"Destroyer": Glasgow Metal Trio ELD VARG Unleash Heavy Nordic Sophomore Album

"Destroyer" is out now [photo: Eld Varg]

Metal and Norse mythology have often been entwined with one another, detailed stories and folklore providing a plentiful amount of inspiration and source material. The latest band combining these to come under my radar is Glasgow powerhouse trio ELD VARG, who have just released their second full length album "Destroyer".

The album opens with "Achaman", a slow-paced, thrashing guitar riff and powerful, punching drums. Straight out the gate, vocalist and guitarist Ollie carries the track with power, commanding the music with ease. A catchy chorus weasels its way into the brain, and the six minute runtime breezes by, no doubt helped by an upbeat tempo change as the mid section twists and turns. The track ends with a rise in tension, setting the scene for the next 40 or so minutes.

Title track and previously released single "Destroyer" is faster, jauntier, and more headbanger-friendly, the lead riff infectious with energy. The solos flex melody and technicality in equal measure, really driving home a strong traditional metal sound.

Music video for "Destroyer" [cred. Eld Varg]

"The Hell of Mirrors" lets the bass shine, a strong anthemic groove as the rest of the band accompany, the vocals ebbing and flowing. The track takes a thrashier turn towards the mid section, an increase in intensity before cycling back to the groove-filled rhythm from before.

"Black Starlight" kicks things off with a very NWOBHM riff; "VI Kings" drives home a more slower, tribalistic sound, channeling the more sludgier Metallica or Megadeth hits. The title is a particular fun play on words, the vocals shouting "Six kings, Vikings", and group vocal chants are perfect for encouraging a crowd singalong.

[photo: Eld Varg]

Throughout the album, there is a greater sense of heaviness and cohesion compared to the band's previous release, each track flowing effortlessly, present all the way up to the finishing combo of "Darkest Waves" and "Crestfallen". The former is a barrage of gallops, a bouncing rhythm hard to not move to, the vocals a rousing call; the latter is a sprawling epic, a great finale lead by soothing waves and an acoustic guitar, taking everything from the previous tracks and putting it all on show.

The end result is clear - Eld Varg are only continuing to refine and build their sound, delivering a Nordic-tinged metal soundscape. It's easy to see how they have earned a reputation.

"Destroyer" is available NOW on all streaming platforms alongside CD and vinyl