It begins with an eerie backwards fiddle, then the beats kick in, banging for dear life, and the cool, authoritative voice of Emma Härdelin floats over the top. It's the third Garmarna album, fulfilling every promise ... more »they'd made on their first two records. The ancient and modern achieve an almost perfect balance here, the original material sounding as if it should be centuries old. Blood, guts, violence, love, they're all here, every aspect of the human condition. While the band conjures up musical magic, it's Härdelin who emerges as the sorceress, the true star, with a voice that just seems to bewitch. Put it all together, and you have something that's more than the sum of its impressive parts. This is the record you always knew Garmarna could make. --Chris Nickson« less
It begins with an eerie backwards fiddle, then the beats kick in, banging for dear life, and the cool, authoritative voice of Emma Härdelin floats over the top. It's the third Garmarna album, fulfilling every promise they'd made on their first two records. The ancient and modern achieve an almost perfect balance here, the original material sounding as if it should be centuries old. Blood, guts, violence, love, they're all here, every aspect of the human condition. While the band conjures up musical magic, it's Härdelin who emerges as the sorceress, the true star, with a voice that just seems to bewitch. Put it all together, and you have something that's more than the sum of its impressive parts. This is the record you always knew Garmarna could make. --Chris Nickson
"Everyone who heard God's Musicians or Vittrad know that Garmarna plays old Swedish folk songs, and makes it move mountains. This record is no exception, but its somewhat different from God's Musicians. It has got more of a synth-style background, which takes it closer to "normal" music, and that why I don't put a 5-rating on it. God's musicians was so far from what you normally hear, but Vengeance is closer with it's chords and tunes. There are also more modern instruments involved, as pianos, synths and so on. If you ever heard Hedningarna, its more like them. However, I still like it more that God's Musicians, since this one takes their concept furhter, but closer. This makes it ideal as a starter for you journey into the Swedish Ethno Folkmusic, but if you are already a fan of Garmarna, this is YOUR choice! "The Vulture" (I think thats the name, I've got the Swedish version, on which it's called "Gamen") is actually really close to the techno vibes of The Prodigy, while Euchari is more of an hypnotic chanting. And, as usual, the lyrics are so good that it's horrendous! Taste this: "The first day she stood as bride, the next day chained in iron". If you're not familiar with the Swedish language, I'm happy to offer free translations."
Music to raise the dead with!
Bernard R. Baker | 10/27/2002
(4 out of 5 stars)
"From the first kick-off of astounding techno merged with ancient Scandinavian to the last, soaring note, Garmarna manages to make an album which brings Swedish legends to life. My favorites on the CD have to be the opening hair-raiser, "Gamen," the CD's title track with its unforgettable opening sound of a heart beating, "Vedergallningen," and the melodic "Euchari." And it is obvious from a glance at the CD's lyrics (sadly only printed in English) that Garmarna wastes no time on toning down the blood, violence, and magic of its selected folk tales. Another plus is Emma's beautiful, soaring voice, but even when it's absent the instrumentalists do a wonderful job, as evidenced by the song's only non-vocal track, "Polska."The CD's only drawback, I believe, is the lack of explosive emotion and sound immediately following the opening track. The ending track has actually put me to sleep a few times, disappointingly, and the rest of the CD seems unable to match the frenzied pace set by "Gamen." Still, this album is definitely worth your money, whatever the drawback."
New soundtrack for Bergman's "Virgin Spring"
Bernard R. Baker | 04/23/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"But seriously folks, if it were possible to respectfully and successfully do a remake of "Virgin Spring", this would be my choice of a soundtrack for it. If you love this music, rent the video and see if you agree. Garmarna has woven its mastery of the Swedish medieval ballad, with all its sorcery, passion, violence, and the doom laden shadow of Ragnar¿k, into a hypnotic tapestry that modern instruments and technology only enhance. This band has perfected the vision which has guided it through its previous five star efforts, and it will be a hard act to follow.Emma's voice and presentation is the most poignant and believable in Nordic music today, with a loving nod to my friends Kirsten Br?ten Berg and Agnes Buen Garn?s of Norway who, from one generation earlier, will never be duplicated. Even Emma's physical presentation, as shown on the enhanced CD's video of "Gamen" adds to the effect Garmarna creates. She might be Urda, risen to advise Odin on how to avoid G¿tterdammerung, or a valkyrja appearing to a warrior in anticipation of his death and ride to Valhalla. Garm (Garmarna means, literally, "The Garms") is the hound at the gates of hel, whose baying is one of the portents of Ragnar¿k, the doom of the gods. Perhaps the Fenris wolf will break free on Garmarna's next CD, bringing down Odin and moving the universe one step closer to a new reality. Hopefully skipping Christianity and capitalism this time!"
Odd but successful mix...
dzintars | 09/22/2000
(4 out of 5 stars)
"It truely is an odd but successful mix of folk and rock. Somehow, even under all of the grinding of the electric guitars and the rapid beat of the drums, the folkloric aspect of the music still dominates and dictates the tone. The singer has a really awsome voice, soft and melodic, which provides a well-balanced contrast to the sometimes violent rythms of the instuments. I do have to agree with a previous review that it is a shame that the lyrics are printed only in English, while the songs are sung only is Swedish. I always find it interesting to compare and contrast, or try to sing along, even if I do not know the language.The CD also includes a small video, which makes the agressive but also hypnotic caracter of the music visible! All in all, another amazing product from NorthSide!!"
Vengeance Comes Dark and Bloody from Garmarna
Wil | AL | 03/11/2005
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Garmarna's growth over the course of three albums, from 1994's Vittrad to this disc, released in 1999, is amazing. Starting off as a simple folk/rock outfit, Garmarna has, to paraphrase the words of one band member, evolved from a folk band into something else. That something else includes rollicking electronic grooves and an aural soundscape that was only hinted at on previous efforts by this Swedish outfit.
The album gets off to a heavy start with Gamen. It then crashes to a halt into the Pre-Medieval Industrial groove of Euchari, originally a hymn penned by abbess Hildergard von Bingen in the middle ages.
Another track of note includes the dark bloody title track, both eerie and unnerving at the same time, with lyrics (though sung in Swedish, the English lyrics are included) about murder, drinking blood and wild beasts. Of course, this is typical of Garmarna's lyrical fare. Only here the music really provides the appropriate backdrop to the disturbing traditional tunes.
As a whole, the album loses its intensity as the disc wears on, but don't let this keep you from getting into other wonderful tracks such as Herr Holkin, Polska (the one tune closest to their previous work) or Sorgsen Ton.
I would like to hear more rootsy stuff but this is a great disc nonetheless. It would be nice to hear an album that combined the best of their early folk work with the electronica of this album. One can only hope. In the meantime, immerse yourself in the world of Garmarna -- you won't regret it."