Blood on Ice

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Blood on Ice
Studio album by
Bathory
Released27 May 1996
RecordedFebruary 1988 – June 1989 (demo tape)
June–July 1995
GenreViking metal
Length53:40
LabelBlack Mark
ProducerQuorthon, "Boss" Forsberg
Bathory chronology
Octagon
(1995) 		Blood on Ice
(1996) 		Destroyer of Worlds
(2001)

Blood on Ice is the ninth studio album by Swedish extreme metal band Bathory. It was released on 27 May 1996, through Black Mark Production. It is a concept album.

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Chronicles of Chaos9/10[2]
Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal8/10[3]

Background

The master tapes were recorded in 1989, but the album was not immediately released, both because the album was never properly finished, and because founder and songwriter

sagas, but was written by Quorthon himself. The album cover is drawn by Kristian Wåhlin
.

Storyline

The anonymous central character, aged ten when the tale begins, is the sole survivor of a raid by twenty black-clad horsemen bearing the banner of the 'twin-headed Beast' against his village. All the men are slain, and the women and children carried off to the far North, whilst the central character survives by hiding in a tree. He spends fifteen years alone in the wilderness, where he grows strong and learns the ways of the forest, the memories of the atrocities he has witnessed galvanising him. Then, one day, he meets a one-eyed old man (most probably Odin, although the tale always refers to him merely as 'One-Eyed Old Man') who tells him that he has foreseen his coming for a thousand years, and that he has been chosen as a champion of the Gods to fight their battle in the shadows beyond his world. To this end he will be granted a number of mighty artifacts and abilities, and be trained for a hundred days and nights by the old man. The first of these artifacts is a mighty sword (probably Tyrfing), forged in the dawn of the world, and the second given in a song is a mighty, eight-legged stallion ridden by 'his father's God' (Sleipnir, Odin's steed).

He will also be guided by two ravens (

Mimir's well), and the central character casts both his eyes into the lake, which not only means he gains all its powers of knowledge and vision, but also that he will not have to stare down the Beast during his final battle. He rides North, guided by the ravens and by the ancient Gods, to confront his destiny. He charges down the gates of Hel and defeats the Beast in combat, as well as freeing the souls of those that had been held captive here, riding with them to Valhalla
.

Track listing

All tracks are written by Quorthon

No.TitleLength
1."Intro"1:45
2."Blood on Ice"5:41
3."Man of Iron"2:48
4."One Eyed Old Man"4:21
5."The Sword"4:08
6."The Stallion"5:13
7."The Woodwoman"6:18
8."The Lake"6:42
9."Gods of Thunder of Wind and of Rain"5:42
10."The Ravens"1:09
11."The Revenge of the Blood on Ice"9:53
Total length:53:40

Personnel

Bathory
  • Quorthon – vocals, guitar
  • Kothaar
    – bass guitar
  • Vvornth – drums
Art

References

  1. ^ Rivadavia, Eduardo. "Blood on Ice - Bathory : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards : AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 9 September 2012.
  2. ^ Wasylyk, Adam (9 June 1996). "CoC : Bathory : Blood on Ice : Review". Chronicles of Chaos. Retrieved 9 September 2012.
  3. ISBN 978-1-894959-62-9
    .
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