MITHOTYN · In the Sign of the Ravens | DIGIPAK CD

CD in digipak.

Background information about 'In the Sign of the Ravens'

There are albums that grab you by the throat from the very first note, and then there are those that creep into your bones like an ancient fog rolling over Scandinavian fields. Mithotyn's "In the Sign of the Ravens" belongs firmly in the latter camp — a raw, majestic slab of Viking metal that feels less like a record and more like a forgotten saga unearthed from a burial mound.

Originally released back in 1997, this debut album from the Swedish band is a cornerstone of the melodic black/Viking metal scene. What strikes you first is the atmosphere: icy tremolo guitars weave around folk-tinged melodies while harsh vocals tell tales of Norse mythology and ancient battles. Tracks like \u201cOn Misty Pathways\u201d and the title track \u201cIn the Sign of the Ravens\u201d carry that unmistakable late-90s Swedish black metal rawness, but with a melodic sensibility that sets Mithotyn apart from their peers. The production is rough around the edges, sure, but that's exactly what gives this album its character — it sounds like it was recorded in a longhouse surrounded by winter.

This reissue on Hammerheart Records brings the album back to life in a proper digipak CD format, and it couldn't come at a better time. For anyone who missed out on the original pressing or wants to revisit this cult classic, this is your chance. The album stands as a vital piece of the puzzle between early black metal and the more folk-infused Viking metal that would follow.

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

Track listing

1. In the Sign of the Ravens
2. The Riddles of the Night
3. Shadows of the Sun
4. On Misty Pathways
5. To Honour the Fallen
6. In the Forest of the Moon
7. The Guardian of the North
8. The Vengeance
9. Freezing Fog
10. Hail the Heroes

Manufacturer: Hammerheart Records BV, P.O. Box 277, 6300 AG Valkenburg, Netherlands, Contact: www.hammerheart.com