Einherjer is one of those bands that seems incapable of releasing a bad album, with each of their offerings being strong and powerful releases, and as 2016 marks twenty years since the release of their landmark album Dragons Of The North, the band has rerecorded it and it gives a fresh spin on the album whilst also staying very true to the original work – i.e. exactly what a rerecording should be.
Dragons Of The North XX sounds a lot more polished than the original, which is probably of no real surprise to anyone, and definitely packs more of a punch. There’s a lot more power behind the delivery and there’s more bite to the sound as a whole, which is never a bad thing.
One of the highlights is perhaps the reworking of Slaget. There’s a little more melody to the song as a whole courtesy of the guitars and the way the vocals are snarled juxtaposes well against them, creating a standout track that certainly leaves an impression on you. Additionally, the solos in earlier track Conqueror are awesome, and when coupled with the wall of guitars and relentlessly energetic drums, they really give the song a lot of momentum.
Einherjer have taken what made the original album good, and have built on it – yet there’s no mistaking that it still features the same songs. It’s just the right amount of freshness to make it worth your while to check it out, and is also a nice throwback release that will appeal to fans old and new alike.
8/10
