Almost exactly a year after she announced plans to record a folk album, Danish musician Myrkur has delivered on that promise with the official announcement of her new album Folkesange. The record is filled with traditional style Scandinavian folk songs, taking a reprieve from the genre-pushing elements of black metal that colored her previous LPs M and Mareridt, similar to her 2018 EP Juniper.

“‘Ella’ is the result of years of studying, playing and listening to traditional Nordic folk music,” said Bruun. “This is my version of a new folk-song, with roots planted in history and in the past. It is my ode to mankind and our connection with nature – a rite of passage as a woman and a rebirth-ritual in the sea.” The album features traditional instruments such as the nyckelharpa, lyre and mandola and also makes use of Kulning, which is an ancient Scandinavian herding call. The record was produced by Christopher Juul, who along with Bruun allows the album to take on its own character and not just be a replica of traditional folk music.

Myrkur is of course, the project of multi-instrumentalist and classically trained musician Amalie Bruun, whose albums have always incorporated elements of folk with expansive atmospheric black metal with great success. Her 2017 album Mareridt was our #4 album of the decade and our album of the year.

Folkesange track list

1. “Ella”
2. “Fager som en Ros”
3. “Leaves of Yggdrasil”
4. “Ramund”
5. “Tor i Helheim”
6. “Svea”
7. “Harpens Kraft”
8. “Gammelkäring”
9. “House Carpenter”
10. “Reiar”
11. “Gudernes Vilje”
12. “Vinter”

Myrkur currently has two scheduled live appearances in 2020, both festival slots. The band will perform in Sweden at the Gefle Metal Festival in July and in August, will play in the Czechian city of Jaroměř at the Brutal Assault Festival. Stay tuned for more tour dates.

Myrkur 2020 Tour Dates

07/09-07/11 – Gefle, SE – Gefle Metal Festival
08/05-08/08 – Jaroměř, CZ – Brutal Assault Festival

Photo Credit: Raymond Flotat