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Beyond The North Winds (2008)

(4.25/5) Sig:Ar:Tyr is yet another interesting project I discovered on Myspace. When multi-instrumentalist Daemonskald contacted me, and offered the possibility to review his new release, I was more than happy to cover it...

Beyond the North Winds is picking up pretty much where Sailing the Seas of Fate left off. To my greatest pleasure, Daemonskald still uses a lot of acoustic guitars in his song structure, thus giving his Viking Metal a nicely melodic and folksy touch. There is no single song that is not graced by those greatly organic sounds, here again to my selfish pleasure. The distorted and beefed up electric guitar and keyboard passages increase the epic feel of this album. One can hear the result of mature songwriting on Beyond the North Winds. As was also the case on the previous album, the fast acoustic leads make quite a few notes undecipherable, something I found unfortunate. The vocals range from a raspy whisper to a clean/epic style, and on the closing track, "Far Away", I could hear similarities with the Moody Blues, which is quite cool actually! No blast beats or furious paces, but a very appropriate mid to mid-fast one was carefully chosen by mastermind Daemonklad. The opening song, "King of the World", also involves Oriental tones, beside being one of my favorite compositions. To the list, I can easily add a good number of numbers such as "Sword From an Unknown Hand" and "Among the Ruins" (two very nice instrumentals); the already mentioned "Far Away" as well as the title track.

Beyond the North Winds is another very good opus of Folk/Viking Metal from the Great White North.

Pagan Shadow - Metal Crypt

(4/5) Sailing the Seas Of Fate était un premier voyage dans un Nord désert et monotone, et nous aspirant dans son hiver invariable. Beyond The North Winds est la suite, voir l'aboutissement de ce premier voyage. Le marin, seul dans son bateau, se prend à rêver d'ailleurs, d'un soleil chaud, de ce qu'il y avait avant le départ, et à ce qu'il trouvera à l'arrivée. Il y a un goût de rêve et de conquête, et l'arrière-goût froid et amer de la solitude, les souvenirs et les espoirs recouverts par une brume épaisse.

Beyond The North Winds n'a pas perdu la sensibilité de son prédécesseur, ni même la réserve toujours hallucinante dont fait preuve son auteur. Pour être plus clair, STSOF était un album osé, et son minimalisme satisfaisait les moyens du bord, qui n'avaient qu'une prétention infime: raconter sobrement un mythe, inviter à l'évasion avec un travail d'écriture instinctif autant que prolifique, timide mais d'une profondeur des plus touchantes. Mais là où STSOF plongeait dans une expérimentation (l'électrique, l'acoustique, un chuchotement de fond, et c'est tout) que beaucoup ont dû trouver insuffisante, Beyond The North Winds au contraire, offre toujours plus à chaque écoute.

Daemonskald crée davantage de cohérences entre les parties métalliques et acoustiques, étire ses compositions à la manière d'un MOONSORROW pour que l'écouteur patient intègre son monde. Une rythmique souvent lente et hypnotisante est désormais clairement audible et structure plus clairement les morceaux, le seul murmure poétique qui s'évadait de Sailing The Seas Of Fate ne parcours l'album que ça et là, alterné par un chant clair déclamé de premier choix ou une voix black âpre et mystérieuse.

Dans la forme, la grande différence vient d'un son bien plus metallisé (STSOF n'étant parfois ni plus ni moins que de l'ambient avec un fond de distorsion) et de compositions plus longues et variables. Là où les repères pouvaient manquer sur le premier album, ici ils sont clairs, à droite à gauche des noms nous viennent en têtes : BATHORY (« King Of The World »), encore et toujours, FALKENBACH, lorsque le riff d'« Under The Mountains » vient rejoindre celui du grandiose « Farewell », PRIMORDIAL pour cette lenteur metallique alliée à un rendu presque martial de l'acoustique (« The Way »), les premiers AGALLOCH, pour ce folklore aux couleurs « pâles » et brumeuses, qui semble être la pierre d'angle de l'édifice.

Car des albums avec de tels passages acoustiques, si vous en connaissez, s'il vous plaît, faites m'en part ! Daemonskald à la guitare sèche, c'est un rendu émotif lourd de sens, de quelques simples accords au solo orientalisant. Et l'acoustique prend d'autant plus de sens qu'il est clairement ancré à des parties metal limpides, plus sobres (quoiqu'on ait le droit à quelques très bons soli également !) mais plantant sans relâche ce décor sombre, ce fond de colère dormante, une rage toujours recouverte par un voile glacial, dilué dans un fond d'air parfois orageux, parfois hivernal.
Même quand semble venir l'aurore, on en garde des frissons... « Far Away » devrait vous en assurer.
Par ses côtés plus formel, « Beyond The North Winds » côtoie les plus grosses pointures, et parvient néanmoins à garder les lignes de conduites de Sailing The Seas Of Fate : pas de superflu, seulement nous et cette présence sacrée, mystique, reportée à l'essentiel, débarrassée de ses stéréotypes et de sa superbe, et qui a pourtant énormément à donner. Seuls Un « The Way (The Path Less Chosen) » et quelques longueurs ça et là me feront passer juste à côté de la note maximale.

Une ode au Nord (avec un grand N, j'insiste) par un musicien des plus inspirés.

Volthard - Nightfall in Metal Earth (translate)

(77/100) Ulteriore miglioramento per i Sig:Ar:Tyr, one-man band canadese giunta al secondo disco (ancora sotto l'egida della Morbid Winter Records) con questo “Beyond the North Winds” che testimonia i progressi fatti da Daemonskald in questi ultimi tre anni soprattutto per quanto riguarda la composizione e l'ampliamento musicale della sua proposta.
In realtà il sound è mutato solo nei dettagli, e non nell'impostazione generale, rispetto a “Sailing the Seas of Fate”, in quanto la proposta dei Sig:Ar:Tyr rimane un Viking Metal legato ad atmosfere vicine ai Bathory, fortemente caratterizzato dalla dualità tra acustico ed elettrico. La chitarra classica continua infatti a prendersi amplissimi spazi (molto superiori a quelli usualmente concessi a questo strumento nel genere), ma inferiori a quelli che aveva nelle precedenti release (essa era infatti l'assoluta protagonista nel demo “The Stranger” e la base di quasi tutti i pezzi in “Sailing the Seas of Fate”) in quanto nel nuovo album Daemonskald esalta l'importanza del riffing elettrico nella costruzione dei brani, ora dotati di un'impostazione più massiccia ed epica, seppur con l'acustica a comparire spessissimo come accompagnamento, introduzione oppure per brevi, intermittenti assoli atti a separare le varie sezioni dei brani – da appassionato di Yngwie Malmsteen e del metal anni '80 (l'impronta delle varianti classiche del Metal è netta, ed è la principale responsabile dell'accostamento Bathoriano fatto in precedenza), il canadese non tralascia l'importanza dei solos, pur non esagerando mai e rimanendo sempre ben accorto nel collegare le sue divagazioni chitarristiche con la gelida e notturna atmosfera Pagan che permea i suoi lavori.
La compiutezza del nuovo suono è data anche dalla maggiore varietà vocale: ai ringhi sporchi e rauchi e alle parti narrate si aggiunge infatti la tanto attesa voce pulita, che si dimostra di discreto livello e capace di dare maggior respiro ai pezzi più classicamente epici, quale ad esempio “Under the Mountain”. Migliorato, inoltre, l'apporto della batteria, meglio realizzata rispetto alla monotona programmazione del precedente album, ed è oculato anche l'accompagnamento delle tastiere, lineare ma efficace nel sostenere (con sonorità ombrose e corali) le partiture di chitarra, sia durante le canzoni Metal che durante gli intermezzi acustici: permangono, infatti, episodi interamente dedicati alla chitarra classica, quali i solitari e malinconici “Pale Autumnal Moon”, “Sword From An Unknown Hand” o “Among The Ruins”, mentre risulta una ballad a tutti gli effetti la conclusiva “Far Way” (non lontana dai Falkenbach più Folk), forse un po' scontata nelle musiche e nelle parole, ma davvero piacevolissima oltre che capace di aprire ulteriori orizzonti (da personalizzare e sviluppare debitamente) al progetto canadese.
Il brano finale, tanto semplice e banale quanto struggente e accattivante, mette a nudo forse l'unica mancanza di “Beyond the North Winds”, ovvero quella di una (o più) melodia che spicchi sulle altre, poiché i brani d'estrazione Metal, ben realizzati e capaci di non stancare nonostante la durata corposa (sette minuti ed oltre), si somigliano tutti abbastanza e manca il riff elettrico che conquisti per particolari meriti o armonie vincenti, facendo risaltare la canzone che lo contiene.
Poco male, a livello di atmosfera il disco è validissimo (con musiche, liriche e immagini del booklet a formare un quadro coerente e affascinante), ed è vivamente consigliato sia come primo approccio ai Sig:Ar:Tyr, che a chi già conosce la band: “Beyond the North Winds” segna una buona progressione rispetto al debutto e lascia presagire ulteriori passi in avanti per il futuro.

