Warduna’s New Album Headed for Release on 22nd January 2021

In February 2020, just a few weeks after their successful Heilung North American tour came to an end, Warduna, the like-minded dark Nordic folk band, announced a new album, along with a North American tour. The new record was given the title of Kvitravn, which means White Raven, and 

it is the fifth studio album of the Norwegian group. Originally, the album was set for a release on June 5th, 2020 via Norse Music in the United States and Sony/Columbia all over the world.

However, the band had to postpone the official release of their studio album and it is now set for a release on 22nd January, 2020. The band said that the delay was due to the COVID-19 pandemic as it had led to the closure of production factories and also had a heavy impact on logistic services. The group said that they planned to release a good number of songs before the release of the entire album next year.

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Kvitravn began from where the Runaljod trilogy ended, but the record marks a prominent evolution in the unique sound of the Norwegian band. It is a rich musical tapestry that involves the use of a huge range of historical and traditional instruments including the Tagelharpa, Langeleik, Trossingen-lyre, Goat-horn, flute, Moraharpa, Sootharp, Kravik-lyre, Crwth, Lur and Bronze-lur. Apart from that, the new album also features appearances by a small number of traditional singers led by Kristen Braten Berg, who is one of the most important custodians of the Norwegian traditional songs.

All eleven songs of the album discuss the meanings and wisdom of certain myths, spirit-animals, the relation between songs and sage, nature and animism, Northern sorcery, shadows, and various Norse spiritual concepts. Einar Selvik, who founded the group in 2003 with Lindy Fay Hella and Gaahl, said that their goal was to integrate ancient tools, thoughts, and methods into something relevant for the modern world. He said that they had referred to the legends and symbolism associated with animals in the Nordic culture, as well as others around the world. 

Some of these ghostly creatures include snake, bear, raven, lion moose, elephant, and reindeer. As a matter of fact, the band had also dropped a single from the album on February 21st called Grá, which was described as the song of the wolf by Einar Selvik. The band’s mastermind said that they had gone to Finland and worked with a beautiful rescued wolf called Tihu.