​SAVAGE, BEAUTIFUL AND COMPLETELY UNIQUE!!

Back in high school, during the winter months of my sophomore and junior years, I would often arrive at school quite early, before anyone else had arrived, indeed before the sun had even risen.  Like many of the students there, I had an MP3 player to keep me company while I was busy learning absolutely nothing.  During those cold, lightless, solitary hours, I could often be found huddled on the ground, back against a light pole, listening to Bloodaxe's 'Raping The Ancient'.  I can't think of a better soundtrack for that.  It's cold, it's dark, it's lonely, it's this album in physical form.  It's almost inconceivable to me that this music could come from someone living in a populated area.  The country of origin fits completely: the realm of Vinland is certainly the sort of land that such raw, frigid and oddly beautiful music would come from.  But the region makes little sense; Thunder Bay, Ontario?  With a population of over a hundred thousand?  Impossible.  This is the sort of thing that must have come out of the frozen northern tundra of the region, with a population per thousand square mile ratio about as low as the temperature.  It's such pure outsider music, almost exclusively designed for listening alone and introspectively, that any real contact with another person would simply ruin the ambiance of the album.  I can't imagine a better soundtrack for wandering for days alone in the snow. Bloodaxe plays a very raw form of viking black metal that I've never quite heard anywhere else.  I and a number of other people I know have expressed complaints over what the name 'viking metal' is attached to.  We personally find it quite absurd to think that the vikings would have been listening to Falkenbach if given any choice at all.  Bloodaxe, on the other hand, is most certainly something that should be called viking metal, presuming the term didn't carry the connotations that it does.  As you could probably guess, there's not even the barest trace of folk influence apart from the two acoustic guitar pieces that act as bookends to the album.  Even these, like the rest of the instrumentation on the album, are kept short and minimal.  The music on here is essentially the exact opposite of, say, Ensiferum: the music here is not only some of the coldest I've ever heard, but some of the most desolate and barren as well.  You will never hear a keyboard, a violin, a chorus, or any other sort of embellishment on this album. Did I mention that 'Raping The Ancient' is fucking frigid?  Well, it can't be overstated.  It's truly music from the Tundra; dry, glacial, and remarkably unforgiving.  Some of the songs here rival 'Transilvanian Hunger' in simply how enormously dark and merciless they are, and nearly best it on a number of them.  Every sound on this album has had all the sonic moisture sapped from it, leaving every instrument hugely dry, windy and raw.  All the melodies are simple, short, yet full, and the riffs are all fully functioning despite how bare-bones they may be, ranging from the somewhat complex ('Superior Winds') to the devastatingly primitive ('While You Lie Bleeding').  Some of the riffs here are composed of just two chords, with only the somewhat audible bass providing a bit of depth to the melody.  Such dedication to minimalism would hurt many bands, but it only enhances the heartless, polar atmosphere of 'Raping The Ancient'. The guitar tone is viciously beautiful.  The vast majority of the riffs are tremolo-based, with distortion hopelessly overdriven to make them even more distinct.  The guitars and bass actually sound like keyboards more than stringed instruments at times, simply because there is essentially no semblance of rhythm to be found in the guitar or bass.  You can't hear individual notes on most of the songs on the album: only the gradual shifting of tones, gently scooping out these melodies with a sound that is at once soft yet razor sharp, the flow of notes changing like wind or water.  Drums are almost exclusively relegated to blasting patterns apart from some rock beats on the later songs, and their sound is similarly agonizingly dry.  Bass is a dull throb in the background, always audible but never at the forefront of the compositions, creating a sort of intangible heartbeat for the music to rest on.  The voice of Lien is possibly the most heartless element of all, with black metal rasps that seem devoid of all humanity and mercy, like the very voice of winter itself.  The occasional venture into clean territory is really no reprieve: such a sound is a monotonous and atonal narrative more than any actual singing. The album is nearly like a wintry landscape itself, neatly divided into two essential halves.  The first of these is the brutality and harshness of nature, taking the form of the first seven tracks on the album.  Even the intro, 'Midvinterblod', is testament to such a theme, name being a dedication to the viking rituals of hanging slain game in the trees as a sacrifice to the gods.  The next six tracks start and end without warning, short, two-minute bursts of violence that all resemble each other greatly.  The tempo for each is almost identical, as are vocals and drum patterns, leaving only the riffs to really distinguish each piece from the next.  Each track begins without any sort of dynamics and ends just as abruptly, as Bloodaxe sees no real reason to toy around once the story has been told.  There's an unbelievable savagery to these compositions, a sort of devastating indifference towards human life that most black metal bands could only wish to represent in their music. The next half is quite a different story.  This section seems to be more dedicated to the rugged beauty of nature, despite its deadly and often cruel nature.  Starting with 'Drifting Of Ull', the pace remains the same, but a clear change overtakes the music.  Lien's lyrics are no longer venomously spit out in fits and starts, but rather delivered nostalgically with bits of improvised rhythm.  The melodies, too, are like the Aurora Borealis in the Arctic sky: cold and dark, but unbelievably passionate and beautiful as well.  The riffs at the end of the next track, 'Thirteen Oar's Of Misfortune', follow suit with a similarly majestic tone.  This is perhaps the most 'viking' of all the tracks on the album, at least in the sense that most metalheads know it by: more willingly epic than the other tracks, and with double bass patterns generally taking precedence over blast beats, adding an element of militarism to the atmosphere.  'While You Lie Bleeding', however, is the clear centerpiece of the album: the longest at over seven minutes, it represents 'Raping The Ancient''s sole move to a tempo below fast, instead opting for a steady, mid-paced trudge to move the song forward.  The drumming is more dynamic and the strange, shamanistic vocals of Lien stretch over wide swaths of time, with the riffs relegated to a droning background piece, a tad more conventional than the rest, but similarly frostbitten in tone.  Its slow fade before outro 'Gammellandet', perhaps the most 'normally' beautiful track on this disc, is one that never ceases to amaze me with its endlessly powerful construction. Bloodaxe will never be a very popular band.  The music is stunningly harsh, and possesses a beauty carved from pure ice.  It's music that offers no warmth or sympathy whatsoever to the listener, instead marching ever forward in its neverending quest for savage violence and perhaps even more savage beauty.  For those few of us that would revel in the unbelievable harshness of the music here, though, it is an instant classic, worthy of infinite listens, with an aesthetic that only grows more impassioned with time.  Beyond highly recommended; this is very nearly mandatory!  96%