Gioele Nasi - Rockline.it

SIG:AR:TYR is the one man project of Daemonskald, Canadian lover of all things Viking. Being a one man project, SIG:AR:TYR has become an outlet for Daemonskald’s musings on the mysteries of life and spiritual experiences. The name is an ancient rune word meaning Chaos-Balance-Order. These forces form the core materials of existence according to pagan traditions. On his official website, Daemonsklad describes SIG:AR:TYR as being dedicated to “the dark, grim history and mythology of Northern Europe.” His latest effort, Beyond the Northern Winds, continues the stylistic progression of his previous releases by creating an ambient sound with a strong emphasis on traditional metal riffs and Wagnerian sized doses of passionate folk elements.

At the foundation of this second full length release rests in the liberal use of heavily distorted guitars followed close in toe by no less intense acoustic harmonies. It is a nice blend of the two styles some of his fans can’t decide which they enjoy more. Things here should keep them happy. The drums, for the most part, are fairly unremarkable at their slow, plodding pace, but fit the ambient style well. Atmospheric keyboard work also plays an important role, taking three minutes to introduce the opening track, comprising almost the entirety of others, or simply doing its magic off in the distance somewhere. In all instances, the keyboards are quite pleasant and do much to capture the sense of grim mystery Daemonskald seems to be looking for.

As mentioned above, the interplay of acoustic and distorted guitars is masterfully accomplished and creates entrancing melodies of contrast. Imagine the deafening roar of a lion and the chirping of a bird engaged in a duet and you’ll get an idea for what I mean. The contrasting sounds not only play well off one another, but one is rarely overpowering. Both are always clearly present and in control. At times, though, one will permit the other to take center stage. There are three acoustic instrumental tracks on the album, and sometimes the acoustic guitars will disappear entirely from a song. Acoustic solos grace many of the tracks as well, and while well conceived, often blur into a series of imperceptible notes making the beauty of their construction difficult to decipher.

Daemonskald’s vocals are another strong point of the album. Previously, Daemonsklad went for a more spoken word approach with the occasional raspy intonations here and there. On Beyond the Northern Winds, things are very much the opposite. Harsh vocals are more pronounced and prevalent, fitting with the newfound heaviness. His voice also shifts into a subdued but classically styled sound falling short of the spoken word but still managing to carry a note. The lyrics themselves are thoughtful and in my mind never forced or awkward. Again, fitting for the style of play.

Overall, Beyond the Northern Wind is another superb release from a creative guy with a lot of talent. Fortunately, poor acoustic solos do little to mire an otherwise strong interplay of sharply contrasting guitars which combine to create epic melodies. The electric solos also do a lot to make up for the poor showing of their counterpart. Pagan mythological themes are presented in an abstract fashion and suit the overall ambient tones. You might say we have enough Viking inspired ambient folk metal, but Daemonskald manages to represent the content in a refreshing, more intelligent manner than those who have come before. Beyond the North Winds has easily become one of my favorites for 2008.

Stephen Teichgraeber - Metal Ex Nihilo Blog

Semivivus - Valhalla Promotions

(4.5/5) In the past, Daemonskald has shown us he doesn’t like always doing the same thing with his music. The Stranger, SIG:AR:TYR’s first EP was solely ambient acoustic guitars with some spoken sections. Next came his first full-length, Sailing The Seas Of Fate, that saw him taking the ambient acoustics from his first EP and adding some electric guitar and drums to create a new epic acoustic/metal sound but where the acoustic was dominant (as opposed to most other bands that play folk metal). Both the EP and the album were well received by the few that heard them.
On Beyond The North Winds, SIG:AR:TYR’s musical progression continues with added vocal styles, more straightforward song writing, a slightly stronger penchant towards black metal and a more important use of the electric guitar to create a very diverse album that keeps the core of the sound created on the last album.

The album opens up with some symphonic keyboards and a slow ominous drumbeat. After about 3 minutes of this the first few acoustic guitar chords come in. Then you are hit with heavily distorted guitars; the acoustic guitars still going behind them. But then something happens. It is not something big but if you are a fan of SIG:AR:TYR’s previous work you will know that this small change is something completely new to the sound. The acoustic guitar disappears leaving way to distorted electric guitar riffs and a slow drumbeat. This is the first of many changes to appear on the album.

First of all, the acoustic guitar is much less present than on the last album. But its presence is still pretty big. Sailing The Seas Of Fate had a few songs that featured electric guitar but only one that was driven by it(Skuld); whereas, Beyond The North Winds has 4 songs that focus more on the electric guitar(King Of The World, Beyond The North Winds, Under The Mountain and Etched In Stone). Each of these songs features some acoustic guitar but it is used either as an interlude between different parts of the songs, to create a short melody over a rhythmic electric riff or as a rhythm guitar to complement one of the electric riffs.

To balance out this new found heaviness, the album features 3 instrumental acoustic songs (Pale Autumnal Moon, Sword From An Unknown Hand, Among The Ruins) and one acoustic ballad (Far Away). Pale Autumnal Moon revolves around some strummed chords with an ambient sound sample as a backdrop. Sword From An Unknown Hand starts off with some slow chord progressions and incorporates some acoustic soloing. Among The Ruins is easily the best of the three and features elements from both songs. One problem that has followed SIG:AR:TYR since the beginning of their discography reoccurs here also; this is with the acoustic solos. They often turn into a low, blur of notes which is sad because there seems to be much talent hidden beneath them but it is almost impossible to hear.

The Way creates a balance between the electric and acoustic side of the music with its happy sounding strummed verses and powerful electric choruses.

Now about the singing. Those of you that have heard his two previous works probably expect more of the same spoken vocals with maybe some occasional screaming (like on Urd and Skuld). This type of singing is only featured on the first track and even there it is harsher than before. The rest of the album is separated between high, raspy black metal-like screams and Daemonskald’s new found clean singing. His voice sounds like a less peppy version of an operatic power metal singer (see Under The Mountain for the best example of this). The operatic sound of his voice suits the slower pace of his music very well and provides diversity not featured on his previous works.

