Review: Wardruna – Runaljod – Gap Var Ginnunga (Vinyl Reissue)

I didn’t think I was going to like this, but here I sit enjoying it. This is a reissue of Wardruna’s first album, a musical journey into a dimension of tribal Nordic lands. Mastermind of the project and individual-whose-name-I-couldn’t-pronounce-with-a-gun-to-my-head Kvitrafn (ex-Gorgoroth), does a nice job of getting the whole “traditional” point across with his multi-instrumental showcase. Vocalists, including Gaahl (God Seed, ex-Gorgoroth), breathe life into the songs through monotone throat singing and fluid streams of clean singing, which give voice to the repetitive, ritualistic drumming and traditional instruments employed on the album. Lindy Fay Hella’s vocals evoke visions of the Oracle of Delphi (I know, that was Greece, chill out) and lull you into a listless trance (“Bjarkan” being the perfect example). The band isn’t necessarily my cup of tea at all— but it’s excellent for this type of style, and I do like the dark aspect to it. –Alex Coulombe