Wardruna, one of the forerunners of neo-pagan movement, released their sixth studio album, Birna, on January 24th, 2025. The album blends traditional Norse music with modern post-rock and folk influences as only Wardruna can. Birna explores the theme of the natural world, with the bear as a central symbol. Much more than a historical reenactment, Wardruna continually takes the listener to an ancient place deep in one’s soul.
Wardruna, who recently appeared on the cover of Decibel Magazine, was founded by musician and Nordic pagan historian Einar Selvik, formerly the drummer of black metal band Gorgoroth from 2000 to 2004.
The group saw early success in 2014 when they took part in composing the score for season 2 of the television show Vikings and have been on an upward trajectory ever since. Their song “Helvegen” (“The Path to Hel”) became a “hit” single of sorts with its extraordinary melodies and dark mood.
Wardruna is the type of music that invites the listener to lay back, close their eyes and imagine deep rivers, sunlight filtered through giant trees, and animals racing through deep forests. Those who might argue that Wardruna isn’t “heavy” music, should think back to the very early roots of metal music. One absolutely has to see them live to get the full effect of the heaviness of the instruments and resonance of the choral vocals.
On Birna, Selvik and Lindy-Fay Hella produce those beautifully haunting vocal melodies that sore through the songs above the music of the traditional-style instruments including moraharpa strings, elegiac horns, willow-bark flutes and deer hide framed drums.
This album continues in the tradition of some of their best works like 2013’s Runaljod – Yggdrasil and 2021’s Kvitravn. Over the years, their sound has grown even more expansive and continues exploring the themes of nature, animism and the wisdom of myth, proving that there is still much to be learned from the “old ways.”
The opening track of Birna, “Hertan,” (meaning “Heart”) begins with a sweeping build up to a sprawling wall of sound. The album then alternates from similarly epic songs like “Skuggehesten”(meaning “The Shadow Horse.”) to soft more introspective songs like “Hibjørnen” (meaning “The Hibearnator”) and Ljos til Jord (meaning “Light to earth”). With the constant swell of the rhythmic percussion underlying each track.
Einar Selvik commented on the release of Birna, describing it as “a sonic journey into the woodland realms of the bear and its cyclic life rhythm. It is very much a conceptual album that is perhaps best experienced when listened to from beginning to end. If you wish to dive even further into the deeper meanings of the songs but don’t understand the language, then please know that our albums always include a booklet including lyrics translated into English. Give it a listen and let us know what you think.”
The album is available now
LISTEN TO THE ALBUM HERE: https://bio.to/Wardruna
Wardruna is also going on tour
March 17 Liverpool, UK Philharmonic
March 18 Birmingham, UK Symphony Hall
March 19 London, UK Royal Albert Hall
March 21 Bristol, UK Beacon
March 22 York, UK Barbican
March 23 Dublin, IE Olympia Theatre
March 25 Glasgow, UK SEC Armadillo
April 26 Oslo, NO Operaen SOLD OUT
April 27 Oslo, NO Operaen SOLD OUT
April 29 Trondheim, NO Olavshallen
May 2 Kristiansand, NO Kilden
May 3 Stavanger, NO Konserthuset
May 4 Bergen, NO Grieghallen
June 7 Reykjavik, IS Harpa
July 25 to 27 Red Eagle Campground (Cut Bank), MT Fire In The Mountains
July 30 to August 30 Rasnov, RO Rockstadt Extreme Fest
Be the first to comment