Overall:
As stated earlier, Daemonskald has created a very diverse album. The songs range from instrumental acoustic (the three mentioned earlier) to black metal (Etched In Stone) to an acoustic ballad (Far Away) and even what could be considered a doom song (Under The Mountain). Lyrically the album revolves around nature and pagan mythology and is often written in a nice abstract way. But the lyrics falter drastically in Far Away where they cross the line into cheesiness. Instrumentally the album is very impressive. The acoustic and electric guitars intertwine to create unique melodies and epic songs. The electric guitar solos are always top-notch and always seem to come in at the right moment to add their own piece to the song. Sadly, the acoustic solos are often much harder to distinguish because the notes often come out sounding muffled. The drumming, although very simplistic, fits with the slower pace of the songs and allows the listener to focus more on the intertwining guitars and the lyrical content of the album.

Beyond The North Winds is another superb release by a band that has yet to disappoint. It shows and incredible amount of progression over past releases and manages to create something that is just as enjoyable while staying fresh and creative. A few minor flaws hold this back from a 5 (the acoustic solos and the cheesy lyrics of the acoustic ballad) but this will definitely stay near the top of my top albums of 2008.

Simon Harris "Scream"- review from Sputnik Music

Sailing The Seas Of Fate (2005)

(4.5/5) SIG:AR:TYR is a Canadian ambient/acoustic/folk/metal band and is the brainchild of composer Daemonskald. Probably not many of you have heard of SIG:AR:TYR or Daemonskald and hopefully my review will help put this ingenious composer into light.

The red runes spoke of these dark days
A tale forgotten beneath the dying sun
A darkened plague, eclipsing all that should be
To the north we sail, beyond the mists of time

Sailing The Seas Of Faith tells the story of a Viking quest to the far northern reaches of the world to retrieve an object to turn the tide of Christianity. The lyrics aren’t very straightforward but also aren’t so abstract as to stop the listener from understanding the concept behind the album. There are many references to Norse mythology within the songs. The way the lyrics are delivered is very special too. The album is mostly instruments but when a voice is heard it is usually someone talking faintly, almost in the background behind the instruments, adding to the gloomy, ambient feel of many songs. A bit of screaming is featured in the album. Urd features a kind of raspy singing reminiscent of Agalloch and Skuld has something similar but leaning slightly more towards black metal

The instruments help the lyrics get the concept through to the listener. The whole album is almost completely acoustic guitar and even when electric guitar is played, the rhythmic acoustic guitar can be heard beneath it. For the most part the acoustic chord progressions have a somewhat slow tempo and a gloomy feel. When heard, the electric guitar only adds power to that feeling. A few solos (both acoustic and electric) are thrown into the music. The solos are actually the only real fault I find with the album. A few of the electric and acoustic solos are played very fast and take away a bit from the gloomy feeling of some songs. Thankfully those solos usually aren’t very long and the songs have time to save face before they end. Skuld finishes the album with a bang being almost completely electric guitar driven and with the addition of the black metal-like scream. The drums are very simplistic but this does not drive the album down. On the contrary it is similar to a drum beat played to the march of an army and helps push the concept of the album even further.

As mentioned earlier, the album mostly has a gloomy feel to it to match the lyrics of the army marching in search of treasure and war. Songs like Dreaming Of The Dawn and To Cronia are perfect examples of this. But an army can’t always be in a state of depression and sadness. Songs like Frost On Dead Leaves show this aspect and once again just give so much more dimension to the concept behind the whole album. The album’s heavier, more straightforward closer seems to hint at a battle at the end of their quest but the results of the battle still remain unclear even after reading through the lyrics a few times.

Sailing The Seas Of Fate is a very unique experience in the world of folk metal. The beautiful ambient acoustic melodies lead you through a journey and allow anyone to immerse themselves into the concept behind the album. Sadly the album is only brought down by some solos. It might take a little bit of time to grow but once it does you will be glad you checked out this underground Canadian solo project.

The new north shines like starry night
The martyr falls in black sun's light
The stone is set in middle earth
To eternal guide the blood's rebirth

Simon Harris "Scream"- review from Sputnik Music

(9/10) This was initially supposed to be released under the aegis of Karmageddon Media, but unspecified problems have meant that this rather stunning album has been on ice since 2004, until the tiny Morbid Winter label released it. This is a pity, as this could have easily found a wider audience with the support of a bigger label.

Despite being a one-man project, this is far from a half-baked Darkthrone clone performing two elementary riffs per song; Daemonskald has quite obviously been honing his guitar playing and songwriting skills for quite some time. Whilst doing so, he was no doubt listening to Bathory and Yngwie Malmsteen; perhaps a bit of Falkenbach. But influence should not be confused with mimicry; Sig:Ar:Tyr is far more than the sum of its influences, composing complex and fairly technical songs.

His songs are guitar driven, primarily acoustic, with electric guitars used infrequently (with the exception of the epic closer "Skuld"). Drums surface only occasionally, to provide a little rhythmic impetus where necessary. This is principally an instrumental album, and what little vocals there are consist largely of narration.

Sig:Ar:Tyr are clearly one of the better bands to emerge from the Canadian underground, but with an album as epic and technical as this, I doubt he will remain an unknown entity for too much longer.

Quentin Kalis - Chronicles of Chaos

Desde canada nos llega este nuevo trabajo de Sig:ar:tyr, el proyecto en solitario de Daemonskald. Un disco donde predominan los medios tiempos, prácticamente en su totalidad de caracter acústico-instrumental en una vertiente que roza lo meláncolico y depresivo en muchos momentos. Una excelente creación nacida en la mente de Daemonskald, quien gestó en su cabeza todo este trabajo dando lugar a una magnífica obra. Todos y cada uno de los cortes que conforman este disco están inspirados en poemas paganos, vikingos, anglo-sajones y sagas nórdicas...
Guitarra acústica y teclados, trabajan mano a mano, en el primer tema del disco, "Dreaming of the Dawn", creando una interesante atmósfera que lo invade todo y permite sumergirte (ayudado por el efecto de olas que puede oirse de fondo) por completo en la música (una fórmula que se repite en muchos otros temas como es el caso de "To Cronia" o "The Dead Giant's Tale". Este primer tema es una contínua mezcla de partes acústicas y partes acompañadas por guitarras distorsionadas recordándome en ocasiones a grupos como Moonsorrow en ciertas partes de los temas en sus últimos trabajos. A lo largo de estos más de 8 minutos de tema aparece una voz haciendo el papel de "narrador" diciendo algunas frases extraídas de poemas vikingos como el Hávamál, consiguiendo integrarse por completo en la atmósfera anteriormente mencionada...
Ya el primer tema es una auténtica declaración de intenciones, la presencia en los demás de las guitarras acústicas es notable, estas predominan en prácticamente todos los temas que tienen un eminente matiz instrumental, a base de arpeggios o melódias que en la mayor parte de las veces siguen un tono de cierto caracter meláncolico. En temas como "Frost on Dead Leaves" se luce especialmente, un tema instrumental y corto, donde abundan los solos veloces y virtuosos.
La batería está ausente en prácticamente todo el disco, apareciendo en algunas partes, ya que lo que realmente predomina es algún tipo de percusión tradicional que se va intercalando con la otra, dando lugar a unos cambios realmente brutales que ayudan a realzar mucho los temas potenciados con las guitarras distorsionadas y solos realmente impresionantes. Estas partes distorsionadas recuerdan en muchas ocasiones a grupos como Bathory, y viendo el cuarto tema del disco, dedicado a Quorthon, corroboramos que es una de las influencias en su música.
Los últimos temas forman una "trilogía" basada en las nornas, las tres diosas del destino de la mitología nórdica, cada una expresa un sentimiento, un tono, un matiz diferente que personalmente creo que esa era la intención del compositor. Destaco principalmente el noveno tema, "Skuld", un final de disco cojonudo, un punto final muy cañero y más tirando al Pagan Black Metal con voz rasgada y aguda (contrastando con el resgistro limpio que podemos escuchar en el resto del disco). Personalmente me hubiera gustado muchísimo más, si abundaran los temas como este último, pero pese a esto he encontrado el disco muy interesante.
El punto fuerte del disco son las guitarras, con solos que la verdad me han dejado la boca abierta (tanto los realizados con guitarras acústicas como con las eléctricas), muestra de técnica que se escapa por todos los lados.
Un disco que me recuerda en ocasiones a grupos como Odroerir (por su caracter acústico), aunque sumamente diferente a la vez. Para todos los que disfruten de buenos discos en plan relax y sosiego, esta es una buena opción. (7.5/10)

