The songs on the album actually have a background story that runs from start to finish. Northern Steel is a story about our Vikings’ hunt for the invincible steel needed to forge the strongest sword the world had ever seen. Now make sure you sit comfortably with a cup of coffee, mead, or any other suitable beverage. Insert the CD or put on the vinyl and sit back, press play, and enjoy.
Excerpts from the ancient runestone in Vanheim
Chapter one – The Prophecy
For more than a thousand years ago, the Northmen sent out their best warriors on a journey to the mysterious island of Vanheim. The reason was to find the hidden knowledge of how to make the hardest steel that ever has existed. The strong steel they needed to win what they thought and hoped was the final battle. In great secrecy, they returned early in the morning from Vanheim, under cover of darkness after a 100-day voyage.
Chapter two – Viking Stone
The first man the warriors encountered on the beach when they returned from Vanheim was Varulf. Varulf was a young proud man who later got the honor of telling the story of the Vikings search for the unbeatable Northern Steel. A Story that later would be retold for thousands of years to come, both around campfires as well as from runes.
Chapter three – Last man standing
With the understanding that their tribe now has got the knowledge of how to forge the strongest steel, several malicious clans started invaded them to gain access to their newfound important and strong nordic steel. A knowledge that almost made them invincible, they thought… but something even darker and malicious prowled outside their village which later took them by surprise.
Chapter four – Fallen Nations
After several violent encounters, with their proud and fighting warriors who stood at the forefront of defending with their Northern Steel, they were several times close to losing their supremacy. But with the help of the power of their old gods, they always won these battles in the end. However, there was something they had not anticipated. A dark and invisible enemy that no weapon really could defeat – the plague. Yes, no matter how big and strong their warriors were, there was nothing that could bit it. This dark force struck them down with a great force, and their God of war almost left them to die alone… in pride, as warriors often do.
Chapter five – Angels
They wavered in their faith as many warriors in their army fell through. The strong Vikings that normally see themself as invincible saw themselves beaten and were about to retreat when something happened. Something inexplicable happened that gave them faith and strength to rise again. They were filled with the power of a new belief, together with the old war Gods that gave them the courage, and they slowly started to rebuild their village.
Chapter six – Northern Steel
Their great king and leader were more or less defeated but with the help from the power they previously sought, he got the power to once again stand up for his village.
With the knowledge of the magical northern steel and the proud people, he fought back and the people rejoiced over his name and their powerful Northern Steel.
Chapter seven – Black Rain
Their king has once again the power of the steel, but his people were still suffering. The tribe and the village were decimated, their leader asked them all to help to rebuild the village. However, they were still very weak after all the recent wars and the plague. Eventually, a doubt internal strife slowly began to grow in the village just like the invisible plague, the evil returned once again and swept over the village like a dark and cold autumn rain. The evil this time consisted of everything from betrayal, intrigue, lies, and death between loved ones, which beset their lives.
Chapter eight – Run for your life
The desperation and panic in the village grown in an ominous way and evil began to eat them slowly from within.
Several warriors who felt that the danger on the battlefield was more than manageable, fled the village to never return again.
Chapter nine – Land of Northern
In a final attempt to rebuild the village, their leader gathered the people to once again instill courage. He explained that their village was worth fighting for, well, what else did they have to do. Their king’s speech gave them the strength to repel all evil thoughts, which from time to time united them to repel the evil force.
Chapter ten – Seriously
For a time, however, they had begun to question their faith but tried to reconcile with their ancient gods. Their King complaint to the War Gods that they didn’t help them when the evil force came over them. They were now in the choice of handing over the power and knowledge of the Northern Steel to another, what they hoped for, higher and stronger force. A mighty conqueror who they have heard about and thought could handle this force better than they had accomplished.
Chapter eleven – Ruler of the sea
The powerful warlock of the village had a vision, a vision he presented to their king. In his visions, he had seen that something of importance will happen at the beaches of Vanheim’s. Their king and war leader gathered his tribe and went to the beach to collect courage and strength for his last important choice. Suddenly, a mighty creature appeared from the bottom of the sea. It turned out to be the strong conqueror they had been waiting for. He had come a long way to save them from their ongoing doom. He, their savior from underneath who is the ruler of the sea has finally come to their rescue and to take over the power of the Northern Steel. Their king was handing over the powerful steel to this creature and got another weapon in return. In the known world, he is called Neptune, but in the north, he has had another name since ancient times – Njord.
Chapter twelve – Vanheim
This is the story our selected villager and rune stoner Varulf had the honor to pass on to future generations to come. And as you now know, it all started that cold and misty morning, thousand years ago when he greeted the warriors who arrived in their mighty ships from Vanheim.
Epilogue
According to the legend. Something out of the ordinary will happen that will change the future to come. The ruler of the sea from underneath, he climbs up to collect his weapons of choice. It’s a new landmark that will become a guideline for generations. It’s the gathering against the beast, and the steel he has chosen has a name, it is simply – Northern Steel.
Keep in mind that the above story is our interpretation of these very ancient runes and has from time to time been very difficult to decipher. It shall also be added that our friend Varulf was very fond of mead which may have influenced his story in a somewhat animated way.