| CD REVIEW Fortid |
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Band: Fortid The history of Fortid goes back to 2002. Back then, Icelandic warrior Eldur (real name: Einar Thorberg), known from bands as Curse, Thule and Potentiam, wanted to translate the Völuspá saga, one of the most important works within the Ásatrú literature, into a musical experience, by starting a one-man project called Fortid. His trilogy started with Part I (how original), or better: Völuspá Part I: Thors Anger (2003), followed by Völuspá Part II: The Arrival Of Fenris (2007). At the end of 2008, Eldur moved to Norway, and when he finished writing material for the third and final part of his trilogy, he met Daniel Theobald, who joined Fortid as drummer. Shortly after, two Norwegian (Gaute Refsnes on keyboards, and guitar player Øystein Hansen) and one Swedish (bassist Rikard Jonsson) guy joined forces with the duo. As from then on, Fortid were a full line-up band.
After signing to German label Schwarzdorn in December 2009, Fortid were able to release the third Völuspá-part, which closes the saga with honour and elegance. The album stands for a magisterial form of epic and melodic Viking Black Metal, based on mid-tempo riffs as well as fast, aggressive parts, a grim sound and dark atmosphere, and the purest Nordic spirit. Fall Of the Ages does not sound like most modern Folk / Viking bands at all – on the contrary, this album exhales a splendid old styled spirit in the vein of, let’s say, Taake, Hades, Forgotten Woods, Arckanum or Urgehal, as well as, of course, Curse (which does not mean that Fortid’s hymns are shamelessly comparable to any of these bands or projects). And the album has everything such an album needs without getting ‘cheap’ or without any predictability. Fall Of The Ages does not renew; yet it pays tribute to the elementary basics of the Nordic old school, the majestic and glorious Viking superiority. The end of an era – what about a new trilogy, dear brother Eldur?! 93/100 Ivan Tibos. |