Surturs Lohe - Vor Walvaters Thron 12" Vinyl LP Album

- Limited Edition handnumbered

"Vor Walvaters Thron" Album Description:

Surturs Lohe's 2002 album "Vor Walvaters Thron" stands as a fascinating blend of black metal intensity and traditional folk melodies, all filtered through a lens of Germanic pagan reverence. The band's fiery sonic tapestry transports listeners to primeval forests and the mythical halls of Valhalla, offering a glimpse into the spiritual worldview of their pre-Christian ancestors.

Historical Context: Germanic Paganism and the Viking Age

Surturs Lohe emerged within a musical landscape where artists increasingly explored themes of ancient European heritage. The surge of interest in Germanic paganism was, in part, a reaction against the dominance of Christianity and an embrace of a more localized, ancestral spirituality. This was paired with a fascination for the Viking Age, a period of Scandinavian expansion and myth-making.

The band's name itself references Norse mythology: Surtr (or Surtur) is a fire giant destined to battle the gods and bring about Ragnarok, the end of the world. "Lohe" translates to "flame" or "blaze", signifying a destructive yet transformative force.

Musical Exploration: Ancient Fury and Tender Melodies

"Vor Walvaters Thron" ("Before the Father of the Slain's Throne") delivers a compelling mix of raw black metal aggression and melancholic folk passages. Blast beats and distorted guitars provide a driving force that echoes the chaos of battle, while acoustic interludes and choral elements introduce moments of contemplation and reverence for nature.

Songs like "Wigrids Weiten" and "Nebelthronend Wälder" conjure images of vast battlefields and mist-shrouded forests, their lyrics hinting at ancestral wisdom and the cyclical nature of life and death. "Vor Walvaters Thron", the title track, reflects on the warrior's journey and the ultimate goal of entering Valhalla upon a glorious death.