Photo courtesy of Ván RecordsIcelandic metal is stronger than ever; folk metal stalwarts Skálmöld swept last month's Icelandic Music Awards, the Eistnaflug Festival announced a slew of huge international headliners, and Misþyrming's stunning new album proved that their black metal scene is one of the world's finest.Árstíðir lífsins (pronounced Aours-teeth-ir Leef-sins) is the latest strange and rather wonderful musical entity to spill over the island's borders. Aldafǫðr ok munka dróttinn, the latest album from this Icelandic/German collaboration (which includes members of Germany's Helrunar and Kerbenok, and Iceland's excellent Carpe Noctem), focuses on Iceland's forced conversion to Christianity in the year 1000 C.E. Out March 6 on Ván Records, the album is sung entirely in Old Norse-Icelandic, with added Skaldic verses from the Icelandic sagas.Envision a much more metal-based, Icelandic version of Wardruna, and you'll get an idea of the kind of atmospheric, stormy black/folk metal these gents have on offer. Even better—listen to the whole album right here!
Aldafǫðr ok munka dróttinn is out March 6th on Ván Records.Kim Kelly really really loves Iceland—she's on Twitter: @grimkim