Myrkur – Myrkur

Haunting and Heavy

From the first track of Myrkur, the listener is enticed with the sound of welcoming female vocals singing a song of nature and slumber. With this, however, comes a most unwarned surprise; within the song’s first minute there is the presence of abrasive drumming and loud, heavy, fast guitars.

“The Sirens Song” it what it should be called, instead this is “Raven’s Banner,” from Myrkur’s self-titled album. Myrkur is a solo project masquerading as a full band, with keyboards, drums, guitar and other inclusive instruments necessary to make black metal. While there is heavy and aggressive power metal rock, the category Myrkur presents is black metal mixed with some folk song writing styles.

“Frosen Vind” is all nature and a lighter sounding song, while the third track is progressively hard and heavy. Some distortion is presented in the construction of the vocals that makes the lyrical content even that much more haunting. A natural tone of female vocals representing chanting and folklores music creates a most surreal atmosphere. “Ma Du Braende I Helvede” is a track with complexity and amazing reach for this genre.

In just three tracks of her debut CD, Amalie Bruun, Danish model and band leader of Ex-Cops, made an amazing project she almost wishes never came to fruition (she went on to state that this was music she never meant to record, let alone release, which makes this album even more compelling and demanding to possess this personal and naturally aspiring release). Nothing disappoints on this album; fans of folk, metal or female rockers will find this an album you have to hear.