MITHOTYN · Gathered Around the Oaken Table | BLACK 2LP

Black double vinyl in gatefold cover. Remastered edition with new artwork by Kris Verwimp.

Background information about 'Gathered Around the Oaken Table'

There are albums that age like fine mead, and then there's Mithotyn's swansong "Gathered Around the Oaken Table" - a record that has only grown more legendary with each passing year since its 1999 release. Now, Napalm Records finally gives this Viking Metal classic the treatment it deserves: a full remaster, fresh artwork by the brilliant Kris Verwimp, and - for the very first time - a proper vinyl pressing.

What makes this album so damn special is how effortlessly Mithotyn weave together the frostbitten fury of Black Metal with the warm, storytelling heart of Folk Metal. The riffs are razor-sharp yet strangely melodic, the blast beats hit hard but never at the expense of atmosphere. Vocalist Stefan "Stefan" Weinerhall delivers those strained blackened rasps that sound like they're being ripped straight from some ancient Nordic battlefield, but then - out of nowhere - clean chants emerge like a war horn through the fog.

Tracks like "The Well of Mimir" and "Hearts of Stone" showcase the band's uncanny ability to shift from aggressive, neck-snapping intensity to haunting, almost beautiful passages without missing a beat. It's heavy, sure - but not in the pummeling, brute-force way of some of their peers. This is a thinking person's Viking Metal record, one that rewards repeated listens with new melodic discoveries each time.

The remaster breathes new life into these songs, giving the guitars more bite and the drums more punch while preserving that raw, organic feel that made the original so beloved. If you've only ever heard this on a worn-out CD, prepare to be floored.

For fans of:
Falkenbach, Thyrfing, Windir, Moonsorrow, Bathory (Viking era)

Track listing

1. Lord of Ironhand
2. Watchmen of the Wild
3. In the Clash of Arms
4. Hearts of Stone
5. The Well of Mimir
6. Chariot of Power
7. Nocturnal Riders
8. The Guardian
9. Imprisoned
10. Guided by History
11. The Old Rover
12. Bland Vargars YI

Manufacturer: Napalm Records Handels GmbH, Hammerplatz 2, 8790 Eisenerz, Austria , Contact: napalmrecords.com