Vladyka

Belzebong - Acid Funeral. A good piece of stoner/doom from my fatherland.

Well, the women were also punished if they cheated their husbands. I am not sure in what way, but propably they were sentenced to death or for some dishonouring stuff (similar to men). Hmm, but if nobody knew about it I suppose that they could make some sacrifices to Veles to apologies for breaking the oath. Also a sex with a married man, even if a girl was free, was punished too (but propably not so hard for her as for him). Polytheistic religions are very tolerant towards other religions (well, usually). So it was OK if you made sacrifices for other than yours gods, as far as you were respecting your own tribal deities. Moreover, it was in good taste to for example participate in sacrifices towards other gods if you were a guest in, let's say, norse home. So as you might already guess - "mixed" marriage mentioned by you would be OK. It was nothing strange, for example in Russia, when a Varangians became an important part of the society, such merriages were quite normal. And by the way - very often pagans associated their own gods with foregin ones. So for example Thor was seen by Slavs as some equivalent of Perun. Same was in ancient Rome, Greece, Egypt etc. Haha, I've never heard about Perunism, but I guess that it is an analogy for Odinism. In fact, there is no term used by people from Middle Ages for their religion. For them there were their "customs" or "tradition", because rituals were the most important part of their religion. Believing in gods was somethin like on the 2nd, or maybe even 3rd place. But modern neopagans call their religion native (slavic) faith, so you can use a russian term Rodnovera. In every slavic language there is a different term, e.g. in polish it is Rodzima Wiara. But it all means the same.

Well, germanic people and slavic people shared quite similar values. So you can use nine noble virtues as a base for you characters' inner codex. And about philosophy - it was more or less "you should become better and better in what's your doing". So if you were a warrior -you had to be as brave and strong as it was possible. If you were a trader you had to be canny. Et cetera. Hmm, speaking about more subtle things all Slavs are very often described as very impulsive; they easily got angry, and also very quickly they were forgiving small insults. In Russia there was also a tradition called stenka na stenku - it was a kind of feast-fighting. Or they could love a certain girl in one moment, and in another there could love another. And speaking of women - the Slavs were kinda randy. It was totally OK when a girl went to a bad with a guy beloved by her. Other thing is that Slavs were very rigorous when it comes to oaths. So for example if you married a girl (and sweared her love before gods), and than you cheated her with another women you got punished by a community in this way: the guy was being taken to the woods (or on the bridge; anyway it was done on the road). He was undressed, and his balls were nailed into a tree or a bridge. He was left alone, with just a knife in his hand. So he could endure the shame behind a passing people, cut his genitales off or do a most honorable thing in that situation and kill himself. Generally speaking Slavs were affraid of swearing something on gods, especially on a god of magic and underworld (but also... oath) Veles. It was believed that if you break an oath on Veles you will suffer a terrible fate in this life, and a damnation in another life. It should be an interesting addition into your story. Also slavic people believed in (propably) reincarnation within a kin as well as outside the kin and destiny. A child's fate was believed to be determined by Rodzanicas, the daughters of a god Rod (something like Norns or Moiras). Every Slav had a female guardian-spirit called Dola (litteraly "fate), similar to the guardian angels in christianity. Well, I've written it in a bit chaotic way. But I think it should be useful, especially that I wanted to show you those more interesting sides of slavic paganism. There are many more though, so if you want to know something more specific just ask. This subject is really vast.

What's new on Heathen Altar: A review of Jarun's "Wziemiozstąpienie" - an amazing debut album of polish black/folk/progressive horde. And an article about women in pagan societies.

Ereb Altor - Fire Meets Ice

Yeah, I know that music counts the most. I had stated it clearly. But Immortal is just a fucking button-pusher haha! I can't listen to them with serious face, I always have scenes from their clips in my mind But I remember that some years ago I liked Sons of Northern Darkness. Maybe it's time to return to this album and give'em another chance. Other thing is that metal is full of cliches which are very often (let's face it) stupid or chlidish. But this is a matter of a bit off-topic discussion hehe.

At this moment it is: Black Label Society - Skullage Stoned Jesus - Seven Thunders Roar Jarun - Wziemiozstąpienie (try to say it fast, huh!) Marduk - Plague Angel Bathory - Blood On Ice

Furia - Krew w Kolorze Bursztynu (Blood Has The Colour of Amber). Very good black metal from Poland, you should like it.