Nockturn - Encylopedia Metallum

​

From Northern Ontario, Bloodaxe is a previously unknown band to me. Certain black metal bands manage to capture a certain energy, especially back in the golden era, early to mid-90's. So it isn't often you feel and hear that in today's commercial metal atmosphere. Bloodaxe captures that iron spirit of yesterday. This is truly up there with the best. Music you have to hear to appreciate. But, nonetheless, I'll try to describe... The music is both rich and raw, dark and cold, with a continuous vibe. The vocals, gritty and hoarse, are done at a pace slower than usual, fitting perfectly and very powerful. One the best black metal bands I've heard in a long, long time. Extremely recommended! (Although recorded in February 2002, Raping the Ancient was not released until November 2004, due to setbacks)

Mourning The Ancient (U.S.A)

 
From Thunder Bay Ontario hails a new Canadian Viking squad. Raping the Ancient is the second full length release of black viking noise. Pure violence no melodies no rowdy drinking hymns. Just smash you in the head battle music. I was looking forward to hearing this disc because I have heard good things about their debut album. I say they, but I think it is really a one man band with session members. All the songs are exactly the same in pace and drumming and if you are not paying close attention it is one 32 minute punishing song. It would be easy to say inspired by Sweden’s In Battle since Bloodaxe’s first demo was called In Battle, but the only real similarity is the lyrical content and the speed, though In Battle played faster. This is a disc aimed at true fans of black metal, not casual metal fans that own a Burzum and a Mayhem shirt but can’t tell the two bands apart. I have heard many albums from many bands that play for the sheer pleasure of torturing listeners, and most lack any sense of structure. Bloodaxe, on the surface, is one of these bands with, aside from the intensity, the redeeming value coming in the form of some good riffs here and there and the occasional passage that screams for the rewind button. The guitar is really buried and is overly simplistic, neither of which is necessarily a problem, and the differences from song to song are very subtle. The lyrics are full of Odin, wolves and ravens, nothing unexpected but reasonably well written, and apologies are given to the Havamal. Only two songs really impressed me enough to single out here. “Thirteen Oars of Misfortune” is musically more diverse but not monumentally so. “While You Lie Bleeding”, aside from the distracting weird vocal effect on the spoken lines, deserves mention as well but it does drag on a bit too long. The instrumental “Loki’s Fury” has easily the best drumming on the album and some memorable riffs, otherwise the album is basically interchangeable songs. I give Nordavinden Lien credit for what he has produced and look forward to his next offering. Better than most but not among the best, yet.

Digital Metal (U.S.A)

As the self-proclaimed "Force from the North," Bloodaxe indeed do represent boreal black metal, despite the fact that they aren't what many would geographically expect. Hailing from Canada (although frontman and band founder Nordavinden claims Nordic roots), their moniker does not lie, and they deliver forth some scathing black metal worthy of any nation. Like so many black metal bands, Bloodaxe consists of only two men, with Nordavinden handling guitar, bass, and vocal duties while Rati pounds on the skins. Their release "Raping the Ancient" is as solid as anything and contains all the necessary elements to make black metal fans happy. Raping the Ancient" kicks off with a twisted synth-violin intro, then launches into an unrelenting assault of raw black metal. Distorted guitars, harsh screeches, and blasting drumbeats have all wed in the unholiest of unions. Lyrically, Bloodaxe are as evil as any band, vowing to "kill the untrue" on "Haunting the Runes" and to " pour out the gas … light the fucking match … burn your lies down to the ground." Obviously they have no love for Christianity and a serious affinity for Nordic/black metal pride. The only slight downside of this release is the production - obviously with many black metal bands a choice is made for a lesser level of production to give the music a more raw feeling. However, Bloodaxe would benefit from upping their production level just a bit, because on "Raping the Ancient" some of the instruments tend to bleed together at times, making the song a bit hard to follow. However, this is not a major problem and shouldn't deter anyone's enjoyment of the album. In addition, it's a fairly short disc, clocking in at just over 32 minutes. Despite these minor flaws Bloodaxe have put forth their best foot here, and "Raping the Ancient" is an album worthy of all metal warriors, northern or not!

