History & Biography This Viking metal band came together in 2016. Call Of The North was a 2017 demo. Bassist Pontus left. The Stockholm-based band issued its debut album in 2019. Havamal‘s new album The Shadow Chapter would be released through Art Gates on May 21st. The band had a video for the track Nidhoggr. Tino "Saurus" Vesanen joined in 2021. The band uploaded a couple of songs in 2024. Björn Larsson also joined Northborn in 2024 where he played the keyboards as well. Andreas Herlogsson departed in 2024 and in came former Maggot Therapy drummer Stefan Huenul Peltonen. The band was booked for Keller Getraller 3 in Germany for May. Also at the event were to be Drowning In Blood, The Flesh Trading Company and Dead Knowledge.
Sweden-based Viking metal band Havamal announced a new album, entitled Age Of The Gods, through Art Gates Records for November 21, 2025. It was produced by the band.
Reviews HAVAMAL – TALES FROM YGGDRASIL – ART GATES 
Havamal refers to ancient Norse poetry and Yggdrasil to a tree in the same mythology so it is not a surprise that the band hails from Sweden. What is a surprise and disappointment is that the style and sound is burdened by the ever poppy and wussy keyboards that plague weaker bands. Swedish bands typically know better.
What makes this a metal fan’s bigger dismay is that the songs bereft of synthesizers are fully formed and completed. There is a lack of guitar leads on the nine tracks contained herein, but otherwise one could imagine any of these tracks as whole, fully formed and metallic without the unneeded and unwanted pop melodies.
The vocals are gruff, the muddy drums rambling with speed and the guitars metallically powerful, but then those keyboards kick in and remind one of Nightwish. It is a pity. Hear Hail Havamal and hear a song that could have been very good, but is not. – Ali “The Metallian”
HAVAMAL - AGE OF THE GODS - ART GATES
Being 'cinematic' is another trend on the scene, but the intro on this disc would fit the label. It is loud and grandiose. The whole album though is filled with keyboards everywhere and they are louder and louder. The opener, The Pagan Path, serves as a thematic statement of intent. The cool and simple solo is similar to the famous one on Diamond Head's Am I Evil, but Age Of The Gods is all about keyboard rock with gruff vocals. Playing in Havamal could be a dream job for a keyboardist.. Many bands give their synthesisers background assignments, but Havamal gives the instrument a prominent and upfront role. Full-time keyboardists, what are you waiting for? Send in your applications.
The songs are longer and surely meant to satisfy followers of Dimmu Borgir, as well as Ensiferum, Freedom Call and Rhapsody. Sigmund Fafnirsbane sounds like an Alphaville song that came on the car radio. The Shaman is folksy (but speedy) and contains a solo that's like Mike Oldfield's, just sped up. Folk rock, pop rock and pop band with gruff singing is a fair description. Ashwalker closes the record and makes me add classical opera to that list. - Anna Tergel
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