Menoizikul; Midweek Musicalisms

Let me take you to Nordica. You'll recall at the start of the year, with Sabaton and Nightwish, I began tapping into a rich vein of heavy metal that went beyond just clashing sounds and into the symphonic and lyrical. We've travelled two-thirds of the year, and you have been brilliant at taking on board some of the varied and - frankly - challenging sounds I have presented you with whilst seeking to tie in the links to classical music and even older styles.

So now I introduce you to Wardruna. A Norwegian group that sits in the symphonic metal grouping but owes as much to the ancient folk traditions of the region. This first song is restrained and pure... and I think that you cannot fail to hear the connection the drum has to the thrum of nature. It is also very shamanic - something that could be understood in almost all cultures of the world.