Tharngrist - Black Dawn Zine

Unrestrained! Magazine #32

Sig:Ar:Tyr is a solo project brainchild of Canadian composer Daemonskald who has created & played everything found on Sailing the Sea of Fate. Once again, we are pleased to find a very talented instrumentalist even more so being a country mate. Hails! I've listened this album quite a few times and every time I feel the urge to do not thing: pick up my guitar! It's a very inspiring piece of music where the acoustic guitar plays a huge role in the folk / pagan /Viking scenery. At times, Sailing the Sea of Fate is even reminiscent to Led Zeppelin III in songs like : Frost on Dead Leaves (my favorite) & Under the Dragon Star. Distorted guitars are also present but not on a regular basis besides the epic Viking closer : Skuld. Mostly instrumental, the vocal lines are discrete, spoken or whispered and on a couple occasions, harsh ones are being used (Urd & Skuld). To add a more epic /dramatic edge and ambience, Daemonscald made crafty use of wind, wave & thunder samplings along with occasional keyboard patterns only to the benefit the opus. Great album, inspiring, relaxing and very well produced. (9/10)
Shadow - Harm Magazine

[Un épais brouillard nocturne. Seule la pleine lune illumine encore quelques formes diffuses à travers les nuées. Un homme, seul depuis la mort de ses camarades. Ou peut être l'a-t-il toujours été, seul dans cet immense bateau dont la proue imite la tête d'un dragon, voguant sur les mers du nords, les mers du destin.]

Marin, païen affirmé..guitariste, percussioniste...poète?
Seul maître à bord, Daemonskald remplit toutes les fonctions, dans ses fictions comme dans son studio. Mais ici pas d'homme Orchestre qui entendrait faire des prouesses et tricher par-ci par-là pour se vanter ensuite d'être plus technique à lui tout seul qu'un groupe complet. La démarche est beaucoup plus personnelle, le langage, plus intimiste. Le concept est finalement très simple, très sobre: allier longs passages folk acoustiques puis partie métalliques de guitares, riffs et solos où l'habituelle batterie est remplacée tantôt par le silence du vent, tantôt par quelques percussions discrètes. Quelques nappes de claviers "vocaux" arrondissent les angles, mais le viking canadien préfère laisser libre court aux guitares plutôt que d'abuser de ce genre de sonorités qui pourraient vite tourner au ridicule. Pas de gros hurlements black, pas de chants clairs, mais une narration poétique chuchotée et aérienne, parfois un peu plus torturée sur la fin de l'album.

Le concept est plutôt original, consistant en un dialogue entre deux figures mythologiques (pourtant mineures, mais c'est là tout le charme du truc!), avec véritable démarche derrière. Pour plus de renseignements, un tour sur le site officiel est indispensable, j'ai rarement vu un musicien s'investir autant dans son concept, en expliquer chaque recoin. Quant au livret... une perle tout simplement. Les textes sont souvent appuyés par des citations de poèmes eddiques et scaldiques, ainsi que de superbes illustrations. Bref, le genre d'oeuvre où l'on a envie d'y perdre corps et âme.

L'écoute de l'album nous projette dans un ailleurs où renaissent quelques paysages froids et oniriques, marécageux ou enneigés, sentiments de tristesse, de peine ou de gloire. Quelques pensées pour le défunt Quorthon nous viennent en tête. La distorsion brumeuse évoque sans prétention ni vulgarité (ni plagiat!) des sonorités propres au seigneur BATHORY (pour sa partie moins heavy), ou d'autres groupes de black lent tel BURZUM. Les passages acoustiques évoqueront...n'importe quel album entièrement acoustique où priment des arpèges entrelacés prenants. Impossible alors de ne pas songer à des groupes tels ULVER ou EMPYRIUM qui ont tenté l'experience acoustique. Un BATHORY où la batterie est remplacé soit par les silences, soit par de discrètes (et parfois quasi inutiles) percussions, allié au EMPYRIUM de "Where At Night..", voilà qui pourrait tracer une esquisse à peu près correcte de cet album. Difficile cependant de retranscrire la particularité de l'ambiance, intimiste et unique qui l'imprègne. Car autant dire que j'ai l'impression d'avoir écrit au moins trente fois dans mes chroniques la première phrase du paragraphe, mais je ne trouve toujours pas de substitut, la sensation est différente à chaque fois, et les mots qui me viennent sont les mêmes. La musique de SIG:AR:TYR diffère de celle de ses camarades par ce souci de sobriété.

S'immerger, se confondre dans la musique, textes à l'appui, voilà quelque chose qui me manquait depuis le dernier SUMMONING (pas si lointain quand même). Sailing the seas of fate est une oeuvre passionnée respirant la fierté et l'honnêteté, provoquant un ressenti particulier. Si "Snowborn", "Verdandi" ou encore "Uld" sont tout simplement magnifiques et nous laissent entrevoir un bel avenir pour le groupe. On regrettera peut être certains passages un peu faciles et quelques longueurs.

Pour ce premier essai, Daemonskald bouscule les conventions d'un genre qui a sans cesse besoin d'un nouveau souffle. Certains verront la naissance d'un nouveau génie (d'un second Quorthon si l'on considère ce dernier comme un génie), d'autres trouveront ça mou et longuet, mais je parierais que l'avis de la plupart (en estimant qu'ils soient comme moi un minimum fan du genre) se situera un peu entre les deux.

Pas toujours d'une justesse transcendante (mais j'ai aussi un peu trop tendance à projeter mes caprices sur ce genre d'oeuvres qui me touchent personnellement ), mais franchement passionnant.
Volthord - Nightfall in Metal Earth

Viking Metal is not anymore new in Canada, Calgary’s DARK FOREST have taken care of this and now another project fell into my hands and I have expected that it would sound like Dave Parks’ band: SIG:AR:TYR. With a Viking scene on the front cover, the band name and the Viking related song titles as well as the tribute-obeisance to BATHORY’s Quorthon it does point in that direction, doesn’t it?

Well, this conclusion was justifiable really, but nothing made me aware of what would await me on “Sailing The Seas Of Fate”, cause the acoustic guitar plays an exquisitely important role and we can rarely hear some singing (almost only spoken text), instead a really innate atmosphere is created, which can hardly be put into words. The only member of the band is Daemonskald, who has solely composed and played the whole record, which is pretty common with this genre, DIADEM, DARK FOREST and now SIG:AR:TYR (whereas the first two bands recruited a complete line-up in the meantime).

