Wardruna


Wardruna is a Norwegian music group formed in 2003 by Einar Selvik along with Gaahl and Lindy Fay Hella. They are dedicated to creating musical renditions of Norse cultural and esoteric traditions, and make significant use of Nordic historical and traditional instruments including deer-hide frame drums, flutes, kraviklyr, tagelharpe, mouth harp, goat horn, and lur. Non-traditional instruments and other sources of sound like trees, rocks, water, and torches are also used.
The band have released four full-length albums, the first three based on Norse mythology, the last based on the sayings of Odin from the Völuspá and other old Norse sources.
TeamRock.com described Wardruna's music as "a conjunction of the earthy, the organic and the ethereal" with "runic-based rites inhabit a frequency that once heard have always seemed just adjacent to everyday consciousness".

History

Wardruna formed in 2003. Selvik and Gaahl were both previously members of Gorgoroth, appearing together on the album Twilight of the Idols and the live DVD Black Mass Krakow 2004. Selvik had also recorded with other projects including Det Hedenske Folk, Bak de Syv Fjell, Jotunspor, Sahg, Dead to this World, Skuggsjá, and Faun. Gaahl also recorded with Trelldom, Gaahlskagg, and God Seed.
The group's debut album, Runaljod – Gap Var Ginnunga, was released on 19 January 2009 by Indie Recordings, followed by Runaljod - Yggdrasil on 15 March 2013.
In 2014, Selvik announced on the group's official Facebook page that they would take part in composing the score for season 2 of Vikings along with Trevor Morris. He later appeared as an actor on the show. In 2015, Gaahl left Wardruna on amicable terms.
Wardruna's third album, Runaljod – Ragnarok, was released on 21 October 2016. Thanks in part to the success of Vikings, the album debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's World Albums chart.
In August 2017, Wardruna headlined the 20th alternative music, folk music, and experimental music festival Mėnuo Juodaragis in Dūburys Lake, Lithuania. In early 2018, they embarked on their first tour of North America.
The band's fourth album, the acoustic Skald, was released on 23 November 2018.
In October 2019, Wardruna announced they are now signed to the major labels Sony Music/Columbia Records and they will be going on a European concert tour from March to August 2020.
In February 2020, the band announced the release of their fifth studio album in June 2020. The album will be named Kvitravn, which means White Raven. The album was delayed to January 22, 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Members

Current
Former