Helheim | Av Norrøn Ætt |Darkness Shall Rise Productions (Reissue/Remastered)

Release Date: September 10^th, 2025

Format: LP/CD/Digital

Genre: Nordic Black Metal

Country: Norway

Helheim came out of Bergen in the early 90s, deep in the Norwegian black metal surge, but always walking their own path. From the beginning they mixed frostbitten aggression with old Norse spirit, history, and a strange melodic instinct that never sounded decorative. By the time they reached their second full length in 1997, the band had already sharpened their identity and pushed it further into darker, stranger territory.

“Av Norrøn Ætt” picks up right after “Jormundgand” and tightens the grip. Everything here is bigger, harsher, and more demanding. The black metal side turns more chaotic and restless, while the Viking and folk elements dig deeper into ancient ground. The vocal shift is crucial; the shrill screams are gone, replaced by a grim, almost inhuman croak that suits the album’s colder and more hostile character. This change alone gives the material a heavier presence and a darker personality.

The songwriting stretches out into long, twisting compositions that refuse to play nice. These tracks take their time, stacking ideas, shifting tempos, and dragging the listener through frozen landscapes without mercy. The arrangements are layered and ambitious, never simple, never casual. The title track “Av Norrøn Ætt” rises above the rest as a massive hybrid of black metal, Viking atmosphere, and progressive turns that feel dangerous rather than clever. It is one of those songs that define an era for a band.

Comparisons to early Enslaved, especially around the “Eld” period, make sense, but Helheim never sound like followers here. This album stands as the high point of their creative stretch, a release where everything aligned and burned fiercely. The remaster by Patrick W. Engel brings extra punch without stripping away the raw edge, and the expanded packaging and interview add real value for anyone who cares about this era. “Av Norrøn Ætt” remains a towering release in Norwegian black metal history. It is demanding, dark, and deeply rooted in its own world, with no interest in easy access. Decades later, it still hits hard and refuses to fade into nostalgia.

Score: 8.3