Album Notes

Norselaw Biography




Cleveland's Norselaw who's now emerging as one of the hottest rappers in the country began his campaign towards national domination when "Sweet Home Scandinavia" was released regionally by Latticesphere Records. The c.d. was truly innovative in that it mixed Northern European heavy metal, classical, and hip-hop with lyrics detailing Norse mythology in a modern context. A new kind of genre had been created called "Viking Rap."
"Sweet Home Scandinavia" was a somewhat tongue and cheek endeavor which featured Norselaw under the nickname of Valhalla Ice. However, the album featured so many catchy and creative songs that it was destined to outgrow its status as a regional phenomenon. Soon after the Latticesphere release, a division of Warner Bros. Records called D.M.G. signed Norselaw to a deal which would land their c.d. "Sweet Home Scandinavia" in many major outlets throughout the U.S.
Tragedy struck Norselaw when just as soon as D.M.G. released Sweet Home Scandinavia the record company went out of business. Though little if any promotion came into fruition due to the company's untimely demise, progress had still been made. Having the c.d. carried by many major outlets granted Norselaw new fans in places as diverse as California, Minnesota, and North Carolina. Interest has also been immense in Northern European countries where people may have become acquainted with Viking Rap via the inter-net.
Ascendancy for "Viking Rap" has been well documented by the latest Norselaw album "Macabre Skies." This revolutionary album will push Norselaw past the boundaries set by its predecessor. On "Sweet Home Scandinavia" Norselaw entertained with a new sound and interesting concept, but on "Macabre Skies" the stage has been set to make "Viking Rap" synonymous with Rock & Roll due to its socially revolutionary message.
Vocalist, producer, guitarist, and illustrator Norselaw who hails from Cleveland is no stranger to the ill effects prompted by the negative messages in much of rap music. Norselaw rails against hip-hop culture and its self-defeating ethos. There is no issue Norselaw is afraid to tackle.
On "Language's Demise" the lyrics attack what appears to be modern cultures disdain for the English language as an art form. Norselaw has shown he holds the English language in high regard by winning a poetry contest with his lyrics from "Rejection of Spring." The poem will give added visibility to "Macabre Skies" as it will be published nationally in a book entitled "Eternal Portraits" slated for release during the winter of 2005. The verse was also one of thirty three poems picked to be recorded and released nationally on a c.d. of poetry spoken aloud. Norselaw is quoted as saying, "the most popular American music seems to be rap. Rap is at its heart only poetry with a beat. Would anyone question the regression of our English language in the poetry which dominates our musical and possibly cultural climate?" On track after track Norselaw backs up his stance showing he is no hypocrite by using fluid, immaculate, and metaphoric language, which seems remarkable for a man in only his mid-twenties.