The Varangian Way

Turisas | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 17, 2007)
• Original Release Date: 2007
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Century Media
• ASIN: B000R7I2HY
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #41,946 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Puts all other viking metal to shame, July 26, 2007

By 

stagecrewlizzy "nomisofsiman" (Wheaton, IL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Varangian Way (Audio CD)

Viking metal, while it has been criticized has had a good following with innovators Manowar in additon to bands like Amon Amarth continuing its success. While those bands are good and all (although very corny at times) I always got the sense that the best of this genre hasn't come out. Well, I've got news for you all that band has arrived and its name is Turisas. Turisas mixes power metal, death metal, classic metal and symphonic metal mixed all together and it sounds great. The 8 tracks here are very complex compositions at times that are quite rocking at the same time. These guys have some major talent and are here to stay, so if you like viking metal or if you have an open mind to metal of all types, give Turisas a shot. You won't be disappointed.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Amazingly epic music., May 30, 2008

By 

James Hall "Black Metal Connoisseur" (Pittsburgh, PA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Varangian Way (Audio CD)

The Varangian Way. Awesome, inspiring, moving and well... epic! This is a great piece of folk-metal if I've ever heard one. The guitar work, the wind instruments, vocals, everything is fantastic on this album. If you love folk-metal you owe it to yourself to pick this album up right now.

There is a bit of a side-note, however. With all the applause I give this band/album I COMPLETELY agree with the reviewer McFate. I truly wish some of the more head-banging songs would let the hook stay in the mouth a bit longer and allow more of the sound to build onto itself culminating in ... well ... more head-banging! It's always been my love/hate of progressive metal. While technical and overwhelming at times some of the time I am left feeling like I wanted to hear more heavier vocals and more hair-swaying melodies. That might be one of the reasons this band is so great, though. They can pull you in easy as pie and keep you there for the duration of the album, making you play it again despite your "wants" and "needs".

A truly EPIC piece of musical harmony and thought-out album planning at it's greatest. Buy this. You won't regret it.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Turisas - The Varangian Way, May 22, 2008

By 

Richard Terry (Denver, CO United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Varangian Way (Audio CD)

Hailing from Finland, folk metal fans have been blessed with the epic music from Turisas. The Varangian Way was a fantastic release of 2007 and the band does not stray from their Viking roots. In many ways this album is a solid continuation of 2003's Battle Metal, and the album tells a fun story of men from the north who travel along the Eastern European river routes. They pillage and plunder on the way through Kiev (Ukraine) and finally Constantinople, which is modern day Istanbul (Turkey).

To Holmgard and Beyond is one of the best tracks on the album. It is a powerful song that prepares the listener for the journey back in time. A Portage to the Unknown has some fun accordian parts and singer Mathias Nygĺrd, also known as `Warlord' shows his wide range of vocal abilities. The final track, Miklagard Overture, is definitely the opus of the album and it is quite epic. The heroes finally make it to Constantinople, the Christian capital of the Eastern Roman Empire. All sorts of musical instruments accompany the 8-plus minutes of the finale.

This is the second album Turisas have released on Century Media Records, with the first being Battle Metal. Both releases are excellent. Turisas' unique brand of folk metal fits well with modern heavy metal and all of the musicians perform very well. I also had the privelage of seeing Turisas live with Ensiferum, Tyr, and Eluveitie on the `PaganFest 2008' tour. Turisas had a fantastic live show and each member of the band showed a lot of emotion and passion with the music. This album is highly recommended and is very worthy of 5 stars. \m/