Biography
King of Asgard emerged in the twenty-first century as a Swedish metal outfit assembled by Karl Beckmann on guitar and vocals alongside Karsten Larsson on drums, both formerly of Mithotyn. The group’s restless style moves between abrasive yet atmospheric Nordic blackness and sweeping, mythic folk lines, channeled through melodic death, black, and Viking metal. Their words and imagery draw from Sweden’s ancient sagas and Norse legends, favoring extended narrative arcs. The 2010 debut Fi'mbulvintr earned notice for its vigorous playing, visceral force, and layered folk-metal elements set against tempo changes and raw black-metal vocals. Two years afterward, To North delivered a denser Viking-metal attack built on heavier riffs and steadier pacing. Karg, issued in 2014, favored mid-tempo and slower pieces marked by strong grooves and elaborate structures. Larsson exited in 2015, prompting the band to join Trollmusic; the six-track EP :taudr: appeared in 2017, followed by the darker, sharper full-length Svartrviðr in 2021.
Beckmann and Larsson, driven by a desire to fuse the punishing death-metal side of Viking metal with the moodier, folk-tinged severity of black metal, first issued the 2009 demo Prince of Maerings to favorable notices. Bassist Jonas Albrektsson joined soon after, and the trio secured a deal with Metal Blade. Although the music never fully embraced medieval folk-metal terrain, echoes of earlier eras shaped its epic brutality. Fi'mbulvintr, recorded and co-produced by Andy La Rocque, reached the public in 2010 to widespread praise; its winding compositions reflected deep familiarity with Northern European folk traditions alongside shifting tempos and blackened power-metal riffs. Lars Tängmark was added on guitar ahead of live dates. The same quartet followed with To North in 2012, retaining the core approach while introducing clearer grooves and tighter tempo adjustments.
Karg, the final Metal Blade release and the group’s third album, surfaced in July 2014 and was hailed for uniting power-metal scale with blackened folk origins, whether driven by blastbeats or slower, weighty grooves. After extensive European touring, Larsson and Tängmark departed; Mathias Westman took over drums and Ted Sjulmark joined on guitar. This revised lineup delivered the 2017 :taudr: EP on Trollmusic. Recorded and mixed by Magnus (Devo) Andersson at Endarker Studios, the five-song, thirty-three-minute collection emphasized cleaner vocals, stronger hooks, and Westman’s polyrhythmic approach to highlight melody over riffs. The band toured for nearly two years around the release. Back home, they tracked the eight-song, hour-long Svartrviðr at the same studio with Andersson again engineering and now producing. The album expanded on the EP’s direction by adding more backing vocals and layered riffs, closing unexpectedly with two instrumentals; Trollmusic issued it in May 2021.
Beckmann and Larsson, driven by a desire to fuse the punishing death-metal side of Viking metal with the moodier, folk-tinged severity of black metal, first issued the 2009 demo Prince of Maerings to favorable notices. Bassist Jonas Albrektsson joined soon after, and the trio secured a deal with Metal Blade. Although the music never fully embraced medieval folk-metal terrain, echoes of earlier eras shaped its epic brutality. Fi'mbulvintr, recorded and co-produced by Andy La Rocque, reached the public in 2010 to widespread praise; its winding compositions reflected deep familiarity with Northern European folk traditions alongside shifting tempos and blackened power-metal riffs. Lars Tängmark was added on guitar ahead of live dates. The same quartet followed with To North in 2012, retaining the core approach while introducing clearer grooves and tighter tempo adjustments.
Karg, the final Metal Blade release and the group’s third album, surfaced in July 2014 and was hailed for uniting power-metal scale with blackened folk origins, whether driven by blastbeats or slower, weighty grooves. After extensive European touring, Larsson and Tängmark departed; Mathias Westman took over drums and Ted Sjulmark joined on guitar. This revised lineup delivered the 2017 :taudr: EP on Trollmusic. Recorded and mixed by Magnus (Devo) Andersson at Endarker Studios, the five-song, thirty-three-minute collection emphasized cleaner vocals, stronger hooks, and Westman’s polyrhythmic approach to highlight melody over riffs. The band toured for nearly two years around the release. Back home, they tracked the eight-song, hour-long Svartrviðr at the same studio with Andersson again engineering and now producing. The album expanded on the EP’s direction by adding more backing vocals and layered riffs, closing unexpectedly with two instrumentals; Trollmusic issued it in May 2021.
Albums
