List of Viking metal bands

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File:Enslaved @ Roadburn 2015 07.jpg
Enslaved performing live at Roadburn Festival, April 2015

This is a list of Viking metal bands. Viking metal is a style of heavy metal music with origins in black metal and Nordic folk music, characterized by a common lyrical and thematic focus on Norse mythology, Norse paganism, and the Viking Age. Viking metal is quite diverse as a musical style, to the point where some scholars consider it more of a term than a genre, but it is typically manifested as black metal with influences from Nordic folk music. Some common traits include a slow paced and heavy riffing style, anthemic choruses, use of both clean and harsh vocals, a frequent reliance on folk instrumentation, and, often, the use of keyboards for atmospheric effect. Viking metal developed in the 1980s through the mid-1990s as a rejection of Satanism and the occult, instead embracing the Vikings and paganism as the leaders of opposition to Christianity. It is similar, in lyrics, sound, and thematic imagery, to pagan metal, but pagan metal has a broader mythological focus and utilizes folk instrumentation more extensively. Most Viking metal bands originate from the Nordic countries, and nearly all bands claim that their members descend, directly or indirectly, from Vikings.

Though artists such as Led Zeppelin, Yngwie Malmsteen, Heavy Load, and Manowar had previously dealt with Viking themes, Bathory, from Sweden, is generally credited with pioneering the style with its albums Blood Fire Death (1988) and Hammerheart (1990), which launched a renewed interest in the Viking age among heavy metal musicians. Enslaved, from Norway, followed up on this burgeoning Viking trend with the EP Hordanes Land (1993) and full-length Vikingligr Veldi (1994). Burzum, Emperor, Einherjer, and Helheim, among others, helped further develop the genre in the early through mid-1990s. Through the work of artists such as the German project Falkenbach, Viking metal soon spread from the Nordic countries to other nations with Viking history or an even broader Germanic heritage, and has since influenced musicians across the globe. The death metal bands Unleashed and Amon Amarth, which emerged during the early 1990s, also adopted Viking themes, broadening the style from its primarily black metal origin.

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by expanding it with reliably sourced entries.
Band Formed Origin Notes
Amon Amarth 1992 Sweden [1][2][3]
File:Amon Amarth-0994-Ted Lundström.jpg
Ted Lundström of Amon Amarth
Ancient Rites 1988 Belgium [4]
Ásmegin 1998 Norway [5][6]
Bathory 1983 Sweden [7]
Borknagar 1995 Norway [8][9]
Burzum 1988 Norway [10]
Varg Vikernes of Burzum
Darkwoods My Betrothed 1992 Finland [11]
Destroy Destroy Destroy 2003 United States [12]
Drottnar 1996 Norway [13][14]
File:Drottnar-singer.jpg
Sven-Erik Lind of Drottnar
Einherjer 1993 Norway [2]
File:Einherjer.JPG
Einherjer
Elexorien 2004 Netherlands [15]
Emperor 1991 Norway [16]
Ensiferum 1995 Finland [17]
File:Ensiferum Metalcamp2007 02.jpg
Markus Toivonen of Ensiferum
Enslaved 1991 Norway [2][18]
File:Enslaved, Barge to Hell 2012 02.jpg
Ivar Bjørnson of Enslaved
Equilibrium 2001 Germany [19][20]
File:Equilibrium Rockharz Open Air 2014 11.JPG
Jen Majura of Equilibrium
Falkenbach 1989 Germany [21][22]
Finsterforst 2004 Germany [23]
File:2014 WGT 204 Finsterforst.jpg
Finsterforst
Folkearth 2003 International [24]
Forefather 1997 England [25]
Glittertind 2001 Norway [26]
Torbjørn Sandvik of Glittertind
Grand Magus 1996 Sweden [27]
File:Grand Magus - Janne Christoffersson – Headbangers Open Air 2014 04.jpg
Janne Christoffersson of Grand Magus
Heidevolk 2002 Netherlands [28]
File:Burgfolk Festival 2013 - Heidevolk 01.jpg
Heidevolk
Hel 1999 Sweden [29]
Helheim 1992 Norway [30][31]
Helrunar 2001 Germany [32]
Holy Blood 1999 Ukraine [33]
Kampfar 1994 Norway [34]
File:Kampfar-Live-Oslo 2012.JPG
Kampfar
Kivimetsän Druidi 2002 Finland [35]
Korpiklaani 2003 Finland [34]
File:20140830 Wuppertal Feuertal 0427 Korpiklaani.jpg
Tuomas Rounakari of Korpiklaani
Leaves' Eyes 2003 Germany/Norway [36]
Liv Kristine of Leaves' Eyes
Lumsk 1999 Norway [37]
Månegarm 1995 Sweden [38][39][40]
File:Manegarm.jpg
Månegarm
Mithotyn 1993 Sweden [41]
Moonsorrow 1995 Finland [42][43]
File:Moonsorrow MTR 20110617 06.jpg
Henri Sorvali of Moonsorrow
Obscurity 1997 Germany [44]
File:Turock Open Air 2013 - Obscurity 05.jpg
Agalaz of Obscurity
Primordial 1987 Ireland [45]
File:Primordial Hellfest.jpg
Alan "Nemtheanga" Averill of Primordial
Sabaton 1999 Sweden [46]
Joakim Brodén
Skálmöld 2009 Iceland [47]
File:Skálmöld, Björgvin Sigurðsson.jpg
Björgvin Sigurðsson of Skálmöld
Skeletonwitch 2003 United States [48]
File:Skeletonwitch (23 von 43).jpg
Scott Hendrick of Skeletonwitch
Slechtvalk 1999 Netherlands [33][49]
File:Occultfest 2010 - SAT - Slechtvalk - 10.JPG
Slechtvalk
Solefald 1995 Norway [50]
Storm 1994 Norway [51]
Svartsot 2005 Denmark [52][53]
File:Svartsot 2011 - 05252011.jpg
Svartsot
The Sword 2003 United States [54]
File:JDCroniseOfTheSword.jpg
J. D. Cronise of The Sword
Thyrfing 1995 Sweden [55][56][57][58]
Trollech 1999 Czech Republic [59]
Turisas 1997 Finland [60][61]
File:Turisas - Jalometalli 2008 - Mathias Nygård 02.JPG
Warlord Nygård of Turisas
Týr 1998 Faroe Islands [62][63]
File:Týr - Tuska 2008 - Heri Joensen 01.JPG
Heri Joensen of Týr
Unleashed 1989 Sweden [1][2][64]
File:Unleashed JonnhyHedlund.jpg
Johnny Hedlund of Unleashed
Windir 1994 Norway [65]
Wolfchant 2003 Germany [66]
File:Turock Open Air 2013 - Wolfchant 02.jpg
Gvern of Wolfchant

See also

References

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Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Kahn-Harris 2007, pp. 106
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Weinstein, pg. 60.
  9. ↑ Freeborn 2010, pg. 846.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  23. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  24. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  25. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  26. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  27. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  28. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  29. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  30. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  31. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  32. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  33. ↑ 33.0 33.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. "Compared to their first two albums, The Patriot is slightly heavier and has a stronger Viking metal influence a la Slechtvalk."
  34. ↑ 34.0 34.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  35. ↑ Hoad 2013, pg. 64.
  36. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  37. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  38. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  39. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  40. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  41. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  42. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  43. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  44. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  45. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  46. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  47. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  48. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  49. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  50. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  51. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  52. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  53. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  54. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  55. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  56. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  57. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  58. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  59. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  60. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  61. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  62. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  63. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  64. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  65. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  66. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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