The Gauntlet (U.S.A.)

 
Formed on May 17th, 2000 in Thunder Bay Northern Ontario by Norwegian-Canadian Nordavinden Lien. A project dedicated to his Norwegian roots, pagan history, nature, war, hatred, violence and death. Influenced heavily by great Canadian thrash pioneers such as Anvil, Razor, Sacrifice, Exciter and mixed with the rawness of Venom, Hellhammer and early other speed metal." In this fashion our newly found friend Lien introduces his brain child Bloodaxe. Except for a little help from Rati on session drums, the man has handled the entire project by himself, and has done so ever since he first got the idea on a drunken celebration of Norway's national day, the 17th of May. Raping The Ancient was originally recorded in 2002, but due to numerous problems it wasn't released until November 2004. And now, nearly a year later, I'm ready to lay down some well considered thoughts on his 33-minutes long relentless opus. First of all, and let's get this straight at once; this isn't for everyone. Harsh, raw and unpolished are keywords, a kind of black metal that to some might come across as rather monotonous, whereas others might dismiss the criticism and hail the strive for the most evil of atmospheres. I won't try to give Nordavinden opinions he might not have, but I'm feeling pretty certain about him belonging to the latter group. The album opens with a little fiddle-playing, clearly showcasing the man's roots to the north. From there on he never looks back, and 7 scintillating black metal attacks spew out their little piece of hell. And I have to say, mostly it works out rather well. The riffs are grim and repetitive without getting boring, and the man's vocals are exactly as ugly-sounding as they need to be. The only real issue I have is with the drums, as they, at least to my ears, seem to be a bit out of line every now and then. But despite the fact that things might go a bit faster than what's required, some tempo-changes create some nice variety to the material. That being kept in mind, the album tends to get a tad tedious towards the end, perhaps a track or two could've been left out to create a more stable, intense listening experience. But all in all the talent is surely there, and I hope to hear more from Nordavinden in the future.

Enslaved by Metal (Norway)

 
BLOODAXE-"RAPING THE ANCIENT" CD-Fuck I was excited when this arrived. I fell in love with Bloodaxe's "Bloodthrone" cd in 2001. Bloodaxe is one of Canada's greatest u/g bands. They play "Superior Metal" which means "kick your head in viking/black metal" made by a Canadian with Norwegian Descent. Professional packaging with ghostly looking artwork by Leilah Wendell, author of "Necromantic Ritual Book". ALL black metal freaks should get in touch for a copy of this insane cd. Satan would be proud. Support the force from the North!!

 Worship Satan (Canada) 

 
This is a two man project, lead by Nordavinden Lien who does all the guitars. bass, vokills, piano & Rati who does all the drums. The music these guys create is a Death Metal mixed with Black Metal force. These guys have a strong raw aggressive sound to their music. It's very diverse in sound from most bands of this style. They have a thunderous hard pounding drive in their music too. They toss in some change ups & breakdowns to give variety. The vocals are a low end harsh Death growl, that are a bit haunting too. A very cool release & highly recommended.

Beowolf Productions (U.S.A.)

 
What starts with an aquatic, distorted string-sample turns into a raging and abysmically hateful black metal storm brought courtesy of Bloodaxe, from the great white Northland of Canada. "Raping The Ancient" is a mixed plate of sorts, though after the instrumental intro is through, there is mainly a siege of old-school raw black metal in the moody vein of Graveland, Satanic Warmaster, and De Mysteris- era Mayhem, presented with harsh gravelly vocals, bombastically assailing the atmosphere among menacing steady yet sparse riffs, and fluctuating drums. An instrumental mid-piece, "Loki's Fury", is rather annoying without any signature moments, and wanders off into the next track, which is more warlusting Nordic-inspired dark fury. It is not until much later on in the album that a primitive (though developed) sense of melody is exhumed, in "Thirteen Oars of Misfortune", clean vocals break through the cold rasping dominant throughout, spoken with inflective mourning tone, accenting the northerner viking feel of this cd. Odd, metallic-droning (yet not synthetically distorted) clean vox intro and persist through the next track (the longest of the album, and perhaps the highlight), making room for the singer's customary growls, as the music ebbs and flows accordingly in "While You Lie Bleeding". The dominant essence of this is violent and angry, yet these emotions are expressed as adeptly with sinister, lulling melodies as with the blasting and slamming sections, an achievement not made by most bands of the genre. None of the spite and purpose is lost when the tempo shifts into slower, more intricate parts, though as said, this only occurs later on into the presentation. Another brooding neoclassical instrumental closes the bloody curtains here, and leaves a sensation of weary accomplishment with the listener, and indeed this album is a powerful achievement by an emerging metal band. Some things I would point out as for criticism goes, would be that the production here largely hinders the drum-sound which is an important element in this music; much of it is left sounding rubbery and flat, without the crisp sharpness integral to characterize the heaviness of this style. Also, more distinguishment to the songs, perhaps the addition of a second guitarist would be a welcome addition, though as it stands Bloodaxe holds a firm grasp on this and anyone into such heathenry as Amon Amarth, Enslaved, and Gorgoroth should enjoy this immensely. Best played on loud stereo in darkness whilst enjoying premium mead.

