Asatru

The following are videos dedicated to 'Asatru', the old Northern European Way.



'Vater Odin', dedicated to Odhinn or Wotan, Allfather



'Asatru': an 'informative' video giving the basics of Asatru

Ormurin Langi by Tyr

The group 'Tyr' is from the Faroe Islands. The song evidently is well-known in different forms throughout Scandinavia. It recounts the tale of a famous battle at Svolder as follows: Olaf Tryggvason, King of Norway was on his way home from an expedition when he was met by a large hostile force. An alliance had been made between the Kings of Denmark and Sweden as well as Norwegians hostile to Olaf. The Ormen Lange was the name of one of his ships. Olaf was victorious against the Swedes and Danes, but could not defeat his own countryman. When he realised he could not emerge victorious, he and his men leapt overboard, never to be seen again.

Tyr

'Regin Smithur'

Designated as a 'viking pagan band' by some, the name of the band itself is the old name of the one-handed Northern God of War and Justice.

'Hail to the Hammer'



The 'Hammer of Thor' is the Northern European pagan answer to the Christian cross.



'Ragnarok' is the last battle of the Gods of Asgard against the forces of evil. There is life after Ragnarok, a new world ruled by the children of the old gods.

Arkona: Po Syroi Zemle

Arkona is a contemporary 'Pagan Slavic' group. The video clip that accompanies the song is from a Polish film 'Stara Basn', in English 'When the Sun was God'. It is a retelling of an old Polish legend. Based on the book 'Stara Basn' written by Jozef Ignacy Kraszewski, the setting is Poland before Christianity. A cruel prince, Popiel, determined to guarantee the succession of his son, is willing to commit any number of crimes to achieve this end. He enlists the aid of the Vikings... The hero of the tale is a young huntsman and warrior named Ziemowit Piast, who is in love with the daughter of a wealthy serf named Wisz. The girl, Dziwa, however, has been dedicated to the gods. (According to legend, Popiel ultimately was devoured by mice.) Not having had the opportunity to see the film, I must rely on reviews and descriptions written by those who have seen it. There is a version somewhere with English subtitles.

In any event, this clip is interesting both in terms of the film 'Stara Basn' and the music of Arkona.

Alkonost: The Night Before the Battle

Alkonost is a contemporary 'Pagan Slavic' band. Combining elements of folk music, operatic singing and heavy metal, it is a rather extraordinary experiment in popular music. The heavy gutteral vocals by the male singers, acting as counterpoint to a clear female voice are common to groups involved in this type of music.