Midgard vikingsenter, Borre, Norway. 16- 19. august 2023
To appoint Midgardsblot as Norway’s most unique festival is hardly wrong. The blend of Viking and metal festival works well and gives the festival its own character. The fact that the festival is held by real Viking graves also adds to its authenticity. For this is historical ground, and there is a certain respect for history when Midgardsblot is held. Because it can quickly turn into a lot of Viking cosplay, hippies, and role-playing when entering this genre. That also happens at Midgardsblot, but still with style. Much has changed from last year, and the festival is slightly scaled down. One main stage is gone, and now there is left one main stage and a smaller stage. In addition to the small stage inside the Guild Hall, which has always been there. So that means one less stage and thus significantly fewer artists. So the festival is a bit thinner this year than last year. If one wants to twist it into something positive, then there is the opportunity to see almost all the bands performing at this year’s festival. Except for those that clash on the very small stage inside the Guild Hall, of course.
WEDNESDAY:
There are long queues from Oslo towards Borre. Which means that one gets a little delayed for the Finntroll concert. But it also makes Finntroll go on stage 20 minutes after schedule. Which means they also have to cut down the set by the same number of minutes. 20 minutes may not be much, but when you have an hour available, it becomes quite a lot that needs to be cut away. The band also seems somewhat stressed as they go on, and the sound is very poor. Not surprising considering that the band comes almost directly from a long drive from Gardermoen to the stage. Fortunately, the sound improves during the concert, and it feels more right afterwards. But the concert still doesn’t become something great. But it helps when the band’s more well-known songs like “Nattfödd” and “Trollhammaren” come.
The next band up, or should we say artist, is so obscure that the audience space in front of the main stage looks quite sparse until the first songs in the set. Here, I’m referring, of course, to the experimental neo-folk artist Lili Refrain. The Italian has already managed to play a gig at Inferno earlier this year. Unfortunately, it’s probably a bit too experimental for my taste. Thus, it doesn’t take long for boredom to set in. Her musical concept is based on percussion, guitar, and vocal parts played in repetitive loops, forming the songs. All these effects are recorded live during the gig. Then they go on repeat in a loop. It has its charm, and Lili Refrain has her fans. But for me, it becomes a bit of a lullaby in the long run.
Norwegian Sylvaine and her skilled, international team have taken the stage and serve us their beautiful form of extreme metal. The sound seemed as clear and faithfully reproduced as possible at an outdoor concert. You could pick up the ethereal, catchy melodies in all their glory, and the sound had good dynamics no matter where you were in front of the stage. Sylvaine is skilled in what she does and extremely talented. The way she handles different genres makes her one of the more exciting new artists on the Norwegian scene. During the concert, we heard, among other things, “Fortapt” and “Mono No Aware” from the strong latest album “Nova,” as well as older songs like “Abeyance,” “Mørklagt,” and “Earthbound,” all performed with care and a lot of heart.
Kampfar ensures a dignified ending to the first day of Midgardsblot. There is a lot of pyrotechnics and an energetic show. After all, the band has been on a solid upswing for the past ten years, and now they are reaping the rewards of many years of hard work. In fact, all the songs played are from the last ten years, unless I’ve forgotten any in the heat of the moment. Last year’s album “Til klovers takt” shows a band that is not planning to rest on its laurels but continues to push forward at full throttle. Which also the concert now in Borre clearly shows. I have seen the band better before, but this concert is still right up there. In fact, enough so that Kampfar can boast of being one of the highlights of this year’s festival.
THURSDAY:
I was looking forward to Danish Iotunn since the band’s album, “Access All Worlds,” is very strong. The band has only played once before in Norway, and that was at Karmøygeddon, so this is one of the few metal bands I haven’t seen before among those playing at this year’s Midgardsblot. Iotunn is a band from Denmark, but their strongest card is the powerful vocals of Jón Aldará from the Faroe Islands. He usually sings in the doom-death band Hamferð from his homeland. Iotunn is usually referred to as a progressive melodic death metal band. But Iotunn should definitely also be described as a doom band. The slow riffs and heavy sound leave no doubt. However, there is a problem with the concert, and that is that the band has only released one album, one EP, and one single. They simply don’t have many songs to choose from. This is noticeable, and I find myself bored several times during the concert. In addition, the sound is so-so. At the beginning of the concert, there isn’t even sound on the microphone, but it’s fixed after a couple of long minutes during the first song, to great cheers from the audience. So, a bit of a tight start, you could say. But fortunately, the band has saved their best song for last. “Voyage of the Garganey I” thus ends the concert, and Aldará’s powerful voice comes out in all its glory, and one can be satisfied with the band’s effort.
