There are artists who channel pure rituals through their dark art—rituals in the deepest, most authentic sense of the word. Among them stands MARA: the Swedish bearers of the Thursian flame who embody their devotion to Thursatru through their haunting presence. Those familiar with the band know just how captivating its essence is. But for those who have not yet had the honor of encountering the band or the worldview of its visionary leader, Vindsval – let me share a quote from his interview for Eosphoros Cult last year: “MARA has always had a foot in the pagan culture, a connection to the past and present regarding spirituality in the form of Thursatru. This is something that is reflected in my galder – hate/sorrow primitive emotions that have a meaning and purpose for the specific galder”.
After the crushing weight of their last full-length offering, “Loka Mær”, MARA return with their fifth album, “Sword of Vengeance” – a work devoted to Loki: the shapeshifter, the trickster god, the embodiment of fire and transformation. This is an offering to the flames of Thursatru and the old ways – a blazing tribute carved in wrath and reverence.
Piercing guitars slice through the air in the opening track, “Primordial Son”, tearing open a rift for the raw, emotionally charged, monstrous vocals to emerge. The intensifying instrumentation follows with fast-paced and pulsating, devouring stamina, drenched in madness, primordial might, and a cathartic sense of immortality. Hauntingly beautiful shrieking guitar lines rise as a focal point, their layers spreading like an ascending incantation, eventually giving way to a ritualistic drumming that pulls the listener even deeper into the abyss.
The album is marked by its wild and unfiltered force, captured through live recording sessions that remain fiercely primal and true to the essence of MARA. Inhuman vocal incantations tear through the mix, while masterfully crafted and executed riffs unravel like the handiwork of a mad sorcerer. Each of the eight offerings is driven by a distinct lead guitar motif, giving rise to a ritualistic cadence that weaves its own spell. The drums strike with merciless precision-like ritual nails driven into the mind-while the guitars roar and soar, leaving the listener submerged somewhere between a majestic atmosphere and a sacred, primordial fury that uplifts the spirit through its flame. It is a descent and an ascension all at once – a furnace of chaos, madness, transformation, and ecstatic revelation.
As devastating as Ragnarok, “Sword of Vengeance” delivers a raw, authentic ritual filled with fierce hatred and rage. A bloodthirsty call to war. A sonic conflagration forged in the sacred chaos of Thursatru, this is devastation given form – merciless, ancient, and soul-consuming.
If you are intrigued by the essence of “Sword of
Vengeance” and wish to witness the powerful galdеr of MARA, follow
the official album premiere tonight on the Immortal Frost
Productions channel below:
Album: “Sword of Vengeance”
Band: MARA
Country: Sweden
Release Date: June 27th, 2025
Label: Immortal Frost Productions
Pre-orders: http://lnk.to/swordofvengeance.
Mother of THE VOID.
Underground music is the ultimate weapon against mediocrity.