Darksoul VII (International)

 
The material that makes up "Raping the Ancient" was originally recorded and intended for release back in early 2002, but due to numerous setbacks, it wasn't until late 2004 that it finally saw the light of day. We'll thank the viking gods it finally was, because it's a killer cd! Bloodaxe hails from the vast, icy forests of Thunder Bay in Northern Ontario, but with one listen you'll swear that Norway was this bands country of origin. Originally formed in 2000, Bloodaxe is the brainchild of a Canadian metal warrior born of Norwegian descent, Nordavinden, who sings and masterfully handles all the instruments except for drums, those being performed, rather well I might add, by drummer Rati. Bloodaxe has a sound that owes mightily to bands like Immortal, Satyricon, Hades Almighty and even Dark Funeral, but they're far from being a mere rip-off of those bands. Their music is really strong and able to stand on it's own, with an intensity and power that few bands can truly muster. It's obvious that Nordavinden is truly proud (and rightly so) of his Norwegian and Viking heritage and, naturally, those are the main lyrical and musical themes that run throughout the albums 11 tracks. I highly recommend this great piece of Black Metal majesty!

Canadian Assault (USA)

 
While Scandinavia is traditionally looked at as the hotbed of black metal, a transplanted Norwegian has brought that genre to Canadian shores onboard a Viking Longboat. Bloodaxe, hailing from Thunder Bay, Ontario, is a one-man entity of sorts. Nordavinden Lien, who plays everything (with the exception of drums), writes everything and produces it all in his own studio, digs into the recesses of early black metal for inspiration on RAPING THE ANCIENT. Shades of Dark Funeral, early Emperor, Immortal and even some early Bathory are evident but instead of relying solely on blasphemous rantings (which are indeed present), Norse mythology, Scandinavian folklore and Viking history are also touched upon. RAPING THE ANCIENT was originally recorded in February 2002 but numerous setbacks kept it from being released until November 2004. Production is in the "troo kvlt" style meaning the drums are very hollow and tinny and the bass is almost non-existent, but Lien's vocals are not buried as far back in the mix as one would expect. In fact, his lyrics are easily understood for the most part making RAPING THE ANCIENT a tolerable listen in that regard. Still, this is pure blasphemous black/Viking metal and those looking for symphonic passages a la Cradle of Filth and Dimmu Borgir should look elsewhere. A mysterious fiddle opens the CD with "Midvinterblod" but things kick into high gear with "Haunting The Runes," a searing slice of ice cold, blastbeat-filled hell. The simple riff in this track is infectious and Lien's snarled vocal delivery fits the music perfectly. His shrill cry of "raping the ancient ones" is bone-chilling. "Superior Winds" carries on in much the same fashion as "Haunting The Runes" with a similar melody but the story the songs tell is quite fascinating and that same trend flourishes throughout the CD. The black metal kvlt will eat up "The Burning Season" with its hyperblasting and blasphemous lyrics ("Pour out the gas/I'll light the fucking match/Burn your lies/Down to the hallowed ground'). "Loki's Fury" is all crushing blastbeats and buzzsaw riffing that leads to "Drifting of Ull," a haunting epic track that could well be the very signature of Bloodaxe. The unforgettable riff echoes around a pounding drum and Viking-inspired lyrics that epitomize the best elements of this often one-note genre. Lien's howling roar kicks off "Thirteen Oars of Misfortune" in old-school Immortal style. Another catchy riff pummels the listener through a conquering quest of Christian lands that carries an amazing ambience with it compounded by Lien's monotone spoken word passages. Cold, dark, vicious music and tin-can production are the essential elements of a black metal album and RAPING THE ANCIENT has all of those. What separates this CD from the corpse-painted masses, though, is the blending of traditional black metal archetypes with subject matter that is there for more than shock value. Burning churches and ghoulish figures lost their impact in the metal world around 1996, so Bloodaxe's decision to branch out and incorporate its heritage is a welcome addition to what made albums like IN THE NIGHTSIDE ECLIPSE, HAMMERHEART and BATTLES IN THE NORTH so powerful. KILLER KUTS: "Haunting The Runes," "Superior Winds," "Loki's Fury," "Drifting of Ull," "Thirteen Oars of Misfortune"

