List of Viking metal bands

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Enslaved performing live at Roadburn Festival, April 2015 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 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 consider it more a cross-genre term than genre, but it is typically manifested as black metal with influences from Nordic folk music. Common traits include a slow-paced and heavy riffing style, anthemic choruses, use of both clean and harsh vocals, a reliance on folk instrumentation, and often the use of keyboards for atmospheric effect.

Contents

Viking metal emerged during the late-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 uses 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 have 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 Hordanes Land (1993) and 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 in 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 adding missing items with reliable sources.
BandFormedOriginNotes
Adorned Brood 1993Germany [1]
Ingeborg Anna Baumgartel of Adorned Brood, 2007 Adornedbrood.jpg
Ingeborg Anna Baumgärtel of Adorned Brood, 2007
Amon Amarth 1992Sweden [2] [3] [4]
Ted Lundstrom of Amon Amarth Amon Amarth-0994-Ted Lundstrom.jpg
Ted Lundström of Amon Amarth
Ancient Rites 1988Belgium [5]
Ásmegin 1998Norway [6] [7]
Barbariön 2007Australia [8]
Barbarion, 2010 Barbarion.jpg
Barbariön, 2010
Bathory 1983Sweden [9]
Black Messiah 1992Germany [1]
Black Messiah, 2016 Black Messiah Dark Troll 2016 08.jpg
Black Messiah, 2016
Borknagar 1995Norway [10] [11]
Brothers of Metal 2012Sweden
Brothers of Metal, 2022 Brothers of Metal - 2022215165307 2022-08-03 Wacken - Sven - 5DS R - 0021 - 5DSR6754.jpg
Brothers of Metal, 2022
Burzum 1988Norway [12]
Varg Vikernes of Burzum Varg Vikernes.jpg
Varg Vikernes of Burzum
Claim the Throne 2004Australia [13]
Claim the Throne Claim The Throne (2017).jpg
Claim the Throne
Darkwoods My Betrothed 1992Finland [14]
Destroy Destroy Destroy 2003United States [15]
Doomsword 1997Italy [16]
Drottnar 1996Norway [17] [18]
Sven-Erik Lind of Drottnar Drottnar-EoR2013-04.jpg
Sven-Erik Lind of Drottnar
Einherjer 1993Norway [3]
Einherjer Einherjer.JPG
Einherjer
Elexorien 2004Netherlands [19]
Eluveitie 2002Switzerland [20]
Eluveitie, 2012 Eluveitie - Paganfest 2012 - Leipzig Hellraiser.jpg
Eluveitie, 2012
Emperor 1991Norway [21]
Ensiferum 1995Finland [22]
Ensiferum, 2016 20160611 Loreley RockFels Ensiferum 0276.jpg
Ensiferum, 2016
Enslaved 1991Norway [3] [23]
Ivar Bjornson of Enslaved Enslaved, Barge to Hell 2012 02.jpg
Ivar Bjørnson of Enslaved
Equilibrium 2001Germany [24]
Jen Majura of Equilibrium Equilibrium Rockharz Open Air 2014 11.JPG
Jen Majura of Equilibrium
Falkenbach 1989Germany [25]
Fejd 2001Sweden [26]
Fejd, 2013 Burgfolk Festival 2013 - Fejd 19.jpg
Fejd, 2013
Finntroll 1997Finland
Finntroll Rockharz 2016 Finntroll Rockharz 2016 06.jpg
Finntroll Rockharz 2016
Finsterforst 2004Germany [27]
Finsterforst 2014 WGT 204 Finsterforst.jpg
Finsterforst
Folkearth 2003International [28]
Folkodia 2007International [29]
Forefather 1997England [30]
Glittertind 2001Norway [31]
Torbjorn Sandvik of Glittertind Glittertind Landkjenning Promo.jpg
Torbjørn Sandvik of Glittertind
Grand Magus 1996Sweden [32]
Janne Christoffersson of Grand Magus Grand Magus - Janne Christoffersson - Headbangers Open Air 2014 04.jpg
Janne Christoffersson of Grand Magus
Heidevolk 2002Netherlands [33]
Heidevolk Burgfolk Festival 2013 - Heidevolk 01.jpg
Heidevolk
Heilung 2014Germany, Denmark, Norway [34]
Heilung Roskilde Festival Heilung-4.jpg
Heilung
Hel 1999Sweden [35]
Helheim 1992Norway [36]
Helheim Helheim - Niflheim 2013.jpg
Helheim
Holy Blood 1999Ukraine [37]
Isengard 1989Norway [38]
Fenriz of Isengard, seen here in 2007 Fenriz.jpg
Fenriz of Isengard, seen here in 2007
Ithilien 2005Belgium [39]
Ithilien in 2016 Ithilien Band.jpg
Ithilien in 2016
Kampfar 1994Norway [40]
Kampfar Kampfar-Live-Oslo 2012.JPG
Kampfar
King of Asgard 2008Sweden [41]
