The Varangian Way

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The Varangian Way
Studio album by Turisas
Released	UK: May 28, 2007 Finland: June 6, 2007 Europe: June 18, 2007 North America: July 17, 2007 Japan: July 25, 2007
Recorded	November 2006 - March 2007 at Sound Supreme Studio, Hämeenlinna, Finland
Genre	Folk metal Symphonic metal
Length	42:57
Label	Century Media
Producer	Mathias "Warlord" Nygård, Janne Saska
Professional reviews
PopMatters link Terrorizer Magazine Rock Sound Kerrang! Metal Hammer All Music Guide link
Turisas chronology
Battle Metal (2004) The Varangian Way (2007)

The Varangian Way is the second full-length album from Finnish folk metal band, Turisas and was released in Europe in June 2007. This is a concept album, see below.

Contents 1 Concept 2 Track listing 3 Director's cut track listing 4 Credits 5 Sources 6 See also

[edit] Concept

The following is taken straight from the official Turisas website, see sources below.

"The album is based on a concept story which is fictional, but strongly tied to real historical persons and events. It's a journey of a group of Northmen, who travel down the East-European river route through the lands of modern day East Europe. This was an important trade route in the 9th-11th centuries and the Northmen going in this direction were called Varangians who took this route to Kiev and finally Constantinople. The album follows this journey and the songs are events that take place on the road. As much as it is a journey of these men, it is also a journey in a search for self and identity - something which the protagonist is going through throughout the story. The varying surroundings can clearly be heard on the album as it features a lot of influences from the different cultures and people our travellers would have encountered on their journey.

Making this album was a very challenging task. I started developing the idea and framework for the concept soon after Battle Metal was released in 2004 and it demanded a lot of groundwork and studying. The songs were written between mid-2005 and 2007 when it was clear what every song would be about. In the end of 2006 we were finally ready to enter Sound Supreme Studio together with co-producer Janne Saksa to record the album. It took over two and a half months of work to record the album and two weeks of mixing at Finnvox studio together with Teropekka Virtanen to finally finish the album in March 2007. The sound is big, pompous and orchestral, but also features a lot of progressive elements and ethnic influences. It's a daring blend of many different styles, but I'm confident that people are musically open minded enough to swallow this album. All in all I would say that it is a natural step forward from Battle Metal to a more mature sound - still definitely TURISAS, but at the same time different."

A Special "Directors Cut" edition was released with the Rasputin single.

[edit] Track listing

1. "To Holmgard and Beyond" – 5:17
2. "A Portage to the Unknown" – 4:50
3. "Cursed Be Iron" – 5:03
4. "Fields of Gold" – 4:34
5. "In the Court of Jarisleif" – 3:17
6. "Five Hundred and One" – 6:18
7. "The Dnieper Rapids" – 5:20
8. "Miklagard Overture" – 8:18

[edit] Director's cut track listing

1. "To Holmgard and Beyond" – 5:17
2. "A Portage to the Unknown" – 4:50
3. "Cursed Be Iron" – 5:03
4. "Fields of Gold" – 4:34
5. "In the Court of Jarisleif" – 3:17
6. "Five Hundred and One" – 6:18
7. "The Dnieper Rapids" – 5:20
8. "Miklagard Overture" – 8:18
9. "Rasputin"
10. "To Holmgard and Beyond" (Radio Edit)

Another version comes with the bonus tracks and a DVD containing the video for Rasputin and several live performances.

Enhanced edition bonus tracks Normal listing +

1. "To Holmgard and Beyond" [Single Edit]
2. "Rex Regi Rebellis" [Finnish Version]
3. "Battle Metal" Live at Party San '06 (video clip)

[edit] Credits

• Mathias "Warlord" Nygård – Vocals, orchestral programming, keyboards
• Jussi Wickström – Guitars
• Tuomas "Tude" Lehtonen – Drums, percussion
• Olli Vänskä – Violins
• Hannes "Hanu" Horma – Bass, backing vocals
• Janne "Lisko" Mäkinen – Accordion

• Music by Mathias Nygård, except track 3 (Nygård/Wickström), 5 (Nygård/Lisko/Vänskä) and 6 (Nygård/Vänskä).
• Lyrics by Mathias Nygård, except track 3 (trad./Elias Lönnrot), taken from the Finnish national epic, the Kalevala.
• Classical choir recorded at Vanha Kirjastotalo Music Hall, Tampere, Finland.
• Orchestral samples included in this recording from the Vienna Symphonic Library.

[edit] Sources

• Century Media press statement
• Turisas studio diary
• Turisas official website

[edit] See also

• Trade route from the Varangians to the Greeks
• The Long Ships (historical novel dealing with the same subject)

v • d • e Turisas Mathias Nygård | Jussi Wickström | Hannes Horma | Tuomas Lehtonen | Olli Vänskä | Janne Mäkinen Former members Antti Ventola | Georg Laakso | Ari Kärkkäinen | Sami Aarnio | Tino Ahola | Mikko Törmikoski Albums Battle Metal | The Varangian Way Demos Taiston Tie - The Battle Path | Unnamed Promo | The Heart of Turisas Singles "To Holmgard and Beyond" | "Rasputin"