Metal - Rules (Canada) 4/5

 
Viking Metal from Canada huh? Well, I'm of the opinion that as long as they're of Nordic descent, this sort of thing is great no matter where the band originates from. Bloodaxe's second CD is a fierce whirlwind of insane drumming (particularly the virulent cymbal abuse) and maddeningly distorted vocals underpinned by a storm of buzzing guitar molestation. Yep, this is Viking metal in the vein of In Battle and Odhinn, very far from the more epic side of this style pioneered by the likes of Bathory and Manowar. In fact, the first 7 songs all proceed at nearly the exact same pace, with only the riffs to distinguish individual songs - if you concentrate only on the drums, it's like listening to a single 15-minute track. Things slow down a bit with the more epic "Drifting of Ull" and "Thirteen Oar's Of Misfortune" (sic) although they quickly revert to blasting your brains out again. All the while, the vocals appear to have been recorded inside an ice-cave, reverberating and rasping like the tongue of Audhumla. It's really quite difficult to pick standouts here, since the entire CD is one big Thor's hammer smashing you in the face, with more attention paid to violence and hatred than songwriting, but that's all good. It's quite mesmerizing in it's own insane manner, drawing you into a world where battle is the only way to live and die, and a sword could come out of the snow at any moment to sever your unsuspecting head and unceremoniously leave you to rot in the frozen tundra, attended only by a few hungry ravens.

Diabolical Conquest (New Zealand) 8/10

 
This is a two man project, lead by Nordavinden Lien who does all the guitars. bass, vokills, piano & Rati who does all the drums. The music these guys create is a Death Metal mixed with Black Metal force. These guys have a strong raw aggressive sound to their music. It's very diverse in sound from most bands of this style. They have a thunderous hard pounding drive in their music too. They toss in some change ups & breakdowns to give variety. The vocals are a low end harsh Death growl, that are a bit haunting too. A very cool release & highly recommended.

Treats from the Underground (U.S.A)

 
BLOODAXE - 'Drifting Of Ull' 6:00; from Raping The Ancient (White Legends Productions) Northern Ontario's Bloodaxe are spearheaded by Norwegian-Canadian Nordavinden Lien, and the sound they have come up with is a blizzard-like black metal as old school and authentic as is being dared today. If the unearthly melody lines of this cryonic masterpiece are any indication, the band's second CD will become a classic of luminous Canadian blackness. Contact: 3751, 139th Ave. Apt. 305, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T5Y 3J5, Viking_Squad@hotmail.com or www.bloodaxe.net

Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles (Canada)

 
One man pagan Bloodaxe starts with coma - inducing cryogenics, pulses forward with cruel menace, abstracts songs into self - contained fragments of irascible minimalism and we get Raping the Ancient.

Metal Maniacs (U.S.A)

 
The one man band Bloodaxe, I mean I have heard of before sometime and I also think I have written a review of the band's debut "Bloodthrone" from 2001 sometime. Enough about that, here is the Norwegian - Canadian back with an album that burns rubber. He plays all instruments except drums and contributes with some infernal vocals. The vocals aren't easy to describe, but lay somewhere black and death with some extra disharmony a la Bathory's Viking period. "Raping the Ancient" contains primitive black metal where variety is not something you should look for. The songs sound a bit like one another, but Nordavinden performs them with soul. A pretty large bit of 80's thrash and as earlier mentioned Bathory. I think that this sounds pretty cool and I wish this Lord welcome to Norway anytime.

4/6

Scream Magazine (Norway)

 
Though this band/project has roots in Norway, they hail from Thunder Bay, Canada. And that Thunder can be heard! On this "Raping The Ancient" you can hear some raw compromise less intensive black metal that brings us back -regarding feeling - to the days of Immortal at the time of their earlier releases, although the sound of the vocals is more towards Satyr from Satyricon. All of this packed in songs that last around three minutes... After the intro 'Haunting The Ruins' opens fast and with great ferocity; that promises a lot. Of the same blood are the next six tracks, and though they are nice tracks in their own, put after each other it becomes kind of a blur, especially as the riffs and the drums, that dominate the songs, are hardly any different… Why has there never been built in a bridge or so, to create some variation? Well, that finally changes around 'Drifting of Ull', where Bloodaxe builds in some variation, including heavy and slow parts. And also on 'Thirteen Oars of Misfortune' Bloodaxe opens with some epic parts, which clearly enriches the music! Here also influences become clear of early, primitive Viking metal. Hell, on 'While You Lie Bleeding' there are even Bathoryan passages, including parts with normal clean vocals! Opener 'Midvinterblood' en closing 'Gammellandet' are the intro, on which someone tries to saw with a violin. So in the end we have basically an interesting album with 9 real tracks of intense rawish black metal, of which six are pretty much in the same vein and can thus be heard as one blur. Perhaps some more variation in the drumming can help this issue out of the way on the next album. On the one hand it might have been wise to put the songs from the end somewhere in between the blast songs to create more diversion, on the other hand, is that wise to put them in between those fast parts: that is called a dilemma/ Boy, am I glad that I am not the artist… No matter what you do, it is always probably the wrong decision, same as living with a girlfriend; should you listen to her or not, the result is the same anyway: nagging! For those who love compromise less raw und furious Nordic black metal this "Raping The Ancient" is certainly worthwhile!

