Falkenbach (, "Falconbrook") is a German viking/pagan metal project. The one permanent member is Vratyas Vakyas (real name Markus Tümmers) who was born in Germany, but lived in Iceland in the late 1980s. Falkenbach is one of the first viking metal bands, starting in 1989, with its first release that same year.

History

Falkenbach was one of Germany's first examples of what would be labeled pagan metal. The band was formed in Iceland in 1989, when it recorded the Hávamál demo, and has recorded a total of seven demos; however, only five are known. Three more were released by 1995: Skínn af sverði sól valtíva (Old Norse, "The Sun Shines on the Swords of Slaughter-Gods"), Læknishendr (Old Norse, "Healing Hands"), and Ásynja (Old Norse, "Goddess").<!-- Shouldn't this be Promo '95? --> Of all of these except Læknishendr, only nine copies were released.

In 1995, recording of the debut album Fireblade began, but due to equipment troubles, production was stopped shortly before mixing began. Fireblade was not released, and in December of the same year, recording began for (Old Norse, "...And in Glory Will They Go..."). The recording for this actual debut album was completed in March 1996. The album cover features a part of an illustration of the Wild Hunt, made by Friedrich Wilhelm Heine for Wilhelm Wägner's Nordisch-germanische Götter und Helden (1882). With this Falkenbach placed itself within a tradition that connects metal music to the Wild Hunt motif, present since Bathory's album Blood Fire Death (1988).

Members

Current members

  • Vratyas Vakyas – guitar, acoustic guitar, keyboards, drums, vocals

Session members

  • Hagalaz – guitars on Ok nefna tysvar Ty, Heralding – The Fireblade and Tiurida
  • Tyrann – vocals on Ok nefna tysvar Ty, Heralding – The Fireblade and Tiurida
  • Boltthorn – drums on Ok nefna tysvar Ty, Heralding – The Fireblade and Tiurida
  • Albion – bass on Tiurida

Discography

;Studio albums

  • (1996)
  • ...Magni blandinn ok megintiri... (1998)
  • Ok nefna tysvar Ty (2003)
  • Heralding – The Fireblade (2005)
  • Tiurida (2011)
  • Asa (2013)

;Demos

  • Hávamál (1989)
  • Tanfana (1990)
  • Towards Solens Golden Light (1991)
  • Promo '95 (1995)
  • Laeknishendr (1995)
  • ...Skínn af sverði sól valtíva... (1996)

See also

  • Neopagan music

References