Metal Reviews

Is anyone else annoyed by the term "Viking Metal"?

People treat it as if it's an actual metal subgenre, but the term is very loose; Amon Amarth and Ensiferum are both called Viking Metal often, but the two sounds NOTHING alike. What frustrates me even further is that some reviews or sites cite a band's genre as "Viking Metal" without giving further genre descriptions, making for a vary vague description of said band. I think the only time this term is acceptable to use is when you're talking about Bathory or bands that sound like them, as they invented the "Genre".

Thoughts, anyone?

Yeah I agree. I understand that they're talking about lyrical themes, but it really does nothing to describe the band or lyrics. Although I don't hear many people refer to Amon Amarth as "viking metal" anymore. More as a (melodic) death metal band.

While labels are necessary, especially in metal, I feel that they're extremely overused in all walks of life.

I don't see "Viking Metal" as a usable genre label.

+1

It seems that the tag only applies to bands with Viking-themed lyrics, which hardly seems a trait worthy of its own sub-genre. Any band that's called "Viking Metal" can just as easily be fitted with a tag that suits them better, but even then, genre arguments are pointless.

It's silly, and I don't use it.

When asked to comment on the band's genre, vocalist Johan Hegg remarked:

“ We play death metal. We write about vikings so, therefore, some refer us to viking metal, but I have no idea what that is. I can't imagine the viking’s veer into metal at all except on the swords and stuff. And musically, I guess they only played these strange lip instruments and some bongos or whatever. „

—The Metal Web's interview with Johan Hegg

The music of the Vikings was the stormy sea slapping against longboat, the thunder of hooves upon frozen ground, the awful cries of pain following the sound of steel slicing through flesh and bone, and the crackling fire of villages burning in their wake.

To my mind it's a niche genre situated between folk and black metal. Stuff like Bathory, Borknagar's second album, Moonsorrow's last few releases, etc. Regardless, it's black metal with a strongly defined genre and some folky bells and whistles.

Amon Amarth, well, they're just melodeath.

I would say it is a term used more to describe the subject matter of the songs. I don't consider it a genre. I somewhere came across a laughable classification called vampiric metal or something.

I don't buy into it as a genre either.

Lyrics do not make the genre.

This is Viking Metal:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85IYHu9mNGY

I was talkig to a friend about this just a few days ago, actually. She's all for Viking metal as a genre, but I'm with most of the people here. Lyrics aren't enough to make an entire genre.

I don't suppose anyone here has ever heard of pirate metal?

I actually think Pirate Metal is a more viable genre than Viking Metal. Bands such as Alestorm sound have organs and typical pirate sound combined with metal. Still I suppose they're just heavy metal when it comes down to it.

Of course some bands just went for the imagery. Running Wild is perhaps the most obvious one with lots of pirate themes on album covers and lyrics, but musically they were heavy/speed metal.

Then there's the truly ridiculous Schwarzeneggercore with Austrian Death Machine and Arnocorps which are thrash/hardcore musically.

There's also Porngrind.

But perhaps the most ridiculous "genres" are Powergroove (what Phil out of Pantera called his band's style) and Aggrorock (Rob Flynn's title for Machine Head's style).

It's gotten out of hand, as far as I'm concerned. As if some made-up label is somehow the mark of distinction.

Agreed with the majority here: I don't see it as a genre.

Moonsorrow is irritatingly labeled as such when it is really just excellent epic black metal.

I see folk metal almost as problematic, but still at least a subgenre nonetheless (I realize stuff like Skyclad, or Eluveitie has to be folk metal).

Folk metal is often just a tag slapped on Central and East European Black metal that moves beyond Darkthrone/Burzum cloning.

I agree, the bands who play pirate metal actually have a pirate-y sound, instead of just singing about pirates... That doesn't make it any less ridiculous though

What the hell is speed metal?

Some people don't consider speed metal a genre at all. I do. I would say it is something between thrash and power metal.

speed metal is like fast thrash but not as heavy or thrashy, if you catch my drift

Agent Steel comes to mind or old Helloween

In the 80's these groups were tagged as "Speed metal", for example.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWLaoGckCyc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ylcCJZwTf0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJ216Ksu4Ag

Speed metal is just as useless as viking metal in terms of describing music.