Atmosphere is the balance point in the sound of SIG:AR:TYR, partly done by the duo of acoustic and electric guitar, as done before by BATHORY, mostly through plain rhythms, but very effective, as proven by the opener “Dreaming Of The Dawn”. “Frost On Dead Leaves” is completely acoustic, partly picked, partly strummed and partly surprisingly playful, so not the usual acoustic stuff. The hammer on this , though, record is “Under The Dragon Star” which begins purely acoustic (but played really hard) and has a few spoken words, then joined by a hard slow riffing through a pounding rhythm, which together with the acoustic guitars sounds really baneful and plainly amazing! These opposites are marking the CD and the following tracks are completely acoustic or combined with hard rhythm guitars.

I would actually state that SIG:AR:TYR sound really unique, even with the BATHORY influences, cause the mostly acoustic line is consequently performed and I know no other band which sounds like this. For this reason “Sailing The Seas Of Fate” won’t fit everybody and one might need a few rotations to get used to it, but I say: thumbs up!
Alex Melzer - Metal Observer

Just by looking at the cover you will get a fairly good sense of what to expect here: Pagan Black Metal. However, SIG:AR:TYR are not simply another iteration of worn cliches: their material is largely acoustic in nature, with plenty of folky strumming and finger-picking, percussion, howling winds, and somberly narrated vocals animating each song. There are distorted guitars and screamed vocals, of course, but these are used strategically, rather than constituting the bulk of what is on offer. I am largely reminded of PRIMORDIAL’s acoustically-orientated material, particularly that from the first album. The statement on the back of the booklet reveals clear Apollonian sensitivies, exalting traditional notions of identity, and the agrarian and warrior values typical of Volkisch thought. The umbral neo-Romantic imagery, full of sturm und drang, is well chosen and the layouts clean and elegant, providing the perfect visual accompaniment to the sonic content. A magnificent example of the gems it is possible to find in the deep underground, if one is prepared to look.
AK-47 - Supernal Music

Darkside.ru review by Radogost (in Russian) (9/10)

Here's one for all the Bathory addicts out there. Sig:Ar:Tyr is a viking orientated act with a lot of powerful acoustic moments and synth interludes. Think of a much cleaner, more modern Hammerheart in this case. The vocals are spoken over layers and layers of strings which are accompanied by the sharp and icy drone of distortion. The drums could be a little more authentic and higher quality samples would be nice but overall this is quite a stunning little release for a one-man band. Well produced and executed.
Alex de Moller - Zero Tolerance Magazine

In Italia è assolutamente sconosciuto e nel resto d’Europa poco ci manca. RockLine.it può così vantarsi di aver scoperto un artista veramente geniale. Lui si chiama Daemonskald e la sua creatura, i SIG:AR:TYR, ovvero l’insieme dei nomi di tre rune, è quanto di più originale in ambito Pagan attualmente. Il progetto nasce nel 2003 in Canada e nello stesso anno viene pubblicato The Stranger, un demo, composto da sei tracce, paragonabile ad un viaggio introspettivo fatto di atmosfere oniriche. Il lavoro presenta, oltre alle parti cantate, esclusivamente chitarre acustiche e tastiere. Nonostante le recensioni ampiamente positive, il disco viene purtroppo snobbato dai più. Daemonskald non si perde d’animo ed inizia a lavorare immediatamente sul nuovo materiale. Sailing The Seas Of Fate, concepito addirittura nell’inverno del 2003, viene finalmente lanciato sul mercato dalla Morbid Winter Records, una giovane etichetta nordamericana specializzata nel Metal estremo.

Risulta davvero difficile classificare per genere un disco di questo tipo. Si è deciso perciò di farlo rientrare in quella categoria, denominata Viking Metal, dove i vari artisti sono accomunati più che altro dalle tematiche trattate piuttosto che dalla proposta musicale. Attenzione però, Sailing The Seas Of Fate, a tratti, pare persino essere un lavoro accostabile all’Ambient. Per capacità evocative il complesso canadese può essere paragonato ai Summoning, tuttavia il sound del gruppo austriaco è solenne, pomposo, epico, mentre quello dei SIG:AR:TYR oscuro, introspettivo, fuori da tutti gli schemi. Il platter contiene nove canzoni, quasi tutte caratterizzate da una durata piuttosto lunga. Al contrario di The Stranger, qui Daemonskald suona vari strumenti, senza comunque togliere spazio alla sua amata chitarra classica, con il quale l’artista nordamericano si destreggia alquanto bene. Non mancano nemmeno gli assoli, sempre freddi ed enigmatici. Altro discorso meritano le parti vocali, non sempre all’altezza delle melodie. In moltissimi pezzi, come ad esempio Dreaming Of The Down, Daemonskald opta per delle liriche narrate, a differenza di quanto accade in Skuld, dove il polistrumentista si lancia in uno screaming grezzo ma estremamente appagante. La track conclusiva dell’album appare fin da subito come la più aggressiva del lotto, nonché una delle meglio riuscite. Essa si protrae per sette minuti ed alterna riff durissimi a momenti di pura quiete.

Questi ultimi sono la principale peculiarità del disco, di cui è pertanto consigliato l’ascolto in totale solitudine nell’oscurità, quando si è disposti a mettere in discussione ogni cosa, quando emergono le paure più profonde e nascoste del proprio animo. I testi sotto questo punto di vista non centrano, in quanto trattano di temi storici, mitici e religiosi. Essi sono, a detta di Daemonskald, uno degli elementi portanti dei SIG:AR:TYR e la cura a loro riservata è di conseguenza impressionante. Per chi volesse, sul sito ufficiale del gruppo sono disponibili spiegazioni ed approfondimenti che permettono di comprendere meglio le liriche dei vari brani. A rendere Sailing The Seas Of Fate un’uscita ancor più interessante è la sua produzione, pulitissima e nettamente superiore a quella di The Stranger. Grazie ad essa è possibile apprezzare ogni singolo accordo suonato dall’artista canadese con la sua chitarra classica. To Cronia ne è la dimostrazione più lampante. La quinta traccia del platter, che in apertura ricorda vagamente lavori quali Crypt Of The Wizard, vede un cantato sospirato, in grado di incutere una certa tensione nell’ascoltatore. Altre splendide canzoni sono Verdandi, nella cui frazione iniziale spicca un lungo, mistico, assolo, Under The Dragon Star, con il suo incedere bellico scandito dal ritmo cadenzato della batteria, e la malinconica Urd.

Cosa si può dire ancora riguardo al secondo album dei SIG:AR:TYR? Si tratta, senza minima ombra di dubbio, di un lavoro veramente singolare, ideale per la riflessione. Le atmosfere conducono in luoghi lontani dal mondo, ma non portano necessariamente alla depressione, come spesso accade per dischi simili. Daemonskald è un personaggio da tenere d’occhio e prossimamente anche l’Europa potrebbe rimanere incantata dalla sua favolosa musica. Tutti coloro che si sono ormai stufati delle solite proposte potrebbero aver finalmente trovato pane per i loro denti, e che pane…
Jacopo Prada - Rockline.it

The Stranger (2003)

When one thinks of Norse Mythology, Canada is probably one of the last locations that will come to mind. But after hearing Sailing The Seas Of Fate an epic ambient/acoustic/folk/metal album by the Canadian band SIG:ARTYR, and now their EP The Stranger, Canada cannot help but pop into my head at the mention of Norse Mythology.

