ALBUM REVIEW: Folkesange – Myrkur

It always seemed inevitable that MYRKUR, the project from multi-instrumentalist Amalie Bruun, would craft a through and through folk album. Folk has always been a vital cog in the MYRKUR soundscape, as 2015′ M and 2017’s Mareridt utilised folk to swirl in the vortex of Bruun‘s take on black metal. After touring across Europe and the UK in recent years, which showcased the importance of folk to Bruun‘s soundscape through dedicated Folkesange sets, comes MYRKUR‘s third full-length offering; Folkesange.

Whilst M and Mareridt demonstration of folk helped propel MYRKUR‘s soundscape to terrifying and visceral depths as her caustic black metal resembled the frostbitten vicegrip of winter, Folkesange feels like the musical coming of Spring. This is an incredibly warm record, one in which displays the first rays of warm sunshine. Ella kicks the record off in a calm and alluring manner as Bruun‘s exquisite vocals compliment the hushed percussion to create a spellbinding and entrancing introduction to the album whilst Fager som en Ros benefits from the authentic instrumentation and uplifting vocal work to resemble a number that would go down a storm across many a Nordic tavern.

For folk of this ilk to be done well, authenticity is key and Bruun has spared no expense to ensure that Folkesange is as authentic as possible. From utilising a wide array of traditional instruments, such as nyckelharpa, lyre and mandola, or the use of Kulning (an ancient Scandinavian herding call), Folkesange‘s odes feel true and offer a snapshot into the past. Leaves of Yggdrasil‘s story of love and loss is captured perfectly thanks to the soothing instrumentation whilst Bruun displays some of her best vocal work on the entire record whilst Tor i Helheim‘s concept of Hel, the daughter of Loki, is explored wonderfully well thanks to a combination of beautifully dispatched vocals that raise the hairs on the back of your neck and instrumentation that builds across the track’s lengthy runtime, making it one of the standout songs on the entire record.

Of course, with this being an entirely acoustic affair, there is a worry that Folkesange might alienate some of MYRKUR‘s more metal-based audience. With intensity and explosive noise non-existent here, those diving into Folkesange expecting black metal will be disappointed, it is important to remember that what this album represents is simply another facet to Amalie Bruun‘s musical universe. Also, for all that Folkesange excels at, in the closing stages of the record particularly, the impact isn’t as lasting as Reiar and Gudernes Vilje are not as memorable as some of the album’s earlier offerings, but as a collective package, Folkesange gets the atmosphere nailed to a T.

Across twelve songs that are both authentic as they are gripping, Folkesange sees MYRKUR return to her roots and delivers a record that is simply spellbinding. It’s warm, embracing and acts as a calming voice in the storm. Whether Bruun returns to her more metallic leaning edge on future material remains to be seen, but for now, Folkesange stands as a triumphant collection of songs that bridge the gap from past to present.

Rating: 8/10

Folkesange is out now via Relapse Records.

Like MYRKUR on Facebook.