Ten Years on a Viking Ship: Vanaheim Release the Album Devět světů

Keeping a band alive for an entire decade is far from a given these days. It takes a lot of free time, patience, and above all enthusiasm that doesn't disappear even in moments when things aren't going well. This year marks exactly ten years since the band Vanaheim decided to follow their own path. They will celebrate this milestone on March 21 in the way musicians know best – with a concert and the release party for their new CD.

This Nordic story didn't begin under stage lights but in a bar over a beer. From those humble beginnings, they gradually worked their way toward achievements such as performing at major festivals like Masters of Rock, MetalFest, and The Legends of Rock. Today, for their fans, they are synonymous with energy and a distinctive atmosphere, highlighted by their signature red war stripes painted across their faces.

How do they remember their beginnings? What secrets does their new release Devět světů hold, and why do they see this year as a symbol of a new start? That's exactly what Libor and Sid revealed in an interview with me. 

At the beginning, we'd like to introduce you to those who are hearing about the band Vanaheim for the first time. How would you describe your musical identity, and what is the main element that defines your work?

Libor: Hello! We're a band from eastern Bohemia, specifically from Chlumec nad Cidlinou, playing metal with a Viking theme.

The name Vanaheim itself strongly hints at the Viking theme you mentioned. Could you tell us how this name came about and how you try to reflect Norse mythology in your music so that it still speaks to people in today's modern world?

Sid: The name Vanaheim was suggested to us by our friend Michal, who considers Norway his second home and therefore has a close connection to Nordic culture. We liked it immediately, and that's when we started diving deeper and deeper into Norse mythology. In our songs, we focus on ancient myths and Viking culture, trying to bring a piece of the North to our fans here in the heart of Europe.

So this theme has been with you from the very beginning, and this year it will already be ten years. When you look back at the early days, what was the first spark that brought the band together? Do you still remember your very first concert?

Libor: The first spark happened in a bar in Poděbrady. At that time, I actually wanted to quit music altogether, but that night Martin and I started laying the first foundations of Vanaheim. Our very first concert took place half a year later at a biker rally in Prasek, alongside Arakain and other bands.

On March 21, you have a big concert ahead of you connected with the release of your new album. What does this album mean to you? Is it the natural culmination of the past decade, or will we hear completely new musical directions?

Sid: The album Devět světů is special to us mainly because it brings together and summarizes our work from the past five years and closes it as a single chapter. Listeners will hear brand-new songs as well as some already known tracks that haven't yet been released on a full album but definitely belong there. In short, it contains everything that makes Vanaheim Vanaheim 🙂

Combining the album release with your tenth anniversary is a big deal. Apart from brand-new songs, what else can fans look forward to during the show? Are you planning any special surprises or guests who helped shape this decade with you?

Libor: Fans can look forward to the biggest standalone concert in our history. We'll be presenting a brand-new stage, the new album, and of course there will also be some special guests who were part of the band during certain periods.

Norse mythology was connected with religion and magic. If we move into these higher realms for a moment - astrology and numerology - 2026 is considered a "number one year," and you will celebrate your tenth anniversary this year, which numerologically also relates to the number one, a symbol of new beginnings and fresh energy. Do you feel it that way too? Do you see this anniversary as closing one chapter, or as the start of something completely new?

Sid: We're not really experts in numerology or astrology, but if you say so, then maybe it's the work of fate. For us, it definitely marks the beginning of another stage in which new challenges await us and where we want to reach even higher goals. But it's not like we're drawing a thick line behind the past decade—we're grateful for our entire history, and it's exactly that history that brought us where we are today.

You mentioned wanting to reach higher goals. Let's start with this year. Are you planning a larger tour for the album?

Libor: We definitely want to present the album to a wide audience, which means playing as many concerts as possible—and that's exactly what we're doing. Our calendar for this year is already packed. We've also split the album tour into two parts. The first part begins on March 28 and includes eight stops across the Czech Republic, visiting major clubs and cultural centers together with the bands Rimortis and Roxor. The second part starts on October 3 and will cover places we didn't manage to visit in the spring. This time we'll be joined by the great guys from Donor.

So that's 2026. But every band also has its bigger dreams—certain milestones in their musical life. What is currently the "biggest dream" for Vanaheim? Is it a specific stage, a collaboration, or simply that your music continues to resonate with people the way it does now?

Libor: We're already living our dream, thanks to all the fans and people we've met along the way. Without them, we most certainly wouldn't still be here.

I've attended a few of your concerts, and I've seen how united your fans are and how incredible their support is. In what way have your fans surprised you the most over the years? And how do you see the Czech rock and metal scene after spending ten years as part of it?

Sid: The Czech scene is living proof that every Czech is a musician. Over the years we've met a lot of great musicians and their bands. But that also makes it harder for a band to find its own place in the sun. That brings me to the second part of your question, because what truly makes a band a band is its fans. Ours are incredibly devoted—they're willing to travel long distances for the music they love and to unite when it's needed, which they've shown us many times. For that, they deserve enormous thanks. And what could be better for a musician than seeing people under the stage singing along with us, wearing our T-shirts, and even painting their faces with war stripes because of us? I think nothing—and it never stops surprising us 🙂

And the final question to close our interview: What message would you like to send to the readers of Rebel Sound and to those who plan to celebrate this big moment with you on March 21?

Libor: Warriors, fans, and our entire pack—come celebrate this day with us. It's our day, but it's also your day. It's a celebration for all of us, and it will be an honor for us if you stand by our side.

Conclusion: Celebrating a Journey

The story of Vanaheim proves that when things are done honestly and with humility, people will eventually find their way to you. They may not be stadium superstars, but they are a group of musicians who give their absolute best to their music—and in today's world, that often means more than popularity that simply falls into your lap.

If you enjoy melodic metal and want to support a band that is fighting for its place in the spotlight with the help of its loyal pack of fans, come to their anniversary concert on March 21. It will be an evening about friendship, music, and the realization that ten years is only the beginning.