Kivimetsän Druidi 2002Finland [42]
Korpiklaani 2003Finland [40]
Tuomas Rounakari of Korpiklaani 20140830 Wuppertal Feuertal 0427 Korpiklaani.jpg
Tuomas Rounakari of Korpiklaani
Leaves' Eyes 2003Germany
Norway		 [43]
Liv Kristine of Leaves' Eyes Leaves Eyes Liv Kristine at Henkersfest Stuttgart July 2007 3.jpg
Liv Kristine of Leaves' Eyes
Månegarm 1995Sweden [44]
Manegarm Manegarm 2013.jpg
Månegarm
Metsatöll 1999Estonia [45]
Lauri Ounapuu of Metsatoll Metsatoll-2006-4.jpg
Lauri Õunapuu of Metsatöll
Mithotyn 1993Sweden [46]
Myrkgrav 2003Norway [47]
Lars Jensen of Myrkgrav Myrkgrav-Lars Jensen3.jpg
Lars Jensen of Myrkgrav
Moonsorrow 1995Finland [48] [49]
Ville Sorvali of Moonsorrow Moonsorrow MTR 20110617 06.jpg
Ville Sorvali of Moonsorrow
Obscurity 1997Germany [50]
Agalaz of Obscurity Turock Open Air 2013 - Obscurity 05.jpg
Agalaz of Obscurity
Primordial 1987Ireland [51]
Alan "Nemtheanga" Averill of Primordial Primordial Hellfest.jpg
Alan "Nemtheanga" Averill of Primordial
Satyricon 1991Norway [38]
Sigurd Wongraven "Satyr" of Satyricon, 2008 Metalmania 2008 Satyricon Sigurd Wongraven Satyr 03.jpg
Sigurd Wongraven "Satyr" of Satyricon, 2008
Skálmöld 2009Iceland [52]
Bjorgvin Sigurdsson of Skalmold Skalmold, Bjorgvin Sigurdsson.jpg
Björgvin Sigurðsson of Skálmöld
Skeletonwitch 2003United States [53]
Scott Hendrick of Skeletonwitch Skeletonwitch (23 von 43).jpg
Scott Hendrick of Skeletonwitch
Slechtvalk 1999Netherlands [37] [54]
Slechtvalk Occultfest 2010 - SAT - Slechtvalk - 10.JPG
Slechtvalk
Solefald 1995Norway [55]
Storm 1994Norway [56]
Kari Rueslatten of Storm, seen here with The Sirens, 2015 Kari Rueslatten.jpg
Kari Rueslåtten of Storm, seen here with The Sirens, 2015
Svartsot 2005Denmark [57]
Svartsot Svartsot 2011 - 05252011.jpg
Svartsot
The Sword 2003United States [58]
J. D. Cronise of The Sword JohnDCronise-ObservatorySantaAnaCA-20130801.JPG
J. D. Cronise of The Sword
Thyrfing 1995Sweden [59] [60] [61]
Thyrfing Thyrfing-Wacken-2003.jpg
Thyrfing
Trollech 1999Czech Republic [62]
Turisas 1997Finland [63]
Warlord Nygard of Turisas Turisas - Jalometalli 2008 - Mathias Nygard 02.JPG
Warlord Nygård of Turisas
Týr 1998Faroe Islands [64] [65]
Heri Joensen of Tyr Tyr - Tuska 2008 - Heri Joensen 01.JPG
Heri Joensen of Týr
Ulver 1993Norway [38]
Kristoffer Rygg of Ulver, 2007 Rygg 2007.jpg
Kristoffer Rygg of Ulver, 2007
Unleashed 1989Sweden [2] [3] [66]
Johnny Hedlund of Unleashed Unleashed JonnhyHedlund.jpg
Johnny Hedlund of Unleashed
Vardøger 1994Norway [67]
Vintersorg 1994Sweden [68]
Windir 1994Norway [69]
Wintersun 2003Finland [70]
Wintersun Tuska 20130628 - Wintersun - 27.jpg
Wintersun
Wolfchant 2003Germany [71]
Gvern of Wolfchant Turock Open Air 2013 - Wolfchant 02.jpg
Gvern of Wolfchant

See also

Related Research Articles

Celtic metal is a subgenre of folk metal that developed in the 1990s in Ireland. The genre is a fusion of heavy metal and Celtic rock. The early pioneers of the genre were the Irish bands Cruachan, Primordial and Waylander. The genre has since expanded beyond Irish shores and is known to be performed today by bands from numerous other countries.

Folk metal is a fusion genre of heavy metal music and traditional folk music that developed in Europe during the 1990s. It is characterised by the widespread use of folk instruments and, to a lesser extent, traditional singing styles. It also sometimes features soft instrumentation influenced by folk rock.

Gothic metal is a fusion genre combining the aggression of heavy metal with the dark atmospheres of gothic rock. The music of gothic metal is diverse with bands known to adopt the gothic approach to different styles of heavy metal music. The genre originated during the early 1990s in the United Kingdom originally as an outgrowth of death-doom, a fusion of death metal and doom metal. Lyrics are generally dark and introspective with inspiration from gothic fiction as well as personal experiences.

References

Notes

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