Wardruna – Birna | Album Review

Norse culture advocate Einar Selvik weaves another tale with Norwegian Neo-Folk ensemble Wardruna. Named after the spiritual warden of the forest, Birna strives to once again create something new with old tools.

Over twenty years after their initial inception, it seems rather hard to believe that ancient folk specialists Wardruna came to be as a side project from second-wave Black Metal legends Gorgoroth. Spearheaded by Einar Selvik, Lindy-Fay Hella and Gaahl (who amicably departed ways in 2015); whilst the emotional intensity of black metal played a formative part of the make up of the collectives energy, their music couldn’t be further from relentless blast beats and arctic howling. Focussing on traditionally performed pre-christian/pagan Scandinavian folk music, they became well-known and critically regarded for their soundtrack work for the wildly popular Vikings television series with Trevor Morris as well as more recently with video game scoring work for Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla. 

Wardruna’s previous works conceptually delved deep into Norse pagan folklore and esoteric spirituality. Now with new album Birna (translated as: She-Bear), the band use their past experience and knowledge to form something new; a conceptual exploration of man’s ancient relationship with nature. 

“Slowly driven out of her habitat by modern day societies, she has entered a stage of permanent hibernation. As a result, the forest is gradually dying, longing for its pulse and heart – its shepherd. Birna calls for her return.”

When coming up with Birna’s concept, Einar immersed himself in the forests for inspiration from nature itself. Listening to the album itself feels an immersive and meditative experience. Helped greatly by choices of field recordings from Jonna Jinton (who also provides additional backing vocals) at various points across the tracklist; the sounds of the forest birds at the end of ‘Jord til Ljos [Earth To Light]’ reflecting the world waking from hibernation, wind rustling through the trees and violent thunderstorms in ‘Tretale [The Voices Of Trees]’, helps portray the natural environment and progression of the album’s storytelling whilst adding to the immersive nature of the project as a listener.

Many of the deep percussive rhythms mimic the heartbeat of Birna, weaved through the core of the compositions themselves. From the opening moments of ‘Hertan [Heart]’ producing an active, calm heartbeat in the percussion through the twenty minute two part meditative passage with ‘Dvaledraumar [Dormant Dreams]’ and ‘Jord Til Ljos [Earth To Light]’ dramatically slowing down the bpm to portray the resting heart-rate of the hibernating being. This reverence is showcased across other aspects of the compositions, grand vocal choirs reflect the power and respect a creature of such immense power deserves. 

The album is entrenched in powerful emotions, showcasing the feelings towards the beast. Previously discussed respect and adoration, urgency or concern with ‘Himinndotter [Sky Daughter]’ and even profound heartbreak with ‘Hibjønen [The Hibearnator]’, there are even subtle hints of disharmony that project an element of fear in devastation with ‘Skuggehesten [The Shadow-Horse]’. However Wardruna’s work point towards the majesty and various culture’s historical deification of the Bear as opposed to its fear of it, more over the fear of what humans do when they forget their intrinsic links to nature.  

Birna sounds absolutely magnificent. At this point that is a given, with Wardruna’s work regularly capturing the subtleties of the ancient Norse instrumentation. The production is straightforward and suitable, keeping things as clean and analog as possible, with some cavernous reverbs that feel appropriate and not overblown digital finery. Lindy-Fay Hella’s vocals are soft and otherworldly, Einar Selvik’s strong deep soulful rumbles with the various choirs and backing vocalists ranging from subtle harmonisations to demonic throat singing.Using only traditional ancient string (Taglharpa, Kravik-lyre), wind (Bukkehorn, Lur, Willow-bark flute) and percussive (Deer Hide Frame Drums) instruments, throat singing and haunting atonal vocal melodies that sit between modern “scales” transports you back to ancient times and helps to feel the story being told at the core of your being.

Grand, ethereal, haunting and stirring the deepest parts of your being in the depths of your mind, Birna is yet another rousing success for Wardruna. With deep emotive song writing, structures and performances, it feels like being directly connected to the ancient earth itself. Despite having a range of contemporaries joining similar spaces in alternative folk culture in recent years, Wardruna still stand firmly on their own path, evolving and exploring deeply profound conceptual and musical energies. If you’re a fan of their previous work then Birna will be a welcome addition to your library and if not, then go for a walk deep into the woods, find a quiet spot to sit and listen and embed yourself into another time and place far away from the concerns of modern life.