Hels Vite is Thyrfing's sixth studio CD. It finds the band getting darker and heavier, but maintaining the atmosphere and majesty of their previous work. The seven songs range in length from 5 to 9 minutes, but Thyrfing's is able to hold the listener's attention throughout.
Songs like "Isolation" are epic, with choirs and a lot of orchestration. Conversely, there are a lot of rawer black metal sections in Hels Vite as well. Thyrfing does a nice job balancing the symphonic and the harsher elements.
Ryden's addition to the band also brings a couple of songs in English (two out of seven), with the rest in the band's native Swedish. His style is different than their previous vocalist, but he fits in well. Low pitched growls and high pitched screams along with more tempered vocals give a wide variety of styles.
Even with the lineup change Thyrfing hasn't lost any momentum, and Hels Vite is an excellent black/Viking metal CD.
(released January 27, 2009 on Regain Records)
