Norwegian viking pagan black metal brigade NIFROST is set to release their new, long-awaited, full length album to the masses on June 25, 2021 via Dusktone. NIFROST already established its own remarkable identity built upon cold and ferocious sounds attack, intense melodies and charging guitars. Combining unrelenting black metal atmosphere and vision from varying extreme metal genres with a apocalyptic twist of inspiration, careful listeners may just be able to identify themes from some of their stories, concepts and more… The concept of their third album began with the title “Orkja”, which is the name of a mountain infamous for landslides that turned into murderous floods in the olden days of Jølster, on the wild and beautiful western coast of Norway. Through these old stories, they found a spark of inspiration in approaching apocalyptic themes in a bigger or on smaller more personal-level picture, both physically and metaphorically. When the band wrote the album “Orkja” in late 2018, they never knew how fitting these doomsday-themes would come to be in current times. The seven songs that comprise “Orkja”, each have its own connection to the end of things, and to the possibility of new beginnings.

Lillebjørn Nilsen and Andy Irvine had known each other for about 17 years when they met at the Telemark Festival back in 1994, what they both had dreamt about became a reality. Their collaboration resulted in an exhilarating concert. The live recording is finally released as an album in June 2021.

On their fifth sonic assault, "svartrviðr", KING OF ASGARD maintain the perfect balance between the grim and the epic, darkness and twilight while keeping their sound crushing and stripped down to essentials. The blackened death veterans deliver an example of Sweden's classic style at the border of harsh and evocative Nordic blackness and the captivating epic melodies of their homeland's death metal. Founded in 2008 in Mjölby, Östergötland, the band rose from the ashes of cult act MITHOTYN. Teaming up with Magnus "Devo" Andersson, who could easily claim the title of MARDUK's house producer, the Swedes made sure to maintain a black twist to their individual sound. Now, KING OF ASGARD invite you to explore the dark secrets of the Viking world and those glimpses at ancient rituals that lurk deep within Old Norse writings.

The Norwegian black metal band Djevel release their seventh full-length album “Tanker som rir natten” on May 14th through the Norwegian label Aftermath Music. Ten years ago, Djevel burst into the Black Metal scene with the debut “Dødssanger“. With a fierce, raw energy and a breathtaking, ominous melodic touch, the trademark sound of the band had been placed. Now ten years into the story, the band have kept the sound and spirit, but evolved through three stages of new musicians being added to the signature riffs of main composer Ciekals, developing the music to new heights, while still maintaining the sonic outlet that identifies Djevel. So here we enter the third era, where Ciekals and Faust (ex-Emperor, Blood Tsunami) have been joined by new vocalist/bassist Kvitrim (Vemod). This new constellation of the band have built the bands 7th album “Tanker Som Rir Natten“, an album surpassing all what they’ve done before, and opening some new ideas within both production and composition. The raw feeling is still intact, and the acoustic elements have returned. But the eerie, haunting atmosphere have grown stronger, making it the most varied output from the band thus far.

Wolf Rune, a solo album, casts a new light on the highly personal idiom of Sinikka Langeland, kantele player and folk singer from Finnskogen, Norway’s “Finnish forest”. Sinikka integrates her own songs among folk hymns, shamanistic rune songs and traditional dance pieces, draws texts from multiple poetic sources, and expands the expressive range of her instruments. Few artists embody the spirit of place as comprehensively as Langeland, and her music ruminates upon the wildness of the natural world and the interrelationships of its inhabitants. Wolf Rune, recorded in December 2019 in Oslo’s Rainbow Studio, is an absorbing addition to Sinikka’s ECM discography, which has featured critically acclaimed projects including Starflowers, The Land That Is Not, Maria’s Song, The Half-Finished Heaven and The Magical Forest.

As the year 2020 has been quite unusual, Taake has also done things differently. This year the band has done two split-10” with Whoredom Rife and Deathcult on different labels. So, this is the third and last installment of these split-10”s, and this time it’s together with labelmates Helheim. For this split release, Taake has recorded two new tracks: “Brotne Bein og Mannefall” and “Ein Baat I Foss”, with lyrics from the old Norwegian writer Arne Garborg (approximately 1895). This is the true Norwegian black metal that we all crave for. Gritty, dark and cold as father winter of dread himself. Helheim’s contributions are two cover songs: A cover of Emperor’s “Heksesabbat / Witches Sabbath”, originally released on the tribute album “A Tribute to Emperor – In Honour of Icon E” from 2012 (now remastered) - and a quite different and original version of the Taake song “Orkan” from the album Noregs Vaapen. “Henholdsvis” is both a tribute to the old and showing new paths for Taake and concludes Taakes split-10” trilogy series.

