December 3, 2021 — Behind every good video game is typically a soundtrack that helps fuel the epic conflict unfolding on screen. Kurgan-resident James Paterson recently caught up with Stephanie Economou, the composer behind the 14-piece soundtrack for Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: The Siege of Paris that was released in August.
November 28, 2021 — Kurgan Compass™ listeners can rejoice for this week’s roundup as we have been blessed with a wide range of music from a variety of folk artists. From the traditional elements of Danheim’s new single ‘Tivar’ (“Gods” in Old Norse) to more experimental tracks like Errrilaz ‘Valhalla’, this roundup is a smorgasbord of hypnotic songs inspired by ages past.
November 20, 2021 — Considering the dominance of Scandinavian folk metal in the late 90s, it is amazing how folk metal has exploded and become a key factor in the ascension of global metal, with acts as diverse as The Hu, Bloodywood, and Nine Treasures flying the flag for how folk metal allows international artists to explore a love for the genre while championing their national and cultural identities.
November 19, 2021 — The week is not done until music fans have read up on the latest neo- and dark folk tracks that have been released recently. There is plenty to enjoy in this roundup, with many of the tracks (successfully) relying on the power of string instruments to carry the signature sounds of Norse culture (while we have heard some of the tracks before, new music videos provide a fresh, different experience.)
November 17, 2021 — Whether you prefer the black metal sound of Enslaved or the more traditional folk ambiance from Wardruna, one cannot understate the impact Ivar Bjørnson and Einar Selvik have had on their respective genres. It should come as a surprise to no one that great things happen when these two musicians work together, like their 2018 album Hugsjá.
November 14, 2021 — With another week of sparse releases, Kurgan Compass™ readers need not worry as what has been released is top quality. We bring the best new music from artists like Dreyma and Gåte, a teaser for the upcoming debut album by Swedish artist Urferd, and a solid metal collaboration by Peyton Parrish and Jonathan Young, and then some.
November 12, 2021 — Ever prolific, British one-man neofolk project Herknungr (a customized, “artistic license” Old Norse spelling for “warrior king”) has released four albums in 2021 alone. In doing so, Herknungr has been able to explore myriad tones and facets of his Nordic-inspired soundscapes.
November 6, 2021 — This week’s roundup features a number of songs that each takes inspiration from past events or music. Whether it be a region of Norway, an old folk ballad, or one of the most famous events of World War I, these artists have brought the past to the present.
October 31, 2021 — The past week in neofolk and related metal was definitely a slim one. Thankfully, slim as they may be, the releases that caught our attention happen to deliver an eclectic assortment of music and news that genre fans will totally enjoy diving into.
October 23, 2021 — Making up for last week’s relatively sparse roundup, this one is brimming with thunderous vocals, rhythmic melodies, and the folksy sounds of Norse culture. A septet of artists unknowingly pooled together to deliver on a stellar playlist fit for the Kurgan Compass audience.
October 17, 2021 — Today’s weekly roundup may look sparse on the surface but is, in fact, abundant as the past few days were graced by releases from two highly competent neofolk artists pulling some lesser-known inspiration from the roots of Nordic culture and in doing so deliver two tracks that both have fascinating stories to tell — coupled by great performances.
October 10, 2021 — Fans will agree there is often something ritualistic about the pounding rhythms and haunting vocals of neofolk as if each track is calling upon some greater being. It is the magical blend of antiquated sounds of generations gone and modern musical concepts that keep listeners engrossed in various folk compositions.
October 9, 2021 — Kurgan Compass™ speaks to Vévaki’s frontman and founder Will Hunter about where the band is heading next, a bit about the musical stylings of last year’s Edda album, the instrumentation necessary to create ancient music, the new band members, and more.
October 6, 2021 — Norwegian trio DROTT’s debut album ORCUS is a fascinating, memorable, and stylish journey through multiple genres all the way to the underworld and back again. Released in late September, DROTT’s LP invokes the works of Inon Zur’s Fallout and Alexey Omelchuk’s Metro soundtracks alongside the post-rock cinematics of Explosions In The Sky.
October 5, 2021 — As a child, Janus Pedersen was fascinated by drums. Perhaps then, this explains the prevalence of percussion found in his dark-folk project Heldom. Surprise-launching his second album Vaknan a year after releasing his first LP, Heldom again taps into the neofolk tide.
September 26, 2021 — The last couple of weeks have barely seen any neofolk releases at all. This week, however, things seem to have kicked into gear again as the colder weather of the Northern hemisphere sinks its teeth into daily life. A blend of neofolk and wolf-like metal round out a busy seven days, providing listeners with stirring sounds of bygone eras.
September 21, 2021 — When Alien Weaponry emerged in 2018 they represented an immensely exciting new prospect in heavy metal. The band consists of singer and guitarist Lewis de Jong, drummer Henry de Jong, and bassist Tūranga-Morgan-Edmonds — their debut record Tū being a bold statement of personal and cultural identity centered around the trio’s heritage in New Zealand’s Māori culture.
September 18, 2021 — Following last month’s release of King’s Bounty II, Kurgan Compass™ wanted to highlight one of the game’s most outstanding features, namely its soundtrack. Specifically, the first piece of its musical encapsulation — ‘Greflet’s Song’. Before we jump into the melodies that join Kurgan’s quest to inform of the future of neofolk, let us head back in time — to the earliest days of King’s Bounty.
September 17, 2021 — It is infrequent that you hear Weezer and Metallica in the same sentence. Maybe even less so that Miley Cyrus’ name gets thrown into the mix. Yet the September 10 release of Metallica’s The Metallica Blacklist brought together a collaboration of artists from all across the spectrum.
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