Vampire Magazine (The Netherlands)

 
Another Viking Metal album, but this time hailing from Canada, brought to us by Bloodaxe. Mainman behind Bloodaxe is Nordavinden Lien, a Canadian whose roots lie in Norway. Bloodaxe saw the light in 2000 and released the demo 'In Battle'. Recordings for 'Raping The Ancient' started in 2002, but for undisclosed reasons couldn't be released until now. What is it that we hear on this album? A nerve-splitting load of underground Black Metal where the Viking aspect is more lyrically present. Nordavinden blasts you away with a huge guitarwall, heavy distorted and speaks his lyrics out to you as if its comes directly form the grave. Who needs singing anyway? Drums are delivered by studiodrummer Rati who provides a military blastbeat for almost the entire album. The farther the album goes, the more diversity. More diversity in drumming, speed, riff's and vocals and definitely more Folky influences. Keyword for 'Raping The Ancient' is still "extreme". It's been a while since I heard an album so packed with agression, hatred and isolation. Let's hope that the next release won't take another two years.

Shadows Of Disgust

DMTR (Holland)

 
Raw Black Metal 11 songsRelease year: 2004Bloodaxe I reviewed Bloodaxe’s release called Bloodthrone back in mid 2003. When I was writing the review the follow up, titled Raping The Ancient, was set to be released shortly there after. However, it never came. I was worried Raping The Ancient would not see the light of day, but finally in November, the new Bloodaxe CD was released. There were obviously numerous delays but it was well worth the wait. Raping The Ancient is a fantastic follow up to Bloodthrone. It’s more mature, better produced, more atmospheric, and above all else has exceeded my expectations in every way possible. Bloodthrone was an enjoyable release but it never caught my ear like Raping The Ancient has. To describe the sound of Bloodaxe is rather simple. Like many older Norwegian bands constant blast beats are used. Thankfully they come in a variety of tempos: fast, faster, fastest. Some stops and starts can be found as well as occasional fills, but this is pretty much a constant Black Metal blast beat assault, however, the varying tempos add some hidden depth to the music. Bloodaxe have also tried their hand at a more mid-paced Black Metal song (While You Lie Bleeding), using the type of pacing Pagan Hammer likes to use and it is very successful. It so so successful, in fact, that I like to hear the band write more songs like this. The approach to this track is very epic and multi-faceted and is a stark contrast to the more straightforward assault on the rest of the CD. The main appeal here though is the guitars. There is a heavy distortion to the tone but unlike Bloodthrone, the melodies and atmosphere can more clearly be heard if you give the music the appropriate attention. It’s almost trance inducing and there are some seriously twisted riffs. The best part about the atmosphere produced from the riffing is the effect is not readily available to the listener. Raping The Ancient has a type minimalist approach that forces the listener to pay attention to every note, and then rewards the listener with a very unique and cold atmosphere. Just like everything else the vocals have also improved. They, too, are heavily distorted and are still intermittent, but are higher in the mix this time. The intermittent style of the vocals is actually a nice touch that is starting to define the sound of Bloodaxe as much as anything. The pacing goes along perfectly with the changes in riffs, which shows the vocals aren’t just random blurts. The lyrics deal entirely with Nordic themes and usually tell a story, as most of the time the lyrics are based on Norse mythos. Bloodaxe have really out done themselves this time. Though the music is perhaps not as brutal as it was on Bloodthrone, it’s definitely more atmospheric and captivating. It really is something special when Black Metal bands are able to create such a complex atmosphere with so little at their disposal. Even though a couple of tracks blend together the majority of the music on here is brilliant. My favorite songs are Thirteen Oars Of Misfortune and Drifting Of Ull which have some of the best Raw Black Metal riffs this year, if not this decade. All you Raw Black Metal fans need to check these guys out. There is an mp3 on their website and is a great example of the bands sound. Bloodaxe won’t be for everyone and if the only Black Metal you listen to is Dimmu Borgir then don’t bother… but if you’re into the Raw Black Metal scene give these guys a chance and you might find Raping The Ancient as entrancing as I have. Killing Songs : Haunting The Runes, Superior Winds, Loki's Fury, Drifting Of Ull, Thirteen Oars Of Misfortune, While You Lie Bleeding

Metal Reviews (International)

Crims 88/100

 
Bloodaxe's first full-length release, Bloodthrone, was admired by fans mainly because it was pure extreme metal from start to finish, and the very cold ambience that was contained in every song. If you liked his last release because of that, then you'll love this album as much. Always making the most extreme type of metal, Lien continues to rule. The songs on this are even shorter - hell, it's only 32 minutes long! But does that make the album bad in any way? NO. This album also feels like more work was put into it, seeing as the release date kept on being pushed back often. The vocals are better and grimmer. Lien decided to release the lyrics for this one, and I'm not surprised about their subject. Raping, Killing, Vikings, etc. All this just to tell you that this album is VERY extreme. As I said already, this album is similar to Bloodthrone, if I compare the riffs. But that's alright, since they're awesome. It's really that simple. You liked the first Bloodaxe album? Then you'll love this, that's for sure.