In last week: Reviews Maras - "Mienje Na Svetcite" (or "Rinsing the Saints", if you want) Percival - "Slava!" Plus a small info about upcoming paper edition of Heathen Altar Maga'Zine. To be honest -this week wasn't very interesting. Especially that I am very disappointed by Percival.

Oh, I remember perfectly the first concert I've ever seen. It was TSA - a polish hard rock/heavy metal band. I went to see them with my parents, I was maybe 12 years old. And still I am their great fans, I simply love their music. Since them I saw the twice - and all of those gigs were amazing. Check'em out if you want to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ewPCJYRGQE

Don't know what they are, but Soul Calibur sounds cooler than Injustice :] Car or motorcycle?

Generally speaking I don't like not only I, but also Immortal. I know that music is what counts the most, but these guys have such an idiotic image that I am thinking about it while listenning to their stuff. I like only a bit some of their tracks, and that's it.

Marduk - Warschau

Marduk - Steel Inferno. Good tunes to start a day.

Absu has lyrics about summerian mythology, and later they decided to do lyrics about celtic one. They are mainly about some kind of occultism. I don't know the other bands. You can check them on Metal Archives though. And about Goatwhore - I enjoy "Carving..." very much. Even comparing to the older albums. But maybe I'm deaf or have some other problems with my ears hehe.

Done. Hope it was helpful.

Mostly on the internet. Mainly I look for CDs (or cassetes - I still buy some when I can. It seems that I am a bit nostalgic, haha!) that I want to buy in polish distros and labels. When there is no thing that I am looking for I try Allegro - it's something like eBay, just working only on the territory of Poland. If still can't get what I want, I am buying it from the foreign labels or directly from the band. I never use "normal" eBay though. Hmm, and when I have an opportunity I buy stuff from music stores or big corporations like Media Markt, Media Expert, Saturn etc. Sometimes they have some awesome music - mainly classics, like Motorhead, Irons and bands like that. But once I bought something totally underground - just can't remind what it was

In this frosty week: Reviews Falkenbach - "Asa" Ereb Altor - "Fire Meets Ice" Plus a short article about Oldschool Folk Metal. As you can see this week was more "epic" and "viking" than usual

BlutAusNerd mentioned many great american bands. I would also recommend Goathwhore - it's more black/thrash, but they are pretty good in kicking ass! Especially the album "Carving Out The Eyes of God". Everyone is saying bullshit about american black metal scene, but the truth is that there are quite many interesting bands. You just have to search for them. By the way the guy from Xasthur recently started a new project. Anyone knows something about it? I'm curious is he able to record something good again - because last Xasthur's album was a desaster.

@FatherAlabaster Yeah, I listen to Mgła (it's spelled something like "Mgwah"). I haven't heard their longplayes, but I like their EPs, especially Futher Down The Nest. Maybe I need to at last check out Groza and With Hearts Toward None. And by the way - they started to do live shows. I'm curious how they sound on stage.

Cultes des Ghoules - yeah, I know that there are many positive voices about their music. But I haven't heard anything from them, that's why I didn't mentioned this band. And I forgot about Lux Occulta. As far as I know they are going to release new album, and the single is already available. Anybody have heard it?

@BlutAusNerd I started to listen to them when I've heard "Thunderforge" for the first time. So maybe you should start with that? But every Skyforger's album is a bit different, so if you won't like the one just try another one The older releases are more black metal, more raw and the last one Kurbads is highly influenced by traditional heavy metal and hard rock, mixed with some black elements and big dose of folk. Thunderforge is something between.

Well Poland have many good BM bands - Massemord, Furia, Mgła, Kriegsmachine, Demonic Slaughter, Witchmaster among others. I don't even count older stuff of Behemoth, Graveland, Christ Agony, Imperator, Arkona or Infernum. Hmm, but one that making me the most proud? To be honest I don't know such a band. I just like the music, I don't consider it in such categories. It's just cool that we have good BM bands in Poland. As simple as that. P.S I don't count pagan metal bands, blackened death and things like that - only pure black metal from Poland.

Falkenbach - Eweroun. The whole album is fantastic, but this track is outstanding.

Oh, and Skyforger! I love their music. I think they fit this folk metal style, even if their previous stuff is closer to pagan metal, or even black metal.