10 Best Viking Metal Bands Of All Time
5. Falkenbach
Regarded as one of the founding fathers of Viking metal, Falkenbach (German for Falconbrook) is the brain child of one-man band Vratyas Vakyas (a stage name meaning The Searching Wanderer). Vakyas has been headbanging us since 1989. Born in Germany, he lived in Iceland throughout the late 80s and was influenced by the nation's history and mythologies.
The initial sound was more in line with 80s black metal than what was to come. By the time En their medh riki fara (Old Norse for And in Glory They Will Go) was released in 1996, Vakyas had embraced the virtues of folk metal, focusing the lyrics on tales and themes regarding Nordic history and the savagery of Viking warriors.
Much of Vratyas' work is supported by an animistic form of paganism. The majority of the lyrics have been performed in English with some additions from the Old Norse, Latin and Old German languages for good measure. Many of the Old Norse lines are direct quotes from literature such as Elder Edda's epic poem, Grímnismál. There have been 5 more studio releases since the success of En their medh riki fara, with 2013's Asa being the last for now.