Fortid - World Serpent
FORTID have artistically captured such a cataclysmic turning point with their sixth full-length "World Serpent" by creating an album that essentially consists of two halves of five songs each. Although both parts have diverging musical visions and even different line-ups, they complement each other rather than to constitute two separate entities. "I see 'World Serpent' as a duology", explains mastermind Einar Eldur Thorberg. "The chapters are bound together by an apocalyptic theme that provides a red thread running through this album."

Although the title refers to the mythological Midgard Serpent as a cleverly chosen metaphor as this beast from ancient tales is also a symbol for the equator, circling the globe and thus dividing it into two halves, FORTID have deliberately not used Old Norse literature apart from some metaphors in the lyrics of their new songs. "I dont want to get stuck in that Viking metal box", explains the multi-instrumentalist. "I take the freedom to do what I want and evolve."
The other main clamp holding both parts of the album together are, of course, Einar's trademark riffs and distinct vocals. "In the first part, I experimented a bit with influences from Bay Area thrash both in the singing and the guitar sound", he reveals. "The second part sees a return to a more black metal approach with screams and clean vocals." Yet, not only the sources of inspiration set both halves apart, but the fact that Einar moved back from Norway to his native Iceland for personal reasons and left the previous FORTÍÐ line-up behind as well, which had already recorded the first five tracks. Back on the volcanic island, he recorded five more songs aided by Kristjen Einar Gumundsson (Kontinuum, Potentiam).

Despite some subtle experimentation and drastic line-up changes, FORTIDÐ are still following the course that Einar set on the-trilogy of albums from 2003 to 2010 as well as the acclaimed "Pagan Prophecies" (2012) and "9" (2015) full-lengths: He combines harsh black and death metal riffing as well as a pinch of thrash with a penchant for epic melodies, versatile vocals and a dose of "Icelandic sound". With "World Serpent", FORTÍÐ have unleashed a dark and deadly creature onto the pagan metal world!
Release date December 11th - please review in your issues coming out in late November/early December.

Tracklist
1. AI 2020
2. The True Awakening
3. Controlled Patterned Mental Process
4. Insignificant is the Wormking's Throne
5. Suppressed Opposition
6. Son of a Barren Land
7. Pandemic
8. Beyond the Grips of Odium
9. Perfect Annihilation
10. Last Line of Defence