Unlike Sailing The Seas Of Fate, The Stranger features no metal parts whatsoever. It consist only of acoustic guitar and Daemonskald’s voice. For those who enjoyed the acoustic melodies of Sailing…, this album holds many more wonders.

Lyrically the album is focused around a short story written by Daemonskald himself. (For those interested the story can be accessed via this link: [url] http://www.sigartyr.com/stranger.htm[/url]) It tells the story of a mercenary that feels like he has been emptied of his soul and emotions by his trade and is contemplating suicide. But then a mysterious, nameless stranger comes along and, through his enigmatic speeches, convinces the young warrior not to jump into the rushing river beneath him. The story takes an eery end when the young man sees his lifeless body lying further down the river.

All lyrics are delivered with a soft spoken voice that mixes in with the acoustic guitar to create the bands signature, unique, atmospheric sound. Other than the voice and a few windy sounds, acoustic guitar is the only thing heard on this album. Soft strumming or chord progressions usually start off the songs and are repeated a few times (but not to the point of getting boring) and create the relaxing, ambient mood of the album. After a few repetitions the lead acoustic guitar starts playing and weaves itself around the rhythm guitar to create intricate, melodic and even beautiful sounds that you can get lost in for the whole length of the EP.

A few fast picked acoustic solos are also present throughout the album. They do a good job to add variety and further demonstrate Daemonskald’s guitar talents. But, sometimes they are played so fast that some notes get lost in a kind of “acoustic blur”. Luckily, this doesn’t happen too often on the album and the solos are usually very enjoyable.

If you enjoy beautiful acoustic guitar, then look no further. The Stranger is a beautifully crafted EP full of intricate guitar work, ambient vocals and mystical lyrics. Daemonskald is an ingenious Canadian composer that will hopefully one day be more known in the world of music.

Simon Harris "Scream"- review from Sputnik Music

This demo is mesmerizing, ancient ambient music with certain Viking leanings. What really stands out about this demo are the choice spoken word portions, which will put a spell on you that will be hard to break out of. Each song here is very nonchalant, melodic, ambient, and mostly instrumental, except for the spoken word portions and the grandeur of it all will really make you feel as if you are taking some Viking journey or what have you. There are no solos here, but that's fine because that isn't what this music is going for. It is simply meant to engulf you in rich, melancholy melody and take you away from your current realm of existence. This is the kind of music you'd want to listen to just to relax or meditate to...it's very non-threatening and non-imposing without being complete elevator music. What can I say?...pick this up as soon as possible. You won't regret it. I can't wait until the full-length album comes out. I read an interview with the band(artist) once in which he said a full-length was in the works. We shall see what will come in the future...
Metal Archives

(9/10) The first thing you might think when you see the name of this project, is that the name is a little funny. An explanation according to official site: "The rune word set SIG:AR:TYR embodies three major aspects of existence: Chaos-Balance-Order." It is fitting for the project, as it is music that takes these aspects and puts them to musical form in heathen fashion. SIG:AR:TYR is a one man project of a man who simply refers to himself as Daemonskald and cites himself to be influenced by the likes of BATHORY, BURZUM and YNGWIE MALMSTEEN. So... what do you get when you throw these influences into a musical blender, then strip it down to nothing but accoustic guitars? Well, it would probably be a lot like SIG:AR:TYR.

"The Stranger" can be best described as atmospheric-accoustic. The six songs that comprise the demo are created exclusively with a steel-string accoustic for rhythm, a classical/Spanish guitar for the lead melodies, and a keyboard purely for atmospheric background ambience. There are lyrics in two of the six songs (At The Gates and Against The Grail) that are spoken in a narrative style. The lyrics reflect on the pagan culture and disparity in acceptance of the gradual fading of all that once was. This can be most seen in an Otto Rahn quote, used in "Against The Grail": "My Ancestors were Pagans/My Forebears Were Heretics". Overall the feeling evoked from the sound is a melancholic desolate atmosphere drenched in the bitterness of a culture lost. Throughout the album, the musicianship is top notch. Daemonskald can play his guitar, and isn't afraid to show it. The quality of the accoustic guitar shred apparent in this release is astounding. All the while, it's not just there for the sake of being there, and it fits the atmospheric taste of the album perfectly. The keyboards in use reside behind the guitars most of the time and are there to lend to the overall feel.

Songs of specific interest (without saying everything, as they are all astounding) were: "Orion Awaits" where Daemonskald goes off on a tangent with the keyboards that reminds me of the style of Tomhet from BURZUM's Hvis Lyset Tar Oss. Also the title track "The Stranger" which comes off to me as the music to a journey. It is a structured instrumental with instrumental passages as the "verses" of the song. As a final note: "The Stranger" was inspired by a short story of the same name written by Daemonskald, excerpts of which are provided on the glossy jewel case insert of the demo. The short story in its complete form is available to be read at SIG:AR:TYR's official site: www.sigartyr.com

SIG:AR:TYR is great music for quiet reflection for the heathen in you. The project was recently snatched up by New Aeon Media (Karmageddon), and Daemonskald is currently writing new material for a worldwide SIG:AR:TYR release. Look for the next release sometime in the near future.
NicodemiX

I've been sitting on this one for quite some time, mainly due to a greatly diminished time in my life to spin newer music and also for the fact that I haven't been in the mood to wrap my soul around the darkly atmospheric nature of Sig:Ar:Tyr's classically inspired, instrumental based music. Try to envision a nice mix between Ulver's folk fueled "Kveldssanger" and the greatness of Death in June and you have a glimpse into the world of Sig:Ar:Tyr's sole musical visionary Daemonskald. The spoken word passages found on "At The Gates" really points to the DIJ comparison as his cold voice speaks of a time long past, only for the droning chords to usher the listeners thoughts along for the shift back into history to be experienced through the eyes, heart and strings of Daemonskald. There are no percussive elements on this excellent and elegant 6 song release, just the existence of minor synth work, the occasional wisp of the wind, and some downright moving acoustic pieces. As "The Stranger" progresses, Daemonskald's affinity for the "Kveldssanger" spirit becomes more evident, but I feel his vision and take on the passion found on that album is a bit more straight forward. Tracks like "Against the Grail" evolve up from a set chord progression where Daemonskald breaks away from the pull of this framework with some very tasteful solo work. "Orion Awaits" does eventually go back into this formula, but not before Daemonskald gives the listener a solitary solo against a blowing gale to really offer a unique atmosphere before the track cascades off into the suffocating depression offered by some well done synth minimalism. "The Stranger" is one of those sleeper cells located in my pile of new music awaiting perusal that truly connected with me after time, as I have listened to it everyday since I popped it in just after the fall of xmas. Fans of bold and inspired music that may possess the spirit of the black metal arts without being metal at all, should really fall into splendor under Daemonskald's wondrous spell casting. Sig:Ar:Tyr is a yet unheard of entity out there in the music world making art for all the right reasons... to reach into the listeners heart and mind and turn their emotions under the artists will. Call it apocalyptic folk if you'd like, the term certainly fits, but try not to cast classification until you have felt the atmosphere for yourself.
Marty - Worm Gear

This release is really depressive one. Slow and emotional melancholic sound of great dark ambient influenced by the new Agalloch and Of The Wand And The Moon can really make you insane. 6 tracks - 30 minutes of this cold and melodic ambient can be very great way to became a depressive person. Very well played acoustic guitar parts are combined with cold, slow, emotional and also very dark keyboards and it creates a very dark atmosphere. Spoken vocal fits here very well and gives even more atmosphere! It reminds me Babylon Mistery Orchestra a lot! Very low and cold voice! But the main thing that makes this release brilliant is those heart touching guitar solos! I am huge fan of it so THE STRANGER sounds even better each time I listen it. Every one who has melancholy in their hearts must have this release!
Tomas - Veles