95/100

Encyclopaedia Metallum (International)

 
This successor to 2001's "Bloodthrone" has been long in the making. It was pretty much ready in 2002, but various delays in the various steps of getting an album ready to market have kept pushing the release until now. Well, rejoice peasants, for it has now arrived. :) If you liked "Bloodthrone", there are enough similarities on "Raping the Ancient" that you should also like this. Didn't like it? Well, it's still worth checking out, for despite the similarities, there are enough differences that it might just be enough to win some more fans. The overall atmosphere is similar, a bit more agonizing to some extent, and the music is a little slower and more primitive than on "Bloodthrone". The vocals are very similar: BM growls/screeches, a bit low in the mix and a tone mixed with anger and despair that gives quite an effective result. The only part I really didn't like is on "While You Lie Bleeding" where some (not all) of the vocals sound like when I was a kid and talked in front of a running fan to alter my voice (you've done this too as a kid, people, just admit it! :)) I'm not sure what was the intended effect here, but it doesn't come out so good. But other than that, the song is actually very good and even a bit more diversified sound-wise than the others. "Raping the Ancient" is a worthy successor to "Bloodthrone". Those into the primitive and raw early 90s Norwegian Black Metal should find something to like here. Dimmu fans need not apply.

4.25/5

Michel Renaud / Metal Crypt (Canada)

 
Prepare yourself for a total onslaught of Viking/Black Metal the likes of which have never been inflicted upon mortal ears. Nordavinden is a very talented musician/vocalist, and his talent is shown with every bone crushing riff. Tracks like Superior Winds, Threshold of The Unseen, Drifting of Ull (first single) and album stealer While You Lie Bleeding will make you believe Raping The Ancient is 2004 best kept secret. Nordavinden's vocals (my personal highlight) are kept simple, straight forward and not overdone. The only complaint I have is WE have to wait another year for the follow up.

9/10
Dallas Falvo (Canada)

Bloodaxe formed in Ontario, Canada in 2000.  Consisting of two members ( Nordavinden: guitars, bass, vocals, and piano, and Rati: Percussion) and having a handful of releases under their belt, Bloodaxe has metal experience.  This release would please the majority of Black Metal fans.  Nordavinden has some talent and it shows.  Pretty impressive he does everything but the percussion.  Sound recording is decent, vocals are distinguishable, guitars are rather potent.  Black Metal isn't my favorite, but Bloodaxe isn't bad.  If you are looking into checking Black Metal out this release would be a good place to start.

Adrenaline Zine (U.S.A)

This is the most primitive Viking Black Metal that has catapulted its way from the shadows of the past to the modern ear of Neo - Zine reviews.  These two guys make Bathory seem like space science.  This blur of buzz - saw guitar and barbaric pounding all blend into one big "whomp - whomp" of doom and destruction.  The lyrics are spread like poetry or plague in a hacking discourse more said than sung.  This harkens me way back, and it pumps the blood like a Berserker rage.  This is music by which blood should be spilt upon ice.  Even if you don't like this, you have to respect it.

Neo - Zine (U.S.A)

I first heard Bloodaxe back in 2001 with his Bloodthrone album, it was pure Blackness ripping at your nervous system and possessing your very core. The new Bloodaxe album Raping the Ancient is just as devastating as its predecessor. The mastermind behind Bloodaxe is Nordavinden who composes the music and the lyrics plus plays all the instruments, apart from the drums. Hailing from Canada Nordavinden takes his Viking ancestry serious and this comes through in his song writing. Raping The Ancient is a blizzard wiping you in the face, with no mercy. Bloodaxe is a must for all necro hell dogs out their who love their Black Metal seriously ancient.

Score: 85:100
Hard 'n Heavy (Serbia & Montenegro)

Norwegian-Canadian Nordavinden and Bloodaxe are back with another attack on Christianity and everything else vulgar in this world.. The band's last opus I gave a 3 , and after listening through it again I still stick to that score. I was excited about what Nordavinden had come up with this time, and through some talks I have had with this man I had been warned that it would be more brutal.  Well,  this Norwegian-Canadian have not been more right!! "Raping The Ancient" is a brutal exhibition of extreme metal.  Where on his last album he showed some mercy by putting in a couple of acoustic tracks, there is no such thing this time.  The album opens with "Midvinterblod",  an excellent harding fiddle sampling, but then violently breaks out into metal full of black energy and hate.  Very quickly I was struck by the vocal, a really tough vocal that could almost reminds you of Satyr's vocal on Satyricon's album "Rebel Extravaganza".  I thought this had been achieved by some effects, but Nordavinden promptly put an end to this idea, this is what his vocal sounds like.  Tough! The music has not really a lot of challenges, most tracks are in the same time and speed, and the tunes are not always easy to tell from each other.  The weakest side of the album is the drums, played by Rati, not Rali as I wrote last time.  He plays his drums the same way almost all through the album, which is rather irritating.  Luckily I can inform you that he is now out of the band, so we may hope that bit will be better next time!  However, the album contains many cool riffs and parts, and I want to point out the tracks "Loki's Fury", which is a cool instrumental, rhythmic and nice to listen to. "Drifting of Ull" is a tune with a cold and grim expression, also this one in a quick rhythm, and it holds some unbelievably fat riffs with a really lovely feeling.  "Thirteen Oars of Misfortune” is to my ears the best track.  Here he eases down a little, and Nordavindens vocal is turned into normal talking, which makes the tune different and spruces it up, if such an expression can be used.  After this tune comes the last one of the album, which has got the title of "While You Lie Bleeding".  Here again he talks, but not with the same good effect this time I think.  Also this one is rather quiet, but the whole tune is fucking bad to listen to.  It holds a couple of riffs that are rather cool, but otherwise it is a rather anaemic tune. The last track has been named "Gammellandet", and is dedicated to Rennebu, Sør-Trøndelag, which is fun.  So "Raping The Ancient" achieves half a mark better than its predecessor, why? Well, I like the quick drive to most of it, and the album contains to my ears many fat riffs and cool parts.  Also the tunes mentioned above contribute to upgrade the album somewhat, but still there is nothing new here you have not heard before.  I end up like last time, I'm looking forward to hearing more from Bloodaxe, because here are many good ideas, and I also believe Bloodaxe will sound better with another drummer!

