Release date: August 15, 2025

Viral are a heavy metal quintet hailing from Linköping, Sweden. They’ve been hard at work tightening their attack and building the kind of momentum that doesn’t stay local for long. Emerging in the mid-2010s, the band has planted its boots firmly in the molten core of the New Wave of Traditional Heavy Metal (NWOTHM), while steadily forging a sound that’s unmistakably their own.

Their discography traces a deliberate ascent: a raw demo in 2016, a self-titled full-length debut in 2021, and now, The Merchant, their sophomore album due August 15, 2025. Riding the wave of support from their debut and a growing reputation for electrifying live performances, Viral have earned their place alongside genre torch bearers like Enforcer, Universe, Wolf, Crystal Eyes, Kryptos, and Eclipse.

The Merchant arrives adorned with striking cover art by Mattias Frisk, whose work has become synonymous with the arcane and the epic. Behind the boards once again is producer Niels Nielsen, whose sonic craftsmanship helped define the band’s debut. Their continued collaboration suggests a deepening of vision. It’s one that promises tales as towering and mythic as the riffs that carry them.

Viral are:

Albin Forsell – Vocals

Larri Mohell Malinen – Guitar

Marcus Borggren – Guitar

Christian Ståhl – Bass guitar

Linus Melchiorsen – Drums

The Merchant is a self-funded release.

Viral remain steadfast in their pursuit of dark, melodic power. They thrive by crafting anthems that echo the grandeur of classic heavy metal while injecting their own sharpened edge. With The Merchant, they aim to extend their legacy, threading the DNA of NWOTHM through a prism of modern urgency and cinematic scope.

However, this isn’t an album that reveals itself all at once. The Merchant demands, and rewards, multiple listens. Its architecture is deliberate, its moods mercurial. At times, it gallops with the velocity of early Helloween or Omen; elsewhere, it veers into shadowy corridors, conjuring atmosphere and tension with a storyteller’s touch. Overall, there is an unmistakable nod to Powerslave era Iron Madien. The production, once again helmed by Niels Nielsen, captures both the polished clarity of the genre’s golden age and the rawness of a band still hungry to prove something.

There’s depth here, both emotional and compositional, and more than a few moments that lodge themselves in the brain like a well-placed chorus should. It’s a record that doesn’t just pay homage to tradition; it reshapes it with intent and ultimately makes it Viral’s own.

So, let’s descend further into the world they’ve conjured. Welcome to The Merchant.

Review

“Shake Your Shackles” kicks the door wide open with a blistering assault of riffs that are fast and merciless. Albin’s vocal delivery is a voice from the maelstrom, shifting from a simmering growl to soaring declarations that ride the storm of instrumentation beneath him. This is a power metal anthem built for the stage: a defiant, fist-raising chant bolstered by rich harmonies that practically beg to be shouted back by a sea of fans. The twin guitar work is nothing short of sublime. The razor-sharp riffs give way to solos that dive and weave… then lock in with uncanny synchronicity. In the mix is the bass, often overlooked but something crucial, and it anchors the track with texture against the guitars. The sonic depth isn’t unnoticed. The song is not a request, it’s a command delivered with conviction.

“Lilith” opens in a brooding mid-tempo, immediately casting a shadow over the album’s momentum. From the first notes, there’s a palpable sense of a creeping malevolence that coils around the listener. The track unfolds like a dark fable, chronicling the rise of a supernatural force spreading her wings and bending the world to her will. Threaded through the mix is a whispered voice. Whether it’s the titular figure or a victim caught in her thrall is left to interpretation, but the effect is chilling. There’s a strong case to be made for a nod to Lilith of the Diablo video game universe, but perhaps the song’s mythic tone transcends any single reference point. Musically, the song leans into its progressive undercurrents. The guitar work channels a distinct Queensrÿche vibe where clean, expressive tones that elevate the solos into something more narrative than ornamental. It builds to a cathartic climax, with Albin unleashing a scream that feels like both a curse and a release. As the final note fades, it gives way to the low rumble of an approaching storm.

“The Sage” opens with crisp, strident guitar riffs that cut through the mix like a clarion call. Beneath them, the rhythm section locks in with tight formation and unwavering precision. The track moves with a sense of purpose and weight. The vocals are delivered with commanding staccato phrasing, each line landing like a decree from a tome of wisdom. There’s a regal quality to the performance; it is power metal with a philosopher’s edge. The ethereal and soaring guitar solos lift the track into another realm, shimmering with emotional pull. Without question, there is the unmistakable specter of Iron Maiden. It’s not in imitation, but in spirit. The twin harmonies, the galloping cadence, the sense of narrative grandeur… it’s all here, woven seamlessly into Viral’s own voice.

