WARDRUNA Nordic Traditionalists New Album Kvitravn Release Date Pushed Back To January 2021.
The forthcoming and fifth album from Norway's incredible Wardruna, Kvitravn, has been pushed back to January 22, 2021.
The band have released the following statement about the delay.
'It is with heavy hearts and great disappointment that we announce that our upcoming album “Kvitravn” will be moved to January 22, 2021.
Closed down production factories and heavily reduced logistic services due to the COVID-19 situation makes it impossible to go forth with the release as planned. Nobody knows how long this situation will last and therefore we feel it is best to set a realistic date with a higher certainty of us being able to execute the release in the manner needed. On a more positive note, we plan to release a good handful of songs in the time to come before the full album comes out so stay tuned!'
Pre orders remain available from
nervegas.com.au/wardruna
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The forthcoming and fifth album from Wardruna, Kvitravn, will be released on June 5.
The tracklisting has now been revealed.
TRACKLISTING
1. Synkverv (Turn-sight)
2. Kvitravn (White Raven)
3. Skugge (Shadow)
4. Grá (Grey)
5. Fylgjutal (Speech of the Fetch)
6. Munin (Memory)
7. Kvit hjort (White Stag)
8. Viseveiding (Song-hunting)
9. Ni (Nine)
10. Vindavlarljod (Song of the wind-bred)
11. Andvevarljod (Song of the Spirit-weavers)
Frontman and mastermind behind this incredible music, Einar Selvik has some more thoughts on the poetry behind the albums lyrics.
"The power of words, poetry and abstract thinking as well as the ability to master them in various forms was highly regarded in the oral societies of the past. It is a trait that we feel should not be forgotten. Our lyrics are therefore an important layer to the music. Whether the given song is about traditions, spirituality, philosophy or other esoteric subjects, there should always be a potential of learning something.
Knowledge, yet knowledge that is not served as overly explained truths, but rather in abstract images and hints that evokes the listener to seek their own understanding - much like the way Old Norse poetry deals with esoteric matters. So, for those who want to search deeper into our songs, the upcoming album will contain complete lyrics along with English translations. When revealing the track-list, it also makes sense to show the translations of the titles, so one potentially gets a better idea of the album´s content.
"Regarding topics from the album I guess that even though it deals with some pretty obscure and esoteric subjects I would say that as an overall the album subtly promote the value of returning to, or at least approaching an animistic world view and the positive effects of again seeing nature as something sacred that we are part of - that divinity is found in everything around us and not in halls up in the clouds.
The wolf song Grá is the most direct and obvious example of adressing contemporary issues - in this case reflecting on how our relation to wolves and predators in general has developed through time. Like I said in the quote on the video it adresses the cost and sometimes inconvinient responsibilities of being part of and not above nature.
The song Skugge (Shadow) is about a conversation between man and his/her shadow. It questions our modern western idea that knowledge(and confirmation) is somthing predominantly aquired externally instead of internally.
This also relates to the song Munin:
Odin has two ravens that are Hugin (thought) and Munin (memory). According to myth they roam the world every day and Odin express his fear that Hugin wont return but even more so the fears for Munin to be lost. But why? It is impossible to think without memory. Man has a consciousness which always bears the past within it: we think and speak with historic references. Our life-world is historic in all of its being. We live in a culture of memory, because man is a being who carries his past within. What is culture if not memory, understood as both individual and collective? Memory is not simply instrumental, but something which is a fundamental condition for culture. "
Kvitravn musically continues where the Runaljod trilogy left off, yet it marks a distinct evolution in Wardruna's unique sound. In a rich musical tapestry, Wardruna use a broad selection of both traditional and historical instruments such as Kravik-lyre, Trossingen-lyre, Taglharpa, Sootharp, Langeleik, Crwth, Goat- horn, Lur, Bronze-lur, flute, Moraharpa, and the record also features guest appearances by a small group of prominent traditional singers, spearheaded by Kirsten Bråten Berg, one of the most important custodians of Norwegian traditional song. Throughout eleven songs, Kvitravn discusses Northern sorcery, spirit-animals, shadows, nature and animism, the wisdom and meanings of certain myths, various Norse spiritual concepts, and the relation between sage and songs.
The masterful Norwegian storytellers shall release their brand new album Kvitravn in the following formats on June 5.
CD Jewelcase with slipcase and 28-pages booklet
Black 2x12" 180 gr. LP, gatefold, 28-pages booklet
Watch the music video for Grá here
https://youtu.be/kFU7nRe7C0A
Pre orders available now
nervegas.com.au/wardruna
ABOUT WARDRUNA
The Norwegian music constellation Wardruna are renowned for their innovative and genre-creating renditions of older Nordic traditions. Composer Einar Selvik initiated the group in the early 2000s. Since the debut album in 2009, Wardruna have had vast worldwide success, transcending music genres, cultures and languages. The group has previously charted in both Germany and the UK and topped the North American Billboard World-music chart for several consecutive weeks. The group's massive musical contributions to History Channel's TV series VIKINGS has exposed their music to a broad audience worldwide. Wardruna merges the academic with the pop cultural and their thorough and serious approach has made them one of today’s foremost communicators of Norse culture.
Wardruna have carved a rich, polyphonic and dramatic musical landscape that honours the ancient past without gimmick, whilst simultaneously illuminating meaningful expressions of Norse tradition through intrinsically detailed contemporary composition. Beyond genre, theirs is a sound that must be truly experienced.
• Top international scholars on Old Norse studies today use Einar's work to exemplify how music might have been executed in earlier times in Scandinavia.
• Einar Selvik has lectured about his work with historical music in Universities such as Oxford, Denver, Reykjavik, and Bergen.
• Wardruna has over 60 placements of music in the History Channel's hit TV series VIKINGS, in addition to substantial work on the actual music score of the show. Einar Selvik has starred and performed on the show on two occasions (in season 3 & 4).
• Together with Enslaved, Wardruna was in 2014 commissioned by the Norwegian government to write and perform a music-piece for the 200-year anniversary of the Norwegian constitution.
• First concert was held in front of the near 1500 year old Gokstad Viking ship in Oslo and Wardruna is the only band ever to be allowed to hold an amplified concert at the Viking ship museum.
• Performed sold out shows worldwide, including major festival headline appearances (Red Rock Amphitheatre, Castle Fest, Hellfest, Summer Breeze, Roadburn, Echoes & Merveilles, Rock oz Arenes, Rock the Coast and many more)
• Independently self-released 3 albums
• Billboard World Music No 1. in the US and Canada
Wardruna discography:
Runaljod - gap var Ginnunga (2009)
Runaljod - Yggdrasil (2013)
Runaljod - Ragnarok (2016)
Skald (2018)
Kvitravn (2020)