Eternal Terror (Norway)

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Hailing from the great white north, Thunder Bay, Canada's own BLOODAXE have finally released their album "Raping The Ancient", a disc that was originally recorded in 2002. Filled with aggression, anger, and hatred, there is nothing nice going on here. The packaging is cold and imposing, bleak and sinister, while lyrically, the topics touch on killing, rape, death, and destruction. When I put the disc into my CD player, the first thought that came to mind was "Man, this reminds me of BATHORY!" And it really does. The compressed sound, the endless blastbeats, and the vocals are all reminiscent of the mighty BATHORY (R.I.P. Quorthon). This is pure, chilling, old school Viking metal - the likes of which I haven't heard in a long time . If you think that you'll be listening to DIMMU BORGIR or CRADLE OF FILTH...well, you won't be. This is not symphonic or orchestrated in any way - rather full of distorted guitars/vocals and blastbeats. The album is an intense listen, and definitely not for those uninitiated to this style of music. The production job on "Raping The Ancient" is simple to the point of being non-existent, while the mix is a little muddled with very little top or bottom end. The drum levels are almost overwhelming throughout the entire disc; the vocals are way back in the mix, and it's almost impossible to hear any bass at all. To break this album down song by song would be a fairly repetitive endeavor, as the first four or five songs sound very, very similar. If I wasn't following along with the lyrics, then I would not have known that we had moved on to a new song. The tunes run together and sound incredibly similar with all of the 'melody' lines and dynamics remaining unvaried. There's a definite intensity on the album, but not much variety to be found. The instrumental "Loki's Fury" tells the tale of the main character, and though the actual song itself does not have any vocal content, the lyrics in the CD booklet are meant to explain who Loki was. The two highlights of "Raping The Ancient" come near the end of the disc in the form of "Thirteen Oars Of Misfortune" and "While You Lie Bleeding". Both of these songs are a change of pace from the onslaught of blastbeats, and feature more of a drum groove. "While You Lie Bleeding" has an interesting vocal effect in, and the spoken word ending adds to the cold feeling you get from the album as a whole. BLOODAXE do what they do very well. There isn't anything that wasn't planned on this CD. However, "Raping The Ancient" is an album that will probably most likely only appeal to those fans of very old-school Viking metal. There really isn't anything modern-sounding about the album, and it might seem a tad monotonous to those who don't love the genre. If you are a fan of this genre, however, you will find BLOODAXE's "Raping The Ancient" to your liking.

Metaleater (Canada)

Dette er det andet album fra canadiske Bloodaxe, mainman og komponist i bandet er Nordavinden Lien, som finder meget inspiration i sin families norske rødder. Såvel musik som tekster har en del inspiration fra den skandinaviske verden. Stilen er ondt black metal, kolde isende riffs tegner atmosfæren, som er hadsk og ofte med et melankolsk tilsnit. Kompositionerne er gennemtænkte og griber hurtigt lytteren i et jerngreb og slipper ikke før at musikken ophører. Der er en del gode riffs samtidig med at den larmende guitar udspyer galde, så er der en del fængende stykker i musikken. De bedste eksempler på det er nummerene 'Drifting Of Ull' og 'While You Lie Bleeding', som samtidigt besidder episke dimensioner. Det er selve kompositionerne og guitararbejdet der er mest interessant på albummet her. Som skrevet er der en del gode og fængende riffs indblandet i musikken. Trommerne er meget lige ud af landevejen og leverer ikke de store overraskelser. Vokalen er pænt varieret imellem et pinselfuldt skrig der besidder et had fra ukendte dimensioner og en mørk spoken word vokal, der ikke altid falder i min smag. Produktionen er meget mørk og ligger af og til en dæmper på musikken. Dog er den ikke nær så kaotisk som det var tilfældet på det første album. Musikken på denne skive er dog også mere "stille og roligt" med en del atmosfæriske og episke elementer, og slet ikke så hurtigt og hæsblæsende hele vejen igennem, som "Bloodthrone". Et dejligt tungt og mørkt album med stemninger og inspirationer fra den gamle black metal. Krydret med god fængende sangskrivning og gode atmosfærer. De 32 minutter som albummet varer virker dog alt for kort, man kunne godt have klaret en dobbeltdosis, men så kan man selvfølgelig bare køre albummet på repeat.

Nocturnal Horde (Denmark)​