Well, this album is in my opinion weaker essence of the latest great work With Oden On Our side from Swedish Amon Amarth (truly they had to strike through to something better :-)).

The most songs go in the middle tempo, songs are classic - northern myths and legends go alive again, but in much worse form than on their long playing debut Once Sent From The Golden Hall, which brought some change into metal music. However invention (or ideas, if you wish) after this successful work slowly faded away in the mists of northern seas like Viking ship burned after raid of Normans.

Nevertheless, so that I wouldn't only criticize, one song is really well made - and it is the fourth song from this album - Pursuit Of Vikings. Superb, but over and over repeated riff, which Amon Amarth play live very often (last time this song was part of their new DVD Wrath Of The Norsemen from 2006). Other instruments are also well played and it's well sung - for me the number one on this album.

Better make your own opinion about the rest of the album, many people don't like it, for many others it's the best album (for example in Germany this album became album of the month in the prestigious magazine Rock Hard).