Jötunheimar - 2025 - Ravens of the Heathen Sun

(18:33; Jötunheimar)

Track list:
1. Go Forth As Hel Hath Bade 2:38
2. Ravens of the Heathen Sun 4:47
3. Blackened Flames of Eternal Vengeance 5:18
4. By Naglfar Carried 5:50

Line-up:
Odr - vocals, guitars, keyboards
Crovore - bass
Grim - drums
Valfreyja - voices


UK band Jötunheimar are one of the more recent additions to the UK metal scene, with the band forming as recently as 2023. This summer they self-released their debut EP "Ravens of the Heathen Sun".

The four compositions at hand here takes us on a little bit of a journey, and at least when regarded from a core musical perspective it is a journey with an opening part setting the mood, two songs that flesh out the core elements explored and then a conclusion that ties everything together and takes the EP experience full circle.

Our entry into this universe is an atmospheric creation consisting of a solemn piano, nervous strings and various kinds of sounds, effects and vocal style backing textures that creates a cold but also surprisingly majestic landscape.

The title track makes use of light toned backing vocal effects that has been placed subtly higher in the mix than the main vocals, that comes more across as a voice shouting from a distance, creating a very distinct and appealing mood as far as the vocals are concerned, with the instrumentation contributing with busy, hectic and steady rhythms and fluctuating melody lines provided by tight, hard and majestic guitars. Where the backing vocal details adds a more careful and delicate element to the more majestic and busy input from the guitars and the rhythm section.

On 'Blackened Flames of Eternal Vengeance' the delicate spot is taken up by keyboard textures, emphasizing a more cold and chill mood as a defining aspect of this composition. The pace is a bit slower here, and early on we also get an elongated side step into an ambient landscape where the solemn piano from the opening returns and is accompanied by the cold and chill keyboards we find in the background elsewhere on this composition.

The concluding 'By Naglfar Carried' see the return of the piano and string elements from the opening mood piece as a recurring feature, on this occasion accompanied by parts and sequences that incorporate elements explored in the previous two songs, as well as taking some side steps into both subtly folk flavored landscapes as well as higher paced and more intense forays into the extreme metal realm. The diversity of this composition alongside the inclusion of elements from the previous three compositions make this song come across as a summary of this EP as a whole, and if this carries over to the lyrics as well then this musical aspect will obviously emphasize that dimension.

My impression is that this is a tasteful creation inside of the extreme metal tradition, where a high degree of care and attention has been used in order to establish more distinct moods and atmospheres. This isn't a band that sets out to be the most evil or the ones that showcase the most intense aggression, but rather a more reflective and perhaps even slightly introspective take on the extreme metal form. And while I haven't checked out the lyrics here, at least from a musical point of view I feel like a description along the lines of extreme metal for intellectuals may not be all that far off. A solid debut EP, if hard, powerful and majestic extreme metal with a focus on moods and atmosphere is music you tend to find enjoyable.

Olav M. Björnsen, August 2025

Links:
https://www.facebook.com/jotunheimarband