ALBUM REVIEW: Fórnspeki – Vévaki
Hailing from Iceland and originally the solo project of Will Hunter (now expanded to a quartet with the additions of Sigurboði Grétarsson, Hrafnhildur Inga Guðjónsdóttir and Gísli Gunnarsson), VÉVAKI’s spiritually healing and emotive music enriches your soul. Finely crafted soundscapes transport you to the north, where ice and snow clings to great mountains, ancient pine trees waft their distinct scent into the air and an enlightening peace surrounds you. Following on from their 2020 debut Edda, which recounted the tales of the ancient Poetic Edda, VÉVAKI have delved further into the more animistic areas of northern heathenism. Fórnspeki centres around the concepts of ritual performance, steeped in nature and focusing on the regular practises of modern day practitioners, it sees the band employ traditional and contemporary instrumentation to create beautifully poetic soundscapes that are ethereal, celestial and captivating.
VÉVAKI are rooted in the ancient belief of animism. The band put a strong emphasis on staying away from the modern cultural obsession with Vikings and creating modern songs for modern beliefs, much like the music of WARDRUNA and HEILUNG. It is these spiritual beliefs and practices that provide the core structure of Fórnspeki, as a result creating a much more authentic, personal and intimate set of songs. The album is broader and more expansive that Edda; their folk roots still anchor the record but they are now encased in a wide-ranging cinematic soundscapes to conjure up images of intimate rituals, sacred chants and meditative spiritualism.
The Nordic heathenism and animistic traditions that inform and shape VÉVAKI’s work, while ancient, have been repurposed for a modern audience. This allows the listener to really become immersed in the music as it is easily relatable, and will pique the curiosity of some to look further into the concepts, themes and ideas that VÉVAKI are expressing. This connection between environment and soul is key to human existence, and the band put it across in away that stirs you as you ponder the beauty and healing properties of nature.
One delightful thing about Fórnspeki is that it is a wonderfully immense album with expertly arranged instrumentation. In other words, it doesn’t need to talk much to say a lot. The drums are hypnotic and spacious, while the stringed instruments and vocal melodies intertwine with each other. The way that the band have crafted, arranged and assembled the songs is excellent and a testament to their abilities and innate creativity guided by their spirituality. Every intricate element has a place and purpose in the vast reverberating valley of sound, which shows clear intent to create something personal and meaningful. As a result, the immersive nature of this album will easily put you into a meditative trance as you reflect on and explore your own soul and spirituality. With this in mind, vivid visions of northern landscapes fill your mind, as if you are a raven flying over the various landscapes seeing everything from the Kattegat strait to the Aurora Borealis.
With so much personal meaning, mythical and practical concepts behind it, Fórnspeki is a hard album to sum up. Much like animism itself, the album is very much open to interpretation. Opening with Brynhildarljóð, the scene is set with bird chips and nature sounds before a gentle string melody and tender vocal is sung. From the very first note you’re entranced in the album’s beautiful aura. This track fades into Heimdalagaldr, which starts the album’s cinematic expansion, slowly building the layers of synth pads and instruments whilst introducing the ethereal voice of Guðjónsdóttir. Hreingálknir is an interesting track full of layered vocal chants and throat singing. It leads into the album’s eight-minute epic Jötnablót which is a gripping song that utilises everything VÉVAKI have to create a dramatic, intensely atmospheric track that makes you feel as if you are doing battle with the jötnar of Jötunheimr.
Dísablót is another mesmeric track – an example of a ritual that the band themselves would enact, the chants hold a deeply spiritual weight. Alongside the drums you are gently lulled into another plane of spirituality. Gestaþáttr is much like Brynhildarljóð, being lead by string melodies; it evokes an inner peace and a moment of self-reflection. Vitrun is very reminiscent of HEILUNG, but less aggressive. Evoking a powerful magic, it sets the scene for the album closer Varðloka – a powerful and moving track that pretty much sums up the album as an intense spiritual experience that allows a connection to nature in these modern time.
VÉVAKI have shown a significant maturity and admirable openness on Fórnspeki. You can feel a presence of something ancient when you listen to this album, but most importantly it inspires you to look at your relationship with the natural world. A stunningly beautiful album that is simultaneously healing and haunting.
Rating: 9/10
Fórnspeki is set for release on October 28th via Season Of Mist.
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