Thundra - Ignored by Fear (2009)

Thundra is a Viking metal band from Norway who have released two previous albums, featuring current and ex-members of bands like Evig Natt, Throne of Katarsis, Einherjer, and Enslaved. The style here is adventurous, traveling between Borknagar-style epic Viking black, snarled and soaring clean folk vocals, and a fairly prevalent infusion of both melodic and brutal death metal. The result is a competent album, with varied pacing, but like their first two efforts, I found myself losing interest quickly.

It's not for a lack of trying, and the album is interesting in how it can so quickly shift gears within the confines of a single track. "Storm Within" soars from brutal, explosive death metal to glorious melodic black hooks, later to transform into bluesy leads over atmospheric, clean guitars. "Formed by Power" surges with old school Scandinavian black/death glory, breaking for folk vocal chorus parts and uplifting, tranquil sections of slowed, churning rhythms and expressive lead work. "As I" opens with lower register piano into a blitz of grinding melodic death metal riffs, with a progressive structure winding through its myriad riffs. This was my favorite song on the album, reminiscent of Borknagar, Vintersorg, Yearning, and perhaps even Winds. I also liked the savage, mug swilling album closer "The Gate".

The production of Ignored by Fear is dense and covers for its diversity well. The guitars transform from chugging to epic flowing chords with no strain, the and battery of the drums is constant. Vocalist Steven Grindhaug has a hybrid black/death metal voice which reminds me of old Unleashed or even old Moonspell. The cleans are composed well as both narrative and soaring male chorus parts. Thundra is a solid band, one of the more diverse of the Viking/folk category. Ignored by Fear is tight and professional, but I just didn't find the majority of the songs memorable.

Verdict: Indifference [6/10]

http://www.thundra.net/