About this collection
This is the war shelf of the Mythic Harmonies songbook: every epic Viking battle song we have recorded, gathered in one place. Berserker anthems, shield wall hymns, oaths sworn in blood and thunder, all built on tribal war drums, tagelharpa and deep male choirs, and most of them sung in Old Norse, the language of the sagas. These chants are made for heavy training, large-scale LARP battles, cinematic edits and any moment that calls for the discipline of the Skjaldborg.
Every track below links to its full page with lyrics, story and streaming links. You can also read every war chant's Old Norse text and English translation side by side in The Songbook of the North, or explore the real weapons behind the words in our guide to Viking weapons and armor.
Continue exploring the full music catalogue.
“Winning-runes learn, if thou longest to win, and the runes on thy sword-hilt write.”
Sigrdrífumál 6 · The Poetic Edda, Bellows translation
The Five Chants of War
Where to begin, chosen by the skald himself.
- Berserkir Rís, the awakening of the berserkers: sacred rage summoned drum by drum until the wolf takes the man.
- Skjaldborg til Valhǫllu, the shield wall oath: one heartbeat for a hundred shields, from the first lock to Valhalla.
- Þrumr Þórs, the thunder of Thor rolling over the battle lines, hammer and lightning answering the horns.
- Úlfheðnar, the wolf-warriors of Odin: hide and teeth in the dark night, and the god who calls them by name.
- Valhalla Rising, the last stand made eternal: we may die, but victory survives.
Questions of the skalds
What did Vikings sing before battle?
Norse sources describe war cries, horn blasts and recited poetry before combat. The most famous case is the old poem Bjarkamal, which the saga tradition says was recited to rouse the Norwegian army before the battle of Stiklestad in 1030. Our own Bjarkamal song reimagines that dawn call to arms.
What instruments are used in Viking battle music?
Mythic Harmonies war chants are built on instruments the Viking Age knew or could have known: frame drums, the lur war horn, the tagelharpa bowed lyre and massed male voices. No electric guitars and no modern percussion, so the sound stays close to what a war camp might have heard.
What is Viking war music good for today?
Listeners mostly use these chants for heavy training, running and lifting, for LARP battles and reenactment marches, for tabletop and video gaming sessions, and as cinematic background for edits and trailers. The steady drum pulse and unison choirs are designed to build focus and momentum.
