In the realm of Folk-inspired Heavy Metal with a blackened tinge, there are few acts as brilliant as the Swedish Artist Vintersorg. After ten intricate, driving albums spanning from 1998, Vocalist/Guitarist Andreas Hedlund responds with Vattenkrafternas Spel, released September 26, 2025, via Hammerheart Records. The eleventh overall Vintersorg album, it comes eight years after 2017’s Till fjälls: Del II. A long time ago, fans eagerly anticipated some new material, particularly after the exciting body of work Hedlund has put into the last handful of Borknagar albums, such as 2012’s Urd and 2016’s Winter Thrice.
Bombast, Folk rhythms set to the right amount of keyboards, and the uplifting vocals fans have come to love, Vattenkrafternas Spel explodes into being with the opening song “Efter Dis Kommer Dimma.” Layered vocals and growls create a harmonic stew of Finntroll-esque melodies. The dynamics switch between the manic and the playful, blending into the Black Metal-tinged majesty of “Störtsjö” and the galloping “Malströmsbrus.” Driving rhythms combine with strong riffing to ensure that the non-traditional musical elements do not detract from the music’s Heavy Metal soul.
Folk / Pagan Metal has not received a shot in the arm like this in a while, as the music on the album flies unfettered, not unlike the flowing river on the Vattenkrafternas Spel’s cover. The atmosphere is uplifting, with a fine attention to vocal lines, as seen on “Ur Alv Och A,” which features proggy time signatures, flutes in the background, and forceful vocal delivery. The incredible keyboard and orchestral work on “Kraftkallan” speaks of a musician in Hedlund offering spellbinding attention to detail, with a neoclassical overtone that remains accessible.
Furthermore, Vintersorg employs some unusual vocal lines on “Regnskuggans Rike,” with some heady and effective arrangements. The epic, frost-laden “Skyrök” molds strong Metal riffs with flute accompaniment and earworm clean vocals, eventually increasing tempo and raising the intensity accordingly.
At just under an hour, Vattenkrafternas Spel concludes with “Odsliga Salar,” a more ferocious approach at times, which firmly puts the exclamation point on an effort that demonstrates Vintersorg is as fresh and hungry as ever. For these reasons, Cryptic Rock gives Vattenkrafternas Spel 4.5 out of 5 stars.
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