The Norwegian dark folk / ambient band band Wardruna has released the title track of its upcoming studio album “Kvitravn” (translated: white raven) due out on January 22, 2021. The accompanying video was shot at various locations in Norway and Russia by Ragnarok Film, the same team responsible for the previous video of the non-album track “Lyfjaberg”, which was shot during a lockdown.

You can expect dramatic landscapes from a bird’s-eye view as we follow Wardruna founder Einar Selvik and singer Lindy Fay-Hella through the wilderness.

Wardruna founder Einar Selvik: “I am very excited to finally be able to share this song. ‘Kvitravn’ is a song that explores the traditions of animal guides and the symbolism and legends of sacred white animals, found in Scandinavian and other world.These highly regarded ghostly creatures – be it a raven, snake, bear, moose, reindeer, elephant, or lion – are seen in animistic traditions as prophetic, divine messengers and protectors representing renewal, purity and a bridge between worlds. Being fully aware of how rare it is to encounter a white raven, we knew from the start that this would be an ambitious and challenging task to perform. However, fate seemed propitiated, and the “impossible” puzzle piece fell into place as a gift given by divine intervention.”

About Wardruna

Wardruna was formed in 2003 by Einar Selvik along with Gaahl and Lindy Fay Hella.

Selvik and Gaahl were both previously members of Gorgoroth, appearing together on the album “Twilight of the Idols” and the live DVD “Black Mass Krakow 2004”. Selvik had also recorded with other projects including Det Hedenske Folk, Bak de Syv Fjell, Jotunspor, Sahg, Dead to this World, Skuggsjá, and Faun. Gaahl also recorded with Trelldom, Gaahlskagg, and God Seed.

They are dedicated to creating musical renditions of Norse cultural and esoteric traditions, and make significant use of Nordic historical and traditional instruments including deer-hide frame drums, flutes, kraviklyr, tagelharpe, mouth harp, goat horn, and lur. Non-traditional instruments and other sources of sound like trees, rocks, water, and torches are also used.

Note that the band also took part in composing the score for season 2 of “Vikings” along with Trevor Morris.

The band have released four full-length albums so far, the first three based on Norse mythology, the last based on the sayings of Odin from the Völuspá and other old Norse sources.

• “Runaljod – gap var Ginnunga” (2009)
• “Runaljod – Yggdrasil” (2013)
• “Runaljod – Ragnarok” (2016)
• “Skald” (2018)

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

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Genre/Influences: Industrial, dark-ambient, death-industrial, ritual, experimental, drone.

Background/Info: Cold Spring Records is one of the ‘oldest’ and most recognized labels from the dark-underground scene. Dealing with styles such as industrial-, experimental, dark-ambient, ritual music and a few other related genres, the British label celebrates its 250^th release by a massive compilation featuring 29 bands and tracks.

Artists: Merzbow / Genesis Breyer P-Orridge, Penny Rimbaud, Nytt Land, Psychic TV, Coil, MZ.412, Zeni Geva & Steve Albini, C.3.3., Coil + Zos Kia + Marc Almond, Tunnels Of Ah ao.

Content: This is the perfect compilation to get familiarized with the sound Cold Spring is dealing with. A sound that has been always extreme and this for being miles away from commercial standards and fashion trends. Cold Spring Records is a label with a truly spirit and that’s probably the reason why such an important number of talented-, visionary- and recognized artists have signed to Justin Mitchell’s record company.

“Earthen” brings you an impressive canvas of artists and styles, but is mainly a way to get familiar –or simply rediscovering, tracks taken from the latest releases on the label. There’s just one previously unreleased song and that’s one from Coil.

+ + + : When you simply have a look at the tracklist you can only, but admit Cold Spring feels like the sonic cave of Ali Baba. We all will have our favorites, but I recommend the dark-ambient format made by Mz.412, the industrial-ambient of She Spread Sorrow, the industrial/noise experiments of Merzbow / Genesis Breyer P-Orridge, the pagan-ritual style of Nytt Land, the apocalyptic rock of Jotunspor, the industrial work of C.3.3. and even the kind of heavenly final track by Barry Adamson + Pan Sonic + The Hafler Trio. And of course there’s this exclusive song (cf. “Spastische (Trumpo)” by Coil, which sounds as industrial-jazz.

– – – : You really have to be an ‘experienced’ listener of extreme music genres to like this kind of compilation. Speaking for myself I think it’s a great sampler, but I regret –and especially for a celebration release, it has been not something more special; like bands featuring exclusive tracks.

Conclusion: Cold Spring feels like a relief for music lovers who’re listening to music others have never heard of. “Earthen” sounds as sweet noise for extreme music lovers!

Best bands: Mz.412, Nytt Land, She Spread Sorrow, Tunnels Of Ah, Common Eider King Eider, C.3.3., Penny Rimbaud, Merzbow / Genesis Breyer P-Orridge.

Rate: (8).

Label: www.coldspring.co.uk / www.facebook.com/coldspringhq

About Cold Spring Records

Cold Spring is a UK label owned by Justin Mitchell, specializing in industrial, dark-ambient, neo-classical and power-electronics/noise releases. “Earthen” was issued to mark the label’s 250th catalogue release.

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

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Genre/Influences: Black-metal, death-industrial.

Background/Info: The album “Gleipnirs Smeder” by Jotunspor was originally released in 2006 (!) on Satanas Rex (UK) and Candlelight Records (USA). Two years later (2008) the album got a re-release as a vinyl on Temple Of Darkness Records. The album was the first release on Satanas Rex, which is/was a black-metal division of Cold Spring, which now again has re-released the album. Jotunspor is a Norwegian duo featuring ‘King’ and ‘Kvitrafn’. Both members have been involved with different bands while they both were members of Gorgoroth.

Content: The ‘metal’ roots of both members rapidly emerge at the surface. Dark guitar playing and a furious cadence have been joined by enraged vocals. It creates the main substance of this work, which is just interrupted by a rather dark-soundscape cut filled with humming blasts while another track is more into death-industrial influences.

+ + + : Jotunspor created an obscure sonic universe inspired by old Norse cults and beliefs. It has been transposed into a sonic mayhem, evoking a giant drill driven by hardcore cadence. The album creates a sonic wall, which is just interrupted by the soundscape-like “Svartalvheims Djup” and “Solartjuven”, which sounds a little bit death-industrial like as well. I personally prefer this ‘softer’ side of the work.

– – – : Black-metal music is an extreme sensation to me and not exactly the kind of music that captivates me.

Conclusion: “Gleipnir Smeder” is a truly sound cataclysm; an extreme experience in sound, which is intended to please the true lovers in the genre.

Best songs: “Solartjuven”, “Svartalvheims Djup”.

Rate: (6).

Artist:

Label: www.coldspring.co.uk / www.facebook.com/coldspringhq

About Jotunspor

Jotunspor was a one-off studio collaboration between (then) current and former members of the Norwegian black metal band Gorgoroth, performing under the names King and Kvitrafn. The duo recorded a single album, “Gleipnirs Smeder,” at the specific request of the UK label Satanas Rex, which released it in 2006 alongside Candlelight Records in the US. Temple Of Darkness Records issued a vinyl edition in 2008, and Cold Spring, of which Satanas Rex operated as a black-metal division, later reissued the album again.

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com