SIG, AR, and TYR are the names of three letters of the old North European runic alphabet. These runic symbols represent the forces of chaos, balance, and order. SIG:AR:TYR began in 2003 as a one-man project from London, Ontario, Canada dedicated to the mythology of Northern Europe. Northen is its first album in over 5 years years, and also the first to feature additional musicians besides mastermind, Daemonskald. On the concept behind the album:

"Near the end of the Viking age, the Norse set out from Greenland to explore new lands to the West, now understood as the east coast of Canada, including Baffin Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, and possibly even further inland to New Brunswick and the northeastern United States. Unlike the permanent settlements in Greenland, their stay here was short-lived, and we are still discovering the extent of their travels, the artifacts from their small settlements, and unfolding the tales of their interaction with the native cultures here at the time. This is a tale of tribute to this small group of adventurers, who with a dynamic and individualistic spirit, were willing to throw stability and comfort aside to explore mysterious new places like Helluland, Markland, and Vinland, and be their own master in a changing world. A world where their old ways and traditions were fading, a world where sons turned away from their father’s faith, and where some rediscovered the path of the Northen…”

The story-telling qualities are definitely front and center when it comes to this album. The band is not afraid to take their time with lengthy compositions dragging the full runtime out to over an hour. Thankfully, they are also adept at making those minutes count musically as well. Songs go through a number of stylistic shifts within the folk metal genre, from Amon Amarth to Bathory to Opeth to early Borknagar. Acoustic guitars give way to blastbeats and back again. Morning minstrels trade favors with galloping hordes. And while the pace is often slow to mid-range, there is no less urgency in the sound. The title track in particular shows the group's ability to creak some really banging hooks and shredding solos.

I do have somewhat of a complaint in the vocal department. They are what I can't describe any better than a "blackened whisper." These screams are harsh, yes, and certainly fit into the early BM camp. But they come through a bit quiet and wispy for my taste. In comparison to the powerful guitar harmonies and otherwise full production, it leaves me wanting more. The delivery is not bad; just distracting enough at times to make me consider how more presence could have elevated songs to another level.

Even so, Northen is still an album worth your time. The instrumentation is very evocative of times long past. It takes you on journeys over vast oceans with nothing but a dream on the horizon, unforgiving open landscapes, and fireswept battlefields. Less of a warcry than the output of many genre peers, SIG:AR:TYR seem more focused on the tragic elements of the history. Mind you this is from someone who was more focused on the music than the lyrics, but I fail to see how songs that sound so sorrowful could be about anything else.

If you are thirsty for a draught of more folk metal this year, I would encourage you to check out Northen. It may not have the intensity of some of the other offerings this year, but you won't leave feeling dissapointed either. Not everything about the vikings was women and ale, after all.