This is a very dark, inspiring, and flat-out impressive acoustic/synth atmospheric piece of dark music! Sig:Ar:Tyr is yet, another one-man project and hails from Ontario, Canada. Daemonskald presents the world with his visions through metal-inspired music, but without metal-inspired instruments. For this 1st challenge: acoustic guitar, spoken word and synthesizers are the only forms of wielded words. Like that Of the Wand & the Moon, Tenhi, Empyrium, Nest, or even older-Ulver... "The Stranger" is essentially dedicated to the dark, grim history and mythology of the Northern European regions. "Orion Awaits" is my favorite piece. This track stands around 9 minutes and is completely mesmerizing with lush atmosphere and classical guitar-peggios! There are 6 tracks in all and they sit comfortably at around a half-hour. "The Stranger" is a stunning pagan and folkloric opus for fans of the aforementioned bands. May this settle calmly amongst the cold-hearted.85/100
Thomas Mitchell - Metal Fanatix

(7/10) Sig:Ar:Tyr swój koncept opiera na opowiadaniu "The Stranger" autorstwa jedynego muzyka tego "zespo?u". Daemonskald nie ukrywa, z.e wielka inspiracja; dla niego jest kultura krajów pó?nocnej Europy i tam szuka natchnienia. Szes'c' utworów, jakie znalaz?o sie; na debiutanckim demo okaza?o sie; na tyle interesuja;ce dla New Aeon Media, z.e nowy album wyjdzie w?as'nie pod skrzyd?ami tego labels. Muzycznie "The Stranger" to przygoda z muzyka; klasyczna;, ale ta; gitarowa;. Gitara akustyczna to podstawa i basta. S?ychac' tez. wp?ywy ambientu, neo folka, co tylko cieszy, bo dzie;ki temu muzyka staje sie; wielowymiarowa, nabiera przestrzeni. Nie jest to z.adne pompatyczne granie, raczej delikatne a jednoczes'nie mroczne dz'wie;ki, które pieszcza; uszy. Przemykaja; zwiewnie gdzies' w pods'wiadomos'ci, na granicy snu i jawy tworza;c malownicze pejzaz.e, w które s?uchacz wpatruje sie; w niemym zachwycie. Zaskakuja;ce dla mnie by?o to, jak naturalna jest to muzyka, jak g?adko p?ynie spod palców jej autora, z jaka; ?atwos'cia; Daemonskald potrafi przelac' swoje uczucia na instrumenty. "The Stranger" brzmi jak soundtrack do opowies'ci osadzonej w ciemnych wiekach s'redniowiecza, kiedy ludzie wierzyli jeszcze w czary i demony. Sig:Ar:Tyr jest przewodnikiem po tej krainie magii i iluzji, gdzie obok ludzi przechadzaja; sie; bogowie, gdzie nawet najbardziej nieprawdopodobne rzeczy i zjawiska sa; czyms' naturalnym. Uczucia i emocje zawarte w delikatnym brzmieniu gitary klasycznej po prostu wzruszaja;, igraja; tym na odczuciach s?uchacza. Najlepiej otworzyc' sie; na te dz'wie;ki, pozwolic' im p?yna;c' ich naturalnym torem, nie walczyc' z nimi, a na pewno nikt nie poz.a?uje.
Tymothy - Nocturnal Battle of Chariots

Non c'è molto da dire sulla recente storia di questa one-man band canadese, formatasi per volere di Daemonskald lo scorso anno ed avente all'attivo quest'unico demo. "The Stranger" è un prodotto dai contenuti singolari: nonostante sia ispirato al Viking/Pagan Metal (così recita la biografia inviatami), questo demo di Metal non ha proprio nulla. Le sei tracce presenti, a parte un intermezzo di sintetizzatore intitolato "Orion Awaits", sono tutte composizioni per chitarra classica, accompagnata da lunghe note di tastiera in sottofondo e da una voce narrante che recita i testi, sempre incentrati sulla storia e la mitologia del Nord Europa.
Già da questa premessa si può intuire che non sia un demo per tutti, visti appunto i suoi contenuti musicali, che potrebbero ricordare, ad esempio, "Kveldsjanger" degli Ulver. Ad essere sinceri, nonostante Daemonskald sia un chitarrista tecnicamente abbastanza dotato, bisogna ammettere che la sua creatività a livello compositivo non è altrettanto evidente. La sua abilità, purtroppo, è rilegata ad attimi sporadici, soprattutto negli assoli. Spunti interessanti, neanche così frequenti, sono affiancati a momenti troppo stanchi e monotoni, per nulla ispirati. La tendenza a ripetersi rende spesso le canzoni prolisse più del dovuto.
L'ascolto di queste sei composizioni scorre via liscio come sottofondo, ma non riesce a mantenere vivo l'interesse di chi ascolta per più di qualche minuto di fila. La title-track, che trae ispirazione da una storia omonima scritta dallo stesso Daemonskald, è la più riuscita, grazie ad un feeling molto folkeggiante. Per il resto poco da aggiungere: niente di così geniale, questo è certo, ma anche ben poco che possa restare in mente. L'opener "At The Gates", per esempio, è una canzone senza né capo né coda, e non è l'unico esempio.
La registrazione è ben curata, così come la confezione, anche se graficamente non siamo su livelli stratosferici: il libretto, un semplice foglio stampato fronte/retro, contiene i testi, mentre il CD è stampato professionalmente.
Non consiglio o sconsiglio il demo in questione a nessuno in particolare: se vi capita tra le mani concedetegli un ascolto, ma non saranno momenti imperdibili. E' una mezzoretta troppo sorniona per meritare la sufficienza, peccato.
Shapeless Zine

SIG:AR:TYR is an ambiental/acoustic project of [Daemonskald] in which he wanted to try something different, rather than just 'usual' metal stuff. And he quite succeeded in that one. "The Stranger", his debut album represents a combination of soft acoustic guitar parts and atmospheric landscapes. The lyrics are based on his story under the same title. The transformation was well done and lyrics are direct and present this story to the reader in a really good way. Guitars are played softly and slowly, while keyboards are dropping a dark shadow to the overall atmosphere. Sometimes they sound neo-classical and mixed with spanish melodies. There are few samples here and there, used in a smart way. Not too much, just enough to create the atmosphere. Songs that impressed me are "Against The Grail", "Orion Awaits" and "At The Gates". I rather wouldn't give this album a score, because it's not a metal album, but I'm presenting it here, because some of you may find this interesting. If you like this kind of music, go on and buy "The Stranger".
Boris Todorovic - Scissors Ultimate Metal E-zine

You only looks the cover art and you will already have idea that it is the work of DaemonSkald solitary brain of this Canadian musical project...The music rotates around the acoustic guitars (with certain Spanish influence) and the synthesizers, generating a music dark ambient with clean, dense and poetic vocals. The most interesting in this work is the concept of the same one, the lyrics embrace stories of short of a man framed in something of the mythology and the legends of the north of Europe. Is necessary to stand out the talented work of the acoustic guitars (I already imagine as he would make it with an electric guitar!), but however be careful, if you like the strong riffs of electric guitar and the screams jackals then this is not for you...
Saqrangel - My Beloved Darkness

