Darkwoods My Betrothed "Heirs of the Northstar"

Darkwoods My Betrothed was a black metal band from Kitee, Finland.

Formed in 1992 as Virgin Cunt, they set out to be the "most blasphemous black metal band in Europe", in a rather tongue-in-cheek sense. After recording a couple demos under this name, the band started to take themselves a lot more seriously and changed their name to Darkwoods My Betrothed. They recorded the demo Dark Aureolis Gathering in 1994, not too different from the band's roots in extreme black metal, but it started to show serious maturity in the song-writing and delivery; not only a traditional black metal shriek, the singers also did a wail-type of scream.

In 1995, Hammerheart Productions released Heirs of the Northstar, their first full-length album, which was a turning for the group. The band started to experiment with a slower-paced and more melodic viking metal sound, and usage of "drunken Viking" style clean vocals mixed with the traditional black metal screams. The lyrics were also quite different from those in the demo days; rather than dark and Satanic rantings, bassist/lyricist Teemu started a powerful fascination with Odinism and the Gods of Valhalla, and anger towards Christianity.

Track list

1. My Eyes Are Frozen 03:31   
2. One Son of the Northstar 05:36   
3. Uller 05:31  
4. From the Snowy Hillsides They Came 04:13  
5. In a Silent Night 04:35   
6. Come Fimbulvetr 05:27   
7. Yggdrasil's Children Fall 16:04   

Total time:   44:57

1st CD pressing was black disc, white lettering (lim. to 1000?)

2nd CD pressing was white disc, black lettering (lim. to 1000?)

Yggdrasil's Children Fall consists of six different acts in one song:

-Act I: The Death of Balder

-Act II: A Farewell to the Son of Odin

-Act III: Hermod's Ride to Hel

-Act IV: The Bounding of Loki

-Act V: The Final Battle

-Act VI: A New Heaven, a New Earth

Recorded in 12-15.11.1994 at Walltone Studio, Finland.

Reissued and remastered in 2011 by Kvltvre Records / No Sign of Life.

Recording information:

Recorded at Walltone Studio in Savonlinna, Finland between 12 - 15.11.1994.