What were the Vikings like?

The horned helmets are a myth.There is no known contemporary illustration, depiction,description, or archaelogical find of a Viking helmet with horns.

The Vikings came from Denmark and Scandinavia (although English chroniclers of the time make a clear distinction between 'Danes' from Denmark and 'Northmen' or 'Norsemen' from Norway and Sweden.

The Viking Age is taken to have lasted from 789 (first known Viking raid on England) to 1066 (defeat of the last Viking invasion aiming at conquest and permanent occupation).

The Vikings were a warrior society whose principle occupation was as murdering pirates. An English prayer of the period was "protect us O Lord from the fury of the Northmen'" a strong indication from a primary source that the Vikings were violent, warlike, and predatory.

The Viking chieftain Rollo was granted a dukedom in northern France by the French king Charles the simple in 911, in return for military service against other Viking raiders.This soon became known as Normandy and its Viking inhabitants and their descendants as Normans, responsible for the conquest of England in 1066, and the establishment of several independent states in Italy in in the 11th century.

Vikings from Sweden and Finland called Varangians invaded Northwest Russia in the 9th century, eventually assimilating with the conquered Slav population and becoming known as Rus.They founded the Kievan Rus state.Individual Rus warriors enrolled in the Varangian Guard of the Byzantine empire from the 10th century (along with other Vikings); these Varangians had a fearsome reputation as warriors, and their commander, known as the Acolyte,served as the personal bodyguard of the Byzantine emperor.

Yes but not so much now. They changed their sound after Valdr Galga, and went for a more serious, more black metal sound, and it just doesn't work as well Valdr Galga is one of my favourite albums: they keyboards make that album. They're have just the right OTT edge and are really bloody catchy. The whole album was music that was serious, but didn't take itself to seriously if you get what I mean... it's a shame they changed, but they have a new album due out, so we'll see what the do with that.