Polish scholars have long had a fascination with Norse sagas and historical records show Vikings had more interactions with the land we now call Poland than many would expect. I mention this because I was initially baffled as to why a Polish Goth Metal band would take on the moniker of ASGAARD. Mystery solved. Thank you, Internet. ASGAARD formed in 1994 and hail from Lewin, Poland. Chronologically, that's 28 years but there was a six-year hiatus in that mix, so more like 22. Still a lot. In late 2021 the band announced they signed with WormHoleDeath Production and on February 18, 2022 they released their seventh full-length album, "What If . . ."

ASGAARD came up with the swell of Goth Metal greats in the late 90's, including compatriots ARTROSIS. Unlike many of these bands, however, ASGAARD features a male vocalist, Przemysław 'Quazarre' Olbryt . . . but ASGAARD has always made a name for themselves in exploring the edges and evolving their sound. On this album, after decades of music, the band has recorded two tracks sung in their native tongue. The album also includes radio cuts of both. While this isn't necessarily innovative, it is new for them. With Quazarre's clean vocals, the beauty of the language just flows through. Not surprisingly, both of these songs rank amongst the album's standout tracks.

"What If . . ." comprises eight standard tracks, ten with the radio cuts. As the title would suggest, the album "explores existential questions and dilemmas." True to that cause the first track is "Sisyphus" the first and maybe most renowned existential hero. The track features keyboard flourishes, muted riffs, vocal harmonies, and Prog melodies-so, more of a melancholic Sisyphus than your traditional stoic, dark figure. The second track, "Creeping Miss Lunacy," showcases some harsher riffs, but steers away from any semblance of dissonance other than the theme. By the third track, "Sny na jawie" (trans: daydreams), you get the sense that the whole album is going to stay on the softer side of Metal universe, and so it does. Which isn't a bad thing. The album is very consistent and very well executed.

The title track lands in the middle of the album. An almost ballad, the song oscillates from the soft to the heavy in a rhythmic pattern suggesting introspection which builds to a triumphant resolve. Creating balance with the first half of the album, the second features another Polish track-"W sercu nieświata" (trans: in the heart of the universe). Lyrically the song reaches through the cosmos but also grounds itself in the mundane, nodding at our transcendental potential while conceding our current reality. The album concludes with electronic-infused "Not Ever Again!" which I am sure will prove the most divisive track on the album. It also features some borderline harsh vocals, which spit vehemence in contrast to the usual clean styling. This is probably the closest the album gets to discord. The album then caps off with the radio cuts, dialing the listeners back from the edge that "Not Ever Again!" nudged them toward.

"What If . . ." has a way of sticking with you. Maybe it's the congruence of the harmonies, maybe it's the epic spirit that flows through despite of or maybe because of the obvious melancholy. Whatever it is, the albums not only bears repeating-it demands repeating. After 28 years, after seven albums, after COVID and all the rest of it, ASGAARD has persevered. Not only have they persevered, but they have thrived, bringing Polish Metal scene once again to the foreground.