysvar Ty are few and far in between nowadays. It is also rare that a 40 minute Viking metal album makes as much headlines for its ability to be a good storytelling album as it does for being great in its music compositions.
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