Artist description Authentic Norwegian Folk Metal signed at Valgalder Records. If you like Otyg, Vintersorg, Einherjer, Storm, etc., you should check out Įsmegin!

Music Style Norwegian Folk Metal with heavy / black influences

Musical Influences All from Scandinavian folk music to symphonic black metal

Similar Artists Otyg, Einherjer, Vintersorg, Windir, Folque, Storm, Isengard, Darkthrone, Cruachan, Månegarm, Ulver

Artist History ĮSMEGIN is the name of the great Norwegian viking and folklore metal band developed somewhere in late 1998. It was Aušrvinr Sigurdsson (guitars, vocals), Iving Mundilfarne (guitars, willow flute) and Olaus Magnesson (guitars, synth) who started ĮSMEGIN. They wanted to bring forth the national romantic spirit through the metal. At this time Aušrvinr was playing in CLAIRVOYANCE and Olaus in FORGOTTEN REALMS. CLAIRVOYANCE is no longer today. Iving didn't have any band experience before ĮSMEGIN. Nordalv (now known as Skule Jarl) and Asmodeus (Tomas Torgersbråten) were introduced with the band, and wanted to join. Thus the line-up was set. Iving left the band in 1999. In the Autumn same year, ĮSMEGIN recorded their first demo, titled Naar Rimkalkene Heves. Today the music of ĮSMEGIN has developed in the way of Nordic black metal. Still they wanted to retain the elements of traditional heavy metal and the unique Norwegian ethnic music. Nowadays they're working with their full length album. It will probably be recorded somewhere in the Summer. What studio ĮSMEGIN shall use is yet unknown.

Group Members Andreas - Vocals, guitars Olaus - guitars, synth, choirs Tomas - basses, choirs Tommy - Drums

Instruments Vocals, Guitars, Basses, Synths, Drums + Guest musicians: flutes, violins

Albums Naar Rimkalkene Heves (Demo 2000)

Press Reviews Saret Webzine (Czech): "This Viking herd is an elite representative of the Norwegian label Valgalder Records. Their musical style is hard to compare, because I've never heard anything similar. We're dealing here with a new wave of northern Metal with characteristic Viking vocals (not polyphonic!), buzzing guitars (although not making to much noise), hefty bass and a typical sound and atmosphere breathing on us from ancient ages. Concerning the guitars, many Heavy Metal principles were used. The vocals are partly Viking (dominating), partly Black. The keys were also tastefully inserted, although very rarely. The primal demo contains four pieces, all (of course) in Norwegian. I am completely fascinated and enamoured, a new era of music! (7/7)" Agonia Magazine (Poland): "I became pleasantly surprised listening to Įsmegin's demo CD. The reason why is the fact of the Metal that the band is performing. I think that most of you will be nice surprising too, cause there is still someone who plays in mood of - unfortunatelly yet forgotten - Storm; the side project of Fenriz. Each of those four songs which includes that demo has something from Storm's stylistic: clear vocalization, stright folk melodies but this all were smartly magic in cool death/black metal pieces with catchy keyboard lines, masterly played guitar solos and interesting - in general - stylistic. I think both: those more open-minded metalheads and those dedicated just to extremiest acts could be satisfaied listening to Įsmegin's demo. If I had to compare that band to any other bands I would mentioned three names: Storm, Darkthrone & Otyg...Is that already clear? (4.3/6)" Scream Magazine (Norway): "ĮSMEGIN is a new Norwegian outfit. The members are very young, just 17-18 years. Their first demo, "Naar Rimkalkene Heves" is best described as traditional metal with some very folk-inspired melodies. At times, the whole thing reminds me a little bit of Einherjer. The vocal is clean most of the time, but the singer also adds some black metal-shrieks. No matter how he sings, he must be considered as the weak point of the band. The opener, "Valgalder" with a really heavy main-riff is by far the best song here. Too often the other songs just sound like different parts thrown together with no deeper meaning at all. Maybe next time? (Leif Kringen)"

Location Jevnaker, Oppland - Norway

Copyright notice. All material on MP3.com is protected by copyright law and by international treaties. You may download this material and make reasonable number of copies of this material only for your own personal use. You may not otherwise reproduce, distribute, publicly perform, publicly display, or create derivative works of this material, unless authorized by the appropriate copyright owner(s).