German band Norsegod blend melodic death metal with pagan and black metal influences and Viking-related themes in an epic sound they describe as “melodic, unbounded and charismatic.”
The band, who hail from Chemnitz, in eastern Germany, is formed of Tony (vocals and rhythm guitar), Philip (lead guitar), Kenny (bass) and Stefan (drums, backing vocals), a bunch of metalheads who “find joy in death metal, core and many other metal facets.” The band started out in a small rehearsal room in 2016, completing the lineup the following year and upgrading their setup substantially over the years.
On the sound they’ve crafted, Kenny told us: “The Norsegod sound can’t be put into one genre. We’re not bound to a single idea – we’re a mix of different influences and personalities, and we think that pays off. Expect something melodic yet raw and powerful. We’re not trying to copy anyone, so our sound naturally blends styles into something uniquely our own.”
Our first taste of this is Rise Up, which was released last month. It starts with a darting riff that continues as heavier guitars, driving drums and Tony’s intense screams take over. That drops into guttural growls and slower, chugging guitars, before launching back into the lively riff and intense screams, which picks up pace with a lively riff and big driving drums. The dark growls and guitars return to bring the track to a powerful conclusion.
On the track, Kenny said: “We were blown away by the reception of Rise Up. We stepped up our production quality and people noticed. We also explored new vocal styles and added some synths to give the track a more modern edge. The message behind Rise Up is simple: You are not alone! We want to encourage positivity, strength, and persistence. The song is meant to be universal, which is why we chose English lyrics. Expect heavy breakdowns, melodic riffs, and a modern sound.”
Rise Up follows on from Norsegod’s 2024 EP Urgewalt and a couple of albums, Freiheit and Aufbruch. They offer up plenty more dark Nordic goodness, including the EP featuring the moody Walvaters Pfand, a personal favourite in the bouncy Ragnarok, and the lively Herz des Waldes.
The Norsegod sound draws on a wide range of musical influences. Philip and Tony are big into core-driven bands like As I Lay Dying, August Burns Red, Polaris and Electric Callboy. Stefan is heavily influenced by the tight, driving drums of bands like Rammstein and In Extremo and Kenny loves power metal, led by the mighty chugs of Amon Amarth.
There’s plenty more to come from Norsegod, who’ll be releasing their new song Nachtfahrt, which they tell us is “a forward-pushing track with strong melodies, tight synths, and fun lyrics, this time in German,” in addition to some newly recorded music. They’ll also be busy gigging, including playing in Dresden tomorrow, with tickets available here, with next year’s shows including “some open-air madness.”
And Kenny added: “We’ve got a lot of ideas up our sleeves. Rise Up is only the beginning of a new era for us. We want to share our music with an international audience – and hell, we’d love to play abroad one day.”
You can follow Norsegod on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, and check out their music on Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube.
Listen to Norsegod and more new bands on our Spotify playlists GigRadar Core and GigRadar Metal
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