Let’s take up arms alongside Northborn!
Following their first demo in 2024, the Swedish band led by Björn Hoenir (vocals/keyboards, Havamal), Ture Aspelin (guitar, Riket, The Storyteller), Tobey Lagerqvist (guitar), and Andreas Lundgren (bass) recruited Felix Wahlund (drums, Nazghor, Eternal Evil, Riket), signed with Art Gates Records, and unveiled their debut album, Northborn.
The album kicks off with Hymn of the North Star, the band’s first composition, which also gave the demo its name, and quickly reveals its epic soundscapes, blending furious rhythms, majestic keyboards, and powerful vocals. Just by listening, you can tell the band is from Sweden, driving their charge to perfection while seamlessly transitioning through instrumental sections before launching into Tale of Lies, also featured on the demo, which uses sharp harmonics to reinforce an already energetic foundation. The contrast between furious elements and ethereal touches is perfectly handled, as is the transition to Fireborn and its softer intro leading into a solid, choppy rhythm section just the way we like it, and one that’s sure to bring the crowd together at live shows. The sound grows colder before Children of the Frost really kicks in, featuring keyboard tones typically found in Finnish bands, yet counterbalanced by infectious rage. The majestic sounds return with Helldamned, the next lengthy track, which maintains an effective and catchy, staccato-driven approach, as well as powerful vocal sections that set the pace for the shorter but incisive The Wolf’s Curse, where we find the demonstrative fervor led by the keyboards and backing vocals. Once again, the band will make a splash on stage, particularly during the darker, gripping passage before the solo, then Dreamhaunter offers us more upbeat tones to contrast its raw power and piercing harmonics, before returning to impressive riffs with The Fimbul Scourge. The vocals are also far more menacing, almost cavernous, sandwiched between two very lively and melodious elements, then the gripping final leads us to Yokai of the Lake, a track with interesting Asian influences. It remains no less catchy, making use of different sounds to stand out, such as the heavy influences in the leads, and then we reach the end of the album with A Warrior’s Fate, which concludes the album just as it began with motivating and epic tones that fit the band perfectly and demand only one thing: to see the audience headbanging in front of the stage.
Northborn proudly shows its roots, and every track makes that clear! While Northborn may seem long at first glance, the band knows exactly how to control the pace and sweep us along with its energy!
85/100
