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When I saw that a band called Aether Realm was releasing an album entitled “Redneck Vikings From Hell,” I knew I had to give it a listen. I crave when metal music strays from the norm, like Alestorm’s pirate metal or Iwrestledabearonce’s avant-garde approach, so one listen of one of their singles and that was more than enough to enthrall me into requesting a review copy to pick apart here!

The blending of genres begins from the get-go in the title track of the album, with a banjo leading the charge. It’s certainly jarring upon first listen, but compelling enough to get jammable after the shock wears off. The unclean vocals are delivered as growls that aren’t too abrasive to turn away objectors. With an involved guitar solo and gang vocals to boot, it’s clear that the dedication to this project is in full force. I’m glad Redneck Vikings from Hell starts off so strong, as it has me hyped to listen to the rest!

“Goodbye” is a more riff-centric track with synth interlaced and the continuance of group vocals in the chorus. The bridge gets quite electronic and has another quality guitar solo that’s hard not to air guitar to. The downwards shift in melody near the end caught me off-guard, as most key changes take the notes higher, but the opposite was the case here. Strings open up “Lean into the Wind” which is quite thrash-y and gets heavy enough to incorporate blast beats, finishing off with a nice piano run.

Speaking of piano, “Hunger” lets it shine in its opening proceedings. The first and second verses are so different in structure that it’s immediately noticeable, in a good way. Another bridge-solo occurs, but I haven’t tired of these as they are unique and boast-worthy each time. “Guardian” has delicate vocals to add depth to the heartfelt lyrics containing a wholesome vibe. I would have preferred this song didn’t have unclean vocals to juxtapose the soft tone, but the intentions are still executed well enough.

“One Hollow Word” picks things back up into extreme metal territory with blistering double bass that I could never possibly replicate with my own two feet. Bringing a harp into the mix, there’s still tricks up Aether Realm’s sleeve yet. “She’s Back,” quite the ominous song title, is the shortest piece on Redneck Vikings From Hell at 2:33, but packs plenty of a punch in its shorter runtime to never overstay its welcome.

Next up, “Slave to the Riff” was my introduction to Aether Realm, and is my easy favorite off of this record. Up to its namesake with an infectious riff, the track features exemplary guitar-work and plenty of variety in structure to keep the listener’s attention. “Cycle” has some spoken-word for 30 seconds as a synthy background overlays the guitar’s hook. While there’s sentimentality at hand, the deepest, most brutal growls take place in the second half.

“TMHC” comes in with an intro that’s as heavy as it is spooky. The fast-paced unclean vocals are quite satisfying, almost matching the riffs in pace. The album wraps up with an 11-minute instrumental track, “Craft and the Creator.” Truly a ride from start to finish, this is one that’s hard to put into words; as far as long songs go, I wasn’t phased for a second. I looked away and looked back and it was a minute EIGHT. With no one section lasting too long, this is the quintessential instrumental journey.

Aether Realm has colored me impressed with Redneck Vikings From Hell. While the album name may give the impression that this could be a joke/parody band, they are far from that. The instrumental prowess displayed on this record is a true joy to hear, and standout pieces like “Slave to the Riff” and “Craft and the Creator” will enter my regular rotation after May 1st. If you’re looking for something different, Aether Realm has what you need!

A press copy of Redneck Vikings From Hell was provided by Napalm Records for this review.

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Redneck Vikings From Hell

9

Score

9.0/10

Pros

• Legitimately fun to listen to
• Ample experimentation
• Mixed to perfection

Cons

• Unclean vocals are out of place at times