(4/5) SIG:AR:TYR is the creation of a man that calls himself Daemonskald. His musical project is deeply rooted in the history and mythologies of Northern Europe. "The Stranger" is a 6 track atmospheric journey that accompanies a short story Daemonskald created, also named "The Stranger." The music primarily is driven by well composed acoustic guitar and some soft synths to create a kind of ambience. The cd is a good listen when you are in the mood for something soft and pleasant. Daemonskald's influence from Yngwie Malmsteen can clearly be heard in his excellent guitarwork. "The Stranger" is a very good demo release. Hopefully Daemonskald's next concept will involve more instruments and possibly some distorted guitar.
Andre C. Avanessian - Trolleve

(4.5/5) An absolutely entrancing piece comprised of acoustic guitar driven atmospheric music, this six song CD is accompanied by a short story of the same name. The vocals are comprised of spoken word and narrative bits, but the music is mainly instrumental. The acoustic guitar is well-played in many different manners (which prevents the songs from dragging or boring metal listeners). The thought, effort and emotion put into the whole idea is something more bands should do (although SIG:AR:TYR is not a band per say, rather a solo project by a metal musician under the moniker of Daemonskald). I was very happy that I had the privilege to hear the music sent to me, and go through the experience of reading the story, the unspoken lyrics in the CD's booklet, and absorbing the vibe of it all. The closest technical description of the style employed I can think of is somewhat like Old Man's Child's occasional acoustic instrumental tracks (except with a little less obviously Spanish guitar influences) that invokes a mood in me similar to that that classic Bathory does. Very interesting, very solid, and extremely well thought out.
Adrian Magers - Chronicles of Chaos

(8/10) Sig:Ar:Tyr is a one man project run by a Canadian virtuoso going by the name Daemonskald. Inspired by folk music, the ways of the vikings and Yngwie Malmsteen he has crafted a conceptual release based around a short-story called "The Stranger" (written by himself) backed up by acoustic and atmospheric sounds. Daemonskald is without doubt a very talented composer and "The Stranger" is an enjoyable listen. 30 minutes of serene acoustics and keyboards is a bit straining in the long run though. Some drums and heavy guitars would be preferred. It has to be said though that it is a perfect listen while sipping on a good whiskey, lights turned down and with only silence as your companion. Trust me, I know from experience. "The Stranger" is a good disc and I hope Daemonskald will receive some well deserved attention for both the music and for his extraordinary guitar skills.
Stefan Lejon - Tartarean Desire

The CD is nicely packaged with both the cover of the CD, and the rear side, consisting of art by Gustave Dore (1832 - 1883). The cover can be seen at the SIG:AR:TYR website www.sigartyr.com. The website http://dore.artpassions.net/ also has heaps of Dore's art. The CD insert is on glossy paper, and also has the lyrics. The track titles are: At the Gates; The Stranger; Against the Grail; Orion Awaits; Tears for Baldur; and Beyond the Dying Sun. The CD clocks in at just under 30 minutes. So, what about the music itself? The music essentially consists of strong atmospheric elements (such as wind, and what sounds like waves in the first track?, plus dark ambient-styled synth work) coupled with an acoustic guitar. The guitar work shifts between plucking and strumming, and tends to build through series of repetitions, with changes developing through cycles. I do not know how to play the guitar, but I feel I can recognise quality guitar playing, and I certainly think the guitar work here is pretty damn good. The vocals are deep and spoken. The atmospherics also shift to a kind of 'Gregorian monotone'-type sound during the CD - quite heavy and deep. There is no percussion, save for a very small (and sparse) amount at the start and end of the third track. The fourth track has a lengthy dark ambient section with no guitar work. All up, this is an excellent heathen dark acoustic piece of work, and well worth getting. The music is skillful and well produced, has been composed by a musician with a strong northern heathen committment, and leaves the listener in a state of quiet reflection (well, that's what I found).
David King - Tru Music

Dopo avervelo fatto conoscere attraverso una recensione ed un'interessantissima intervista, RockLine.it ha deciso di tornare indietro di qualche anno per far scoprire ai propri lettori questo piccolo gioiello firmato SIG:AR:TYR. Uscito nel 2003 con una tiratura di sole cento copie, The Stranger rappresenta il primo passo di Daemonskald, mente ed anima del progetto, verso l'assolutezza del suo particolarissimo Ambient - Viking Metal. Contrariamente a quanto si potrebbe pensare, The Stranger vanta inoltre un artwork più che dignitoso, in perfetta sintonia con il contenuto del pregevole disco.

Lo strumento preferito del compositore canadese, a detta dello stesso Daemonskald, è senza minima ombra di dubbio la chitarra classica. Se nel successivo Sailing The Seas Of Fate, pur rivestendo questa un ruolo primario, ciò non sarà poi così evidente, qui invece lo strumento a sei corde si rivela l'assoluto protagonista. Esso funge infatti da base per le melodie, le quali di conseguenza si sviluppano tenendone sempre conto. Ne conseguono talvolta una leggera monotonia ed una discreta dose di noia, soprattutto per chi non ha grande dimestichezza con l'Ambient, un genere dove le atmosfere evocate devono inevitabilmente prendere il sopravvento sulla tecnica del musicista e sulla complessità delle sue canzoni. Questo accade alla lettera in The Stranger, che quindi rimane un disco adatto, bene o male, esclusivamente agli appassionati del genere. Prendere in esame ogni singolo brano sarebbe pressoché inutile, dal momento che il demo, per poter essere apprezzato in ogni sua peculiarità, va ascoltato necessariamente in blocco; dopotutto la sua durata (mezz'ora circa) lo consente senza troppi problemi. The Stranger, inoltre, non presenta parti cantate, se non alcune brevi narrazioni di sapore epico. Il disco è però accompagnato da una preziosa pergamena che narra una breve storia fantasy, elemento questo che tiene unite tutte le tracce dell'opera. Il demo è infatti un conciso ed intenso concept, anche se la mancanza di testi veri e propri potrebbe fare presupporre il contrario.

Il racconto è incentrato sull'incontro casuale fra un mercenario senza scrupoli, privo di un'anima ed incapace di provare emozioni, ed un vecchio stranero dallo strano aspetto. All'anziano saggio basta uno sguardo, una frase, per riaccendere nell'animo dell'uomo, ormai provato dal suo vagabondare senza meta, il fuoco della passione e della vita. Dopo che lo straniero svanisce misteriosamente all'orizzonte, il mercenario decide di riprendere il proprio viaggio, dirigendosi, stanco ed affamato, verso il villaggio più vicino. Lungo il tragitto egli vede tuttavia una luce, una specie di fuoco. Avvicinatosi per controllare cosa fosse, scorge inaspettatamente un corpo riverso a terra con il capo immerso nelle acque di un fiume. Avvicinatosi ulteriormente, afferra perciò la testa dell'uomo, visibilmente morto, ben sapendo di non poter essere scosso dalla macabra visione, considerato il suo passato da crudele assassino. Accade però che il mercenario rimane letteralmente sconvolto dalla terribile scoperta: il sangue gli si gela all'improvviso e smette di scorrere nelle vene, nulla ha più senso. Quel volto, era il suo...

Splendida storia a parte, The Stranger non merita certo quanto il lavoro successivo del buon Daemonskald, quel Sailing The Seas Of Fate capace di amalgamare temi vichinghi alla tenebrosità dell'Ambient, ma resta ciò nonostante un demo di tutto rispetto e ricco di buone idee. Consigliato dunque agli appassionati, mentre, per chi volesse conoscere questo grande artista d'oltreoceano, Sailing The Seas Of Fate rimane comunque la scelta migliore.
Jacopo Prada- Rockline.it