WARDRUNA
Kvitravn – First Flight Of The White Raven (By Norse)
Norwegian band Wardruna’s latest offering, First Flight Of The White Raven, reshapes their early 2021 studio album Kvitravn in the form of a live album recorded without an audience, and the results fall between two stools, neither relaxing nor rousing. The folk-metal band aimed to capture the feeling of a gig when taping this during lockdown, but the “dramatic musical landscapes” associated with the band are decidedly flat – whether an audience would have added atmosphere or not is up for debate.
Take the title track, which begins with the sound of a gentle sea but deviates into a dirge. Chant-like vocals, faithful to Norse tradition, are eerie, deep and dark, if liable to become monotonous. Likely aimed at Wardruna diehards, this album comes in a few formats – notably a limited box set retailing for over £100 – but sadly, First Flight Of The White Raven hasn’t made a convert of this listener.
words LYNDA NASH
Looking For Something To Do?
The Ultimate Guide to What’s on in Wales