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The black metal trio Helrunar hails from Germany, but their music is straight from the icy shores of Scandinavia. This is the band's second full-length CD.

Baldr Ok Iss is sufficiently cold and bleak, but also has a lot of melody. The songs are mainly medium tempo, but Helrunar periodically amps up the blast beats. Sparse, acoustic interludes add a nice change of pace add some warmth to the album. Helrunar is influenced by bands like Enslaved and Darkthrone, but have their own original take on the genre.


The vocals on the album range from black metal rasps to melodic singing to spoken word. The final track uses traditional lyrics recited and sung with a very sparse arrangement. Baldr Ok Iss doesn't initially dazzle you, but upon subsequent listens its impact increases.

(released April 29, 2008 on Prophecy North America)