Nordjevel plays on the smaller of the two main stages, and they probably hadn’t expected this stage to be so small. Because the band not only has full pyrotechnics, but the stage is covered with burning torches and large burning pentagrams. It’s so crowded that the four members at the front of the stage can hardly move, and certainly not bang their heads, as their hair could easily catch fire. But it looks tough, and the concert is very visual. The heat from the pyrotechnics hits us hard as we stand far out in the audience, so I can only imagine how it is for those on stage. But enough about that. Nordjevel delivers the goods and has become a steady live band over the years. It sounds good, and the band is solid. We also get a guest appearance from Secthdamon from Odium and Myrkskog on “Djevelen i Nord.” Which makes the already tight stage even more crowded. The band also throws Norwegian flags out to the audience, and vocalist Doedsadmiral wraps himself in a large Norwegian flag, thus looking very similar to Hoest in Taake. But all in all, a good and entertaining concert.
The evening’s headliner is none other than the immensely experienced perfectionists in Enslaved. Although the band has played at Midgardsblot regularly, and the frontman’s workday started earlier than usual with the unveiling of the Heimdall statue at the festival area, there were no signs of fatigue from the band. Grutle Kjellson seemed in great spirits. After the concert’s first song “Isa” ended, he presented the band in a playful manner, “We are enslaved, all of us in one way or another. We are also the band Enslaved.” Kjellson’s good mood showed intermittently in the form of fitting, well-timed comments, even when it turned out that the fans had little clue about the band’s discography. The clear sound, characterized by good dynamics and impeccable balance in mixing, of course, contributed to reinforcing the good impression. In addition to the superb technical execution, fans could also enjoy a fan-friendly selection of songs including “Kingdom,” “Forest Dweller,” and “Heimdal” from the latest album of the same name. Enslaved has played a lot, and I’ve seen them far too many times. So, a concert with Enslaved doesn’t feel like the ultimate experience. The audience isn’t ecstatic either. But the band delivers and is skilled as always. Enslaved gives the concert a dignified conclusion with “Allfǫðr Oðinn” from “Yggdrasill,” a song that was enthusiastically received by several audience members.
FRIDAY:
Einherjer also played at last year’s festival – but this time they’re playing on the main stage. Which is only fitting since the band is the essence of Viking metal. It starts a bit slow, admittedly, but it quickly picks up, and good songs come one after the other. When the band also adds a lot of pyrotechnics, it works. The band’s backdrop is created by the Romanian artist Costin Chioreanu, with whom the band has been collaborating for almost ten years now. The next day, the band has a mini-concert where Chioreanu paints while the band plays. Back to the concert, Einherjer delivers the goods as usual. The audience seems to enjoy themselves, and a group of “Vikings” starts rowing. Perhaps the most foolish way to “rock out” during concerts. Naturally, the concert ends with “Far Far North” to great singing and joy.
Blackbraid comes from the USA and consists of people with a background in Native American culture. The band was actually started as recently as last year – but has already managed to release two albums. Rarely have you seen such efficiency in such a new band. The reason for the efficiency may well be that this is a one-man band from Sgah’gahsowáh, and the other members are live musicians. The band also delivers the goods well, and I like that they incorporate elements from the band’s background. For example, by using a flute. But… even though the concert was very good, the band manages to be best remembered for the festival’s decidedly most embarrassing moment. So bad that it’s hard to let it pass quietly when summarizing the concert, even though this happens the day after the band played. I notice on Saturday that the band members are in good spirits. During Mari Boine’s performance, I see one of the band members lying asleep on the mound to the left of the stage. I think to myself that the band must have partied hard all night since he manages to lie there sleeping shirtless so early in the day. Later in the evening, things happen; the sleeping man is offered to lie behind the stage to sleep off the intoxication by the guards. This does not sit well, and he responds by spitting in the guard’s face and calling him a racist. Fair enough, it’s easy to do something stupid when drunk, and I understand that Native Americans in the USA have experienced a lot, even though this is far from acceptable. But that’s when the storm begins, as the band goes crazy on social media with accusations that Midgardsblot is a racist festival, and the band experienced racism from both guards and audience. They demand an apology from the festival and vow never to return. The band even posts a video of them arguing with a security guard. This completely backfires as the guard remains calm as can be and explains calmly why the band must leave the festival. It’s such a shame that an otherwise good concert should be ruined by such behavior. I hope one day the band realizes that the guards were just doing their job as one cannot be overly intoxicated and sleep on the ground at a Norwegian festival. Perhaps then they’ll realize that they owe Midgardsblot an apology, not the other way around. So if you hear anything about racist accusations against Midgardsblot – forget it – there isn’t a racist bone in the festival.
