Label: Self released
Date: February 17th, 2023
Almost two months I didn’t write almost anything in my magic witchy notebook. Is it lack of motivation or just waiting for the perfect album, I don’t know, but one band surely motivated me. Without practice we can’t progress in this job so give me a chance to come back to my pompous ways. I hope I won’t disappoint me (and the readers, of course). Anyway, finally a few words I owe to the band called Kromheim. By my secret magical choice, somehow they got on my playlist and I must say I am not surprised, but I am quite content with the choice of my small brain.
This time my choice should be grateful to the cover art of their album. I mean please, big statue of God in the middle of the sea and a warrior with a shield, who is waiting for the moment of his life. To be called to war. Definitely smells like a picture on a Viking / death metal album. Kromheim definitely doesn’t sound familiar to me at all but their faithful belonging to a genre definitely reminded me of why I love this kind of metal. Adrenaline which “drives” you all the way to the end is more than enough to say in advance that I am impressed. Although they don’t sound extravagant, their ideas and sound are something you may have heard if you are into this genre for a long time, but heirs to the Amon Amarth they shall become. Oh, this sounds so poetic.
Kromheim initiation into the metal world happened with their first single and video called “The Landing”. With this song their journey begins and I hope it will last long. Album under the name of “Journey to Divinity” was released in 2023 but quite soon it was well accepted by their audience. “Journey of Divinity” begins with a song called “War”, the most important part of life of medieval men. With such a strong and fast intro, the entire song is full of energy that motivates you to move yourself, especially if you walk much like me. As medieval warriors had war drums, we metalheads have blasts. “The Landing”, “World Reborn”, “1000 Lives” and others that follow are actually stories about medieval life of Vikings. Even if the lyrics for this album look quite like a scenario for one of the seasons of series “Vikings” in one way, they got out of typical Viking metal album.
If we leave those lyrics aside, the musicians really put much effort to make a musically perfect album. It’s enough to say that it has everything that makes a good band, but we will leave this to the audience to decide. I caught many good moments in this album. Especially solo in songs like “Final Arrow”, with growl that really blew my mind. Just in place, just perfect. I was in love with the sound. “Brothers in Arms (No More)” is a death melodic rhapsody that deserves a high place on radio stations and lists. I can freely imagine big mosh pits without end, from first second to the last of this song. By my non-musical opinion, I think this song deserves another place in the album together with the last one. The whole album has a continuum with its energy, but the most brutal two songs to put as last two tracks is not a common thing. But that’s okay, when it comes to the first album, almost everything is forgiven.
To be honest, from my previous words, the readers got that I like this album and I can see a big potential in their work, but a few advices can’t be a bad thing. Assuming a really big number of bands from all around the world which want to play about ancient fearless warriors we got a problem. That’s a cliché. There is always one warrior against others, two brothers who are in some kind of fight and endless war and hype. Okay, I get it, that’s actually what we know thanks to history, but I hope Kromheim will soon get that that’s a bit typical for artists. Artists, especially musicians and actors, should always put an effort to get out of typical because we are full of it. Many bands look alike one another and that’s the worst, especially for a subculture as metal is. So, take your guitars high as swords and dig in! In the world of Ragnars, Björns and Uhtreds be a Floki. That’s how you will be immortal as he is actually. It’s a long path in front of them but to be a semi-God is pain and suffering as it should be.
