It may be hard at first to realize the magnitude of this album because of the complex and sometimes weird tempo changes place all over this Viking black metal production, but after some listens and a sharp ear, you will learn to appreciate every element used by this Norwegians.

The first song really catches you by surprise mixing heavy and fast riffs with mid tempo chunks of darkness all ending up with a great and catchy chorus; the second song “Dead Man's Eyes” follows a certainly strange yet attractive tempo that will have you asking yourself “Is this great or I’m just horny for some metal?” the answer, at least the conclusion I came up with was, “It’s good but lacks of easy to remember hooks that will place this record among your favorites”. Helheim works with a different mind set, this band doesn’t follow any well know strategy in order to write songs, its like the rhythms and the riffs just appear from the deepest and heaviest corners of their hearts without being influenced by a certain sound, so that’s why for all of you that are waiting for me to compare it, I wont!

“The Journeys and Experiences of Death” has black metal vocals, Viking rhythms, atmospheric sounds, acoustic guitars and heavy riffs; this is a great blend of dark genres all mixed with quality and finesse, never forgetting that their idea is to create a unique and authentic record that will make you think, is just like a nice glass of wine, first you smell it, then taste it, and then you get drunk on it! No really after 5 or 6 spins you’ll be chanting along every line (that is if you understand what there are saying; if not just make the words up).

There is a track that will show just how deep into their own “way” of making metal these guys really are, and that’s the…atmospheric track “Helheim 5” a prelude to one of the darkest songs on the album “Oaken Dragons” a track with melancholic guitars and blasting drums, a couple of backing vocals provided by Jiri “Big Boss” Valter from the Czech band Root and Marius Lynghjem from the Norwegian band Corvine, both raising the quality and depth of this great piece.

If you have time and you like to think a little while listening to some heavy and dark metal, then this is the record for you!