“Bow to Me” charges forward with clenched fists and sharpened teeth. Driven by a crushing, deliberate riff, the track marches with purpose and is locked in tight. The rhythm section hits harder here, with thunderous drums and a bass line that moves like a war engine. However, the band plays as one: focused, feral, and firing on all cylinders. Twin guitar solos erupt near the end, trading fire and fury before slamming the door shut. It’s mean, it’s heavy, and it demands your attention. It’s clear that the song is not a request, it’s a command.

“Maverick” rolls in with a mid-tempo groove that’s all grit and gravity. This one is moody, deliberate, and unshakably confident. It swaggers like a freight train at full tilt: bound for nowhere but forward. Midway through, the tempo shifts in a breakdown that feels like the engine straining under weight, grinding against resistance. Undeterred, it powers through, regaining its rhythm and barreling ahead with renewed force. This one has a locomotive heart and a groove soul. 

Without wasting a second, “Enigma” bursts out of the gate and is glory bound. This is a rollicking chant built to ignite a crowd. There’s a barroom spirit here, but it’s dressed in leather and lit by stage lights. This is deviously infectious, and impossible to ignore. This is the kind of track that turns a setlist into a celebration. Every element clicks: the riffs are tight and punchy, the groove undeniable, and the energy electric. When the song crests into Viral’s signature dueling guitar solos, complete with dive bombs, harmonized leads, and shrieking bends, it’s pure heavy metal theater. Also, in the breakdown: double kick drums thunder like war drums, shaking the floor and sealing the track’s place as a highlight. It’s a full-on blaze of glory!

Projecting like a widescreen epic, “Sands of Glory” is a vision carved in stone and set against a blood-red sky. It channels the spirit of ancient heroism, conjuring images of warriors etched into myth and kingdoms rising from the sands. This is heavy metal as high ceremony: powerful, majestic, and unapologetically grandiose. At 2:10, the band ascends into a 70-second instrumental passage that feels like the soundtrack to a coronation atop a sunlit ziggurat. The guitars ringing like trumpets, drums pounding like ritual drums of old. It’s a moment of pure cinematic splendor, where time seems to pause and the music becomes monument.

The final chapter of The Merchant arrives with “Oceans,” a sweeping, sea-bound elegy that drifts between triumph and solitude (and features guest vocals by legend C. Göransson of Mindless Sinner.) It tells the tale of a merchant mariner who is trading coin for treasures from distant shores. As always, a current lies deeper beneath the surface: the quiet ache of a life spent chasing horizons. There’s beauty in the voyage, but also burden. The vastness of the ocean becomes a metaphor for time, for loss, for the things left behind in pursuit of purpose. Each port is a fleeting comfort, a momentary reprieve before the tide calls again. Midway through, the song swells into a pair of arena-sized guitar solos. They are resolute, defiant, yet full of yearning. It’s a moment of clarity in the storm, a reminder that even solemn duty can carry nobility. As the ship docks once more, a faint sea shanty rises that is welcoming yet bittersweet. The mariner steps ashore, knowing the ocean’s call is never far behind. The song is a breathtaking closer: vast, reflective, and hits closer to the heart.

Conclusion

The Merchant is a triumph. Yes, it is so because of the musicianship, but also for the vision. Viral have delivered a record that balances melodic aggression with emotional depth. They are crafting songs that don’t merely dazzle but resonate. There’s a quiet confidence in the way this album unfolds… it’s never flashy for its own sake. It’s layered with mood and momentum.

Yes, a few mid-song transitions may stumble slightly, but these are minor ripples in an otherwise commanding voyage. What stands out is the sheer scope of the work: the ambition, the heart, and the unmistakable sense that this band is reaching for something greater than genre convention.

This is an album that walks a lofty path with the weight of myth yet speaks with the intimacy of lived experience. It’s epic, it’s powerful, and it’s deeply human. The Merchant lingers, revealing more with each listen. Give it the time, because it will leave you changed.

Viral haven’t just leveled up. They’ve arrived.

TheNwothm Score: 9/10

Links

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Bandcamp: https://viralofficial.bandcamp.com/

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Site: https://www.viraltheband.com/