Renowned Danish composer and classically trained multi-instrumentalist, Myrkur, has unveiled her interpretation of traditional Nordic Folk song, "De Tre Piker" today.  Her third single from upcoming album Mareridt includes a stunning, lulling vocal performance alongside nyckelharpa (an ancient Swedish key harp), shaman drums and guitar. The song is availalbe for streaming below.

“Mareridt” (translation: Nightmare) is a rich juxtaposition of the dark and the light; the moon and the mother earth; the witch and the saint. Myrkur explores deeper into the mysterious and the feminine with 11 tracks that further progress her visionary blend of metal with gorgeous, stirring melodies, dark folk passages, choral arrangements and superb, horrific beauty.

Mareridt was recorded between Copenhagen and Seattle with producer, Randall Dunn (Earth, Marissa Nadler, Sun O))), Boris). Like a marriage of King Diamond's Them with Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake, Mareridt is a carefully composed concept freed from genre. It flows between English and Danish, from guttural growls charged with testosterone, to emotive feminine hymns and Kulning. The compositions sweep into one another like a soundtrack designed to guide the listener through emotional turmoil. One minute the songs are fighting back, the next lulling you to submission. Lyrically, Myrkur hatches open the folklore of her Nordic heritage, applying the ancient fables to her personal piety. Mareridt toys with juxtaposition and finds life between theoretical opposites. Timeless, triumphant, powerful and hypnotic, Mareridt is a sonic nightmare that you never want to escape.   

Relapse offers an exclusive, one time pressing deluxe 2LP on red inside clear with blue splatter and custom Myrkur logo etching on side D; limited to 900.  The deluxe version also features alternate cover art painted by Norwegian painter Odd Nerdrum and contains core album on LP 1 plus 5 bonus tracks on LP 2 (not available on CD or single LP versions). Pre-order Mareridt now via Relapse.com.

Mareridt will be released on September 15th. Artwork and tracklisting below.

Tracklisting:

“Mareridt”
“Måneblôt”
“The Serpent”
“Crown”
“Elleskudt”
“De Tre Piker”
“Funeral” (featuring Chelsea Wolfe)
“Ulvinde”  
“Gladiatrix”  
“Kætteren”
“Børnehjem”
“Death Of Days” *
“Kvindelil” * (featuring Chelsea Wolfe)
“Løven” *
“Himlen blev sort” *
“Två Konungabarn” *

* Digital / Deluxe 2xLP Bonus Track

"De Tre Piker":

“Måneblôt”:

Live dates:

October
26 - Stockholm, Sweden - Close-Up Baten Cruise

November
4 - Leeds, UK - Damnation Festival
17 - London, UK - Heaven #
18 - Leeuwarden, Netherlands - Neushoorn #
19 - Lille, France - Maison Folie Beaulieu #
20 - Paris, France - Alhambra #
21 - Rennes, France - Antipode MJC #
23 - Bilbao, Spain - Santana27 #
24 - Madrid, Spain - Caracol #
25 - Barcelona, Spain - Razzmatazz2 #
27 - Milan, Italy - Circolo Magnolia #
29 - Munich, Germany - Theaterfabrik #
30 - Salzburg, Austria - Rockhouse #

December
1 - Bologna, Italy - Locomotiv #
7 - Budapest, Hungary - A38 #
8 - Vienna, Austria - Arena #
11 - Prague, Czech Republic - Roxy #
12 - Berlin, Germany - Heimathafen #
13 - Cologne, Germany - Kantine #
15 - Rotterdam, Netherlands - maasSilo #
16 - Brussels, Belgium - VK #
18 - Copenhagen, Denmark - Pumpehuset #
20 - Stockholm, Sweden - Debaser Strand #

# - with Solstafir

(Photo by: Daria Endresen)