The evening ends with the Faroese folk power metal band Týr. The quartet already had good experience headlining Midgardsblot after the concert they played here a few years ago. There were some minor production glitches at the beginning of the concert, but they were fixed and soon forgotten. But unfortunately for me, this is the type of concert that generally fades into oblivion. The band knows their stuff, but I quickly feel a certain indifference, and boredom creeps in. This despite the band playing their well-known hits including “Blood of Heroes,” “Sinklars vísa,” “Hail to the Hammer,” and “Hold the Heathen Hammer High.”
SATURDAY:
The Swedes in Naglfar have now been going for over thirty years and have seven albums under their belt. Although the sound isn’t quite top-notch at the start of the concert, it quickly improves. The band also gives it their all, and I enjoy what they deliver. That is until the weather gets wetter and wetter – eventually turning into a real downpour. I therefore observe the rest of the concert from one of the nearby merchandise tents. So, one could say the concert is a bit spoiled. Because it’s raining so much that even those on stage have to endure some water. But it seems that those who brave the rain and don’t mind have a pleasant experience. The band also deserves credit for an enthusiastic performance.
The rain has eased somewhat when Tsjuder takes the main stage. The band is promoting a brand-new album titled “Helvegr.” Despite that, there’s a good mix played from the band’s entire career. In addition, the band throws in “Sacrifice” by Bathory. After all, Tsjuder has strong ties to Bathory since Frederick Melander, who played bass for the band in 1983, also played with Tsjuder. Although Tsjuder puts on a good concert and sounds great, the rain makes it difficult for me to fully enjoy it. That’s just how outdoor concerts go – the weather has a lot to say and definitely affects the outcome of the concert. But Tsjuder deserves all the credit for a good concert.
Mortiis has gone through several phases throughout his career. The fact that he was once a part of Emperor is, of course, his link to metal. For his solo career, he’s been characterized by synth music in various styles. Darkwave, dungeon synth, electronica, and others. I remember him best from the period 2004 to 2006 when he played industrial rock and had a full band with him. He played a lot here in Norway at that time. Since then, he has only had one concert in Trondheim in 2018 and one in Oslo in 2019. These were at small venues like Good Omens and Revolver. But despite Mortiis flying under the radar a lot here in Norway, he has done a lot of concerts throughout Europe and North America. So, what version of Mortiis do we get to hear at Midgardsblot? Here, the man has gone back to basics and gives us what is called dungeon synth. Mortiis thus comes out alone on stage where he stands behind a lectern with synths and other electronic instruments that I can’t quite make out. It’s heavy and atmospheric despite being just one man and his synth. The stage is beautifully decorated, and behind him, there are atmospheric images that fit the music. Eventually, a drummer joins in, playing and making it all even heavier and more interesting. However, I quickly get tired as this is quite monotonous in the long run. But then again, I’m not a big fan of dungeon synth either, so I’ll take that on my chin. In addition, the rain puts a damper on the concert.
Of course, one should not underestimate the fact that the British masters of gothic death doom, My Dying Bride, headline the festival. The sound was as clear and dynamic as it was possible to achieve outdoors. In short, the Englishmen managed to drown the entire festival area in a megaton of genuine sorrow. Frontman Aaron Stainthorpe contributed very strongly to enhancing the depressive aura, not only with his expressive gestures but also with quite emotional vocals. With their over thirty-year-long career and a bunch of albums, My Dying Bride has a luxury problem of choosing the songs for the setlist. They managed this very well, as the performance included the band’s most appealing songs. In addition to my personal highlight, which was “The Cry Of Mankind,” you could also enjoy “Your River,” “Your Broken Shore,” “Like Gods Of The Sun,” or the iconic closing song of the concert, “Turn Loose the Swans.” Only seven songs in total, but both their technical execution and emotionally charged aura made an impression. My Dying Bride are still the masters of death doom, and they proved it once again.
Thus, this year’s Midgardsblot is over – that is, after I had the honor of being the DJ – and ending the festival with a lot of cool classics. It’s safe to say that this year’s festival was successful, and the festival stands as solid as a rock. The niche the festival has created means that many people visit the festival year after year, and I would guess that the festival has more visitors from abroad than Norwegians. It’s a shame about the rain on the last day, but it could have been much worse considering that “Hans” had just wreaked havoc in Eastern Norway. So all in all, lucky. Festival director Runa also seemed more than satisfied when I met her in the festival’s final hours. So, we can only look forward to next year’s festival!
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