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You can be pretty sure if a CD is a Pagan Black Metal release from Adipocere that I will like it at least a little. I don't know what it is, but I have really been developing a taste for this kind of stuff since I got into Berserk. Anyway, this is the fifth release (fourth full-length) from this pagan band from France. I had never heard of Himinbjorg before, but I think they're pretty cool.

Part of what I like about this is that it isn't pure black metal. It's a little blasty, but Himinbjorg (say THAT three times fast) mix things up with some more traditional metal elements – some slow(er) riffing and nice acoustic bits. The whole is a very energetic sound somewhere between death, black, and even a little thrash. I don't really care for the vocals, as they are a bit screamy, but they are aggressive, and fit the music pretty well. It's just that when the music slows down and shows some dynamic, the one-dimensional vocal approach shows its limits.

The booklet has a very neat look, with some sepia pics of scenes from the Gundestrup Cauldron and a nice art design. The lyrics are nothing great, but they are obviously translated from French.

So I dig this. It has aggression mixed with a more mature songwriting approach that results in a pretty cool sound. I don't think the vocals match the variety of the music on all points, and a more dynamic vocal approach could make this a first-rate band.

1. The Opening
2. Death of a King
3. The Galleries of Time
4. (untitled)
5. What Was
6. And To Fight Forever
7. Him