When Dark Essence Records recently announced the details of “Fremmede Toner”, the upcoming release from Norwegian Folk Prog Rockers LUMSK, it was clear that this was going to be a very unusual album, as the band explained:
We stumbled upon “Fremmde Toner”, a collection of poems the by Norwegian Author André Bjerke in which he had translated and re-created poems from different English and German speaking poets, and we realised that not only did we want to write music for the Norwegian poems, but also to write music for the original poems themselves. The idea of the concept was not to create the same songs twice, but to make the songs mirror each other in a way, trying to somehow recreate the idea of a translation or re-creation. Thus, as with the poems themselves, the songs are not the same, but are, nevertheless familiar.
In keeping with this concept, Dark Essence Records will be debuting a double single from the album, with Andre Bjerk´s “Det Døde Barn” and Conrad Ferdinand Meyer´s “Das Tode Kind” being the first pair to be released, and, according to LUMSK, this will be the first time that the band can be heard singing in German.
The two tracks can be streamed or downloaded from a variety of services at this location.
When LUMSK were formed in 1999 it was a time when metal bands and fans alike were exploring the use regional folk traditions within music. Already sure that this was the direction in which they wanted their music to go, and with their use of heavy guitars, keyboard and organs, violins, session horns and female vocals, LUMSK were therefore ideally placed to build themselves from the ground up, and take their place in what was to become a sub-genre all of its own.
Having garnered a considerable reputation, both at home and internationally, LUMSK took a hiatus which lasted sixteen years from the release of their last album, but now they are back with “Fremmede Toner” which will be the band’s fourth full-length release.
Mixed by Rhys Marsh at Autumnsongs Recordings, and Mastering by Arnstein Fossvik at AudioMaster, “Fremmede Toner” is the LUMSK’s most varied and intriguing work to date , demonstrating how the band’s unique blend of metal and Nordic folk music melds together with rich textures and clever arrangements.
Featuring works by some of the most famous European and North American poets, such as Nietzsche, Goethe, Swinburne etc., the “dual” concept of “Fremmede Toner” is also reflected on the album cover by Per Spjøtvold, someone with whom the band has worked since the beginning.
Track listing is as follows:
- Det Døde Barn
- En Harmoni
- Avskjed
- Under Linden
- Fiolen
- Dagen er Endt
- Das Tode Kind
- A Match
- Abschied
- Under der Linden
- Das Veilchen
- The Day is Done
“Fremmede Toner” will be released on the 5th May in CD, Limited Edition Double LP in Gold and Turquoise vinyl and Digital formats, and is now available to pre-order from the following:
BandCamp: https://lumsk.bandcamp.com/album/fremmede-toner
Webshop: https://darkessencerecords.no/kar215-lumsk-fremmede-toner/
US Webshop: https://darkessence.indiemerch.com/
Having undergone a number of changes over the years, LUMSK’s seven-piece lineup today includes Mari Klingen on Vocals, Siv Lena Laugtug Sæther on Violin, Eystein Garberg on Guitar, Roar Grindheim on Guitar, Espen Warankov Godø on Keyboards, Espen Hammer on Bass, and Vidar Berg on Drums, and more information about the band can be found on Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/lumskmusic
A video for the track “Trolltind” from LUMSK’s 2005 album “Troll” can be seen below.
Click image to watch the video
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