Wardruna, meaning “the guardian of secrets” or “she who whispers,” will release their March 2021 virtual live performance as Kvitravn – First Flight Of The White Raven on 22 April. Wardruna perform musical renditions of Norse cultural and esoteric traditions using historical and traditional instruments.
Einar Selvik, who formed Wardruna with Gaahl and Lindy Fay Hellain in 2003, is known by the stage name Kvitrafn and is the former drummer of the Black Metal band Gorgoroth.
“Kvitravn – First Flight of the White Raven is an audio-visual ‘live-in-studio’ recording that was broadcasted online as the release show of the Kvitravn album,” Einar Selvik says. “It was recorded in a time when it was not allowed to perform in front of an audience, which made it very important for me that the recording itself truly captured the energy of a live performance.
“What you hear is what we performed in that moment in that room. No re-recordings or autotune was done in after work. Just like for a regular concert, the setlist was carefully put together with a selection of songs from all our albums, including a handful of songs from the new album, which we performed for the very first time.
“On the day of recording, we all stood together in the same room for the first time in over a year. Everyone came focused and well prepared, and the energy felt like no time had passed. I hope you will agree.”
The song Solringen from the performance has been released. Solringen first appeared on the album 2013 album Runaljod – Yggdrasil. “Even though Solringen quickly became a popular track amongst our listeners,” Selvik says, “it wasn’t until late 2019 we first got around to performing it live. When taking the song from the studio to the stage, I really felt it needed a slightly different approach, more specifically adapted for the concert format.”
Selvik says the idea for Solringen revolves around elves and crops. “In earlier tradition,” he says, “the women of the household on a farm had the task of going out into the fields around midsummer and wake up the elves dwelling there with rhymes and songs to encourage them to ensure growth and good crops. These songs and traditions have now mostly passed into oblivion. The initial idea behind Solringen is that new songs might wake them once again.”
Kvitravn is available on CD, Vinyl and digital formats and can be pre-ordered from Wardruna.com
Wardruna will tour the UK, with the first date on 17 March 2022 at the Southbank Centre, London, before heading out to Europe. “It has been more than two years since we last gave a performance in front of an audience,” Einar says. “Needless to say, this long and unwanted hibernation has made us very excited to finally be able to realistically plan our return to the stage.”
Kvitravn – First Flight of the White Raven audio track list (2022):
Synkverv (Turn-sight)
Kvitravn (White Raven)
Skugge (Shadow)
Grá (Grey)
Fylgjutal (Speech of the Fylgja)
Munin (Memory)
Kvit hjort (White Stag)
Viseveiding (Song-hunting)
Ni (Nine)
Vindavlarljod (Song of the wind-bred)
Andvevarljod (Song of the Spirit-weavers)
Kvitravn – First Flight of the White Raven track list for audio capture of the virtual live performance (2022):
Kvitravn
Skugge
Solringen
Bjarkan
Raido
Voluspá
Isa
UruR
Grá
Vindavlarljod
Rotlaust Tre Fell
Fehu
Helvegen