Following on mercilessly from 2020’s aptly titled ‘Pesta’ EP, Norwegian act Mork resumes its ascension through the ranks of the Scandinavian black metal scene with the fifth chapter, ‘Katedralen’, venturing ever further from the more primal early Darkthrone-based foundations, while still fundamentally keeping the grim flame of the old school in its DNA. ’Katedralen’ is undoubtedly Mork’s most accomplished work to date, pushing new creative frontiers with a more dynamic approach to the song composition and an expanded breadth to the riffs and melodies, weaving a new masterpiece of groove, harshness, grandiosity, sadness, beauty and power in the process. ‘Katedralen’ was performed, recorded & mixed by Eriksen himself, with mastering once more carried out by Jack Control at Enormous Door (Darkthrone). The album also notably includes guest appearances from Nocturno Culto of labelmates Darkthrone, Dolk of fellow countrmen Kampfar, & finally Eero Pöyry of doom masters Skepticism. The suitably stark artwork once again appears courtesy of revered French artist David Thiérrée.

Tales Along This Road is the third studio album by the Finnish folk metal band Korpiklaani. It was released on 21 April 2006 by Napalm Records.

KORPIKLAANI was founded somewhere deep in the primeval northern forests in 2003. Ten celebrated studio albums, numerous world tours and hundreds of millions of digital streams alongside multiple other releases, have established KORPIKLAANI’s status as one of the leaders of innovative heavy music. For their diehard legion of fans, they are known as Folk Metal Superstars. Here and now, KORPIKLAANI’s fearless journey continues on – and this time, the journey is powered by rather serious subject matter. Their eleventh full-length studio record "Jylhä" (which has no direct translation but can be described as majestic, or wild and rugged in a beautiful way) brings all the well-known and essential ingredients to the table: heavy-duty guitar riffing, rhythmic folk melodies and more.

A smorgasbord album, the cast list includes Bjork, Siouxsie Sioux, Brendan Perry, and long-term sidekick Barbera Googan. As expected, the mood is cold, often somber in tone. Only on "The Long Voyage," a springy ditty fronted by Suzanne Vega and John Cale, does the album ascend from the depths. Some of the gloom works, like in "Havet Stomar," a brilliant slow burner with B.J. Cole's pedal steel guitar and ECM artist Lene Willemark's chilling howls. "Annukka Suaren Neito" presents what must be the closest to an Eskimo rap you can get. Mark Isham provides freestyle trumpet that almost sounds like seagulls swooping the skies. The Jane Siberry-fronted "She Is Like the Swallow" is a beauty, as soft as it is light. Hector Zazou's electronics are in fine check too. The canvas expands to new textures, such as metallic percussion in "Adventures in the Scandinavian Skin Trade".

Whereas Finntroll represent the dark and gloomy side of the Finnish Metal Folk genre, Korpiklaani - previously called Shaman - is a band consisting of fun-loving, cheerful natures who since their first album „Spirit of the Forest“ released in 2003, want to induce their fans to dance.

Masterful Norweigan storytellers Wardruna reveal yet another masterstroke in their mission to understand and integrate ancient thoughts, tools and methods to produce something relevant to the moderne era.

A Finnish vocalist / bassist Atte KEMPPAINEN, who had been inspired by 70s British progressive rock scene like Pink Floyd, radically transformed and innovated his musical style into Zeuhl, just when he stumbled upon Magma via Ruins' medley. He's invited three musicians of the same 'Zeuhl-ish' spirit - Ville SIRVIÖ (lead guitar), Tommi RUOTSALAINEN (rhythm guitar), and Osmo SAARINEN (drums, voices) - and DAI KAHT was born in 2013. Atte, Ville, Tommi, and Osmo have changed their name into Cobaian ones - Alemaahr KEMPAH, Willargh SHIROW, Zwerie STÖBAH, and Ozamö SHARIF, respectively, and finally their debut eponymous album was released in April, 2017 … as another sunrise upon Finnish Zeuhl Turf.

We proudly set December 8th as the international release date for Horna's highly anticipated tenth album, Kuoleman Kirjo. By now, Horna should need no introduction. For over 25 years now, the Finnish black metal institution - founded by uber-prolific guitarist/songwriter Shatraug (Sargeist, Behexen, et al) - have built a vast, virulent body of work beyond compare. In fact, when one mentions "Finnish black metal" nowadays, the name Horna is immediately invoked…and for good reason. Simply put, their vision of unapologetic BLACK METAL is proud and pure, and played with an intensity and finesse that's familiar yet unique. The past is alive because the present is dead; there is no future. Horna thus continue to stand immortal, and Kuoleman Kirjo is the only firmament on the foreseeable horizon.

The album 'Odin’s Raven Magic' is an orchestral collaboration between Sigur Rós, Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson, Steindór Andersen and Maria Huld Markan Sigfúsdóttir which premiered 18 years ago at the Barbican Centre in London and is now finally almost two decades later being released. The performance honours the poem, dramatic and beautiful, classical and contemporary. A stone marimba was built especially for the performance by Páll Guðmundsson.