“Væv nu, væv nu vores spydbanner.”
Traversing Myrkur‘s discography over nearly a decade has made for an experience of highs and lows and a variety of soundscapes. A journey through the harsher and black metal sounds of the self-titled debut M (2015), followed by embracing Nordic sounds on Mareridt (2017) and Folkesange (2020), has made for something which has touched and disrupted each’s listeners taste. On Spine, this disruption culminates to see Myrkur produce her most gorgeous work to date.
The strings accompanied by the ethereal and expansive choir-vocals of vocalist Amalie Bruun on “Balfared” make for something that wouldn’t feel out of place on the soundtracks of a series like the Witcher. It’s a strong opener that sets an impressive tone for what is to come. “Like Humans” delivers our first proper foray into Spine, the chorus here containing a scintillating quality as the higher notes reached pleasantly tickle the ear.
What continues on “Mothlike“, and across Spine as a whole, is a production that feels grounded. Each drum groove dances around while the synths glisten high and low. Each element seemingly exists to serve its own purpose, rather than be compressed into one. Bruun flaunts both her range emotiveness on “My Blood Is Gold“, using a blend of layered and isolated vocals to subtly intensify the emotion of the track.
An array of soundscapes are touched on during title track “Spine“. The blast beats that would have been common on previous material shake the track awake in its early stages. There is an effortlessness keeping this track delicate, and the dynamics build a sense of something more grandiose waiting in the wings. This is delivered on “Valkyriernes Sang“, which sees the aforementioned percussion style take command whilst Bruun delves for a moment into suitably harsh vocals. The contrasting styles, even as the guitars ramp it up with neat riffs, make for some of Myrkur‘s most thrilling work.
While track “Blazing Sky” passes by as a perfectly fine track, that seems like a lesser rendition of what has come before. “Devil in the Detail” pushes to the forefront Myrkur‘s incredible vocal ability. The brooding toms pound away and gentle keys are present, but it’s the vocals finding intoxicating hooks that make for a listening experience to get lost in. And while closer “Menneskebarn” might lack the grandiose of a closer the record deserved, there is still plenty here to revisit and bathe in across Spine.
Since M, Myrkur has always seemed capable of producing a record of this quality, particularly impressive given the plethora of styles and sounds they have experimented with throughout the years. Those willing to venture through Spine will find something amalgamating and cleansing, that if continued, might very well see Myrkur produce something truly special.
8/10
Spine is out October 20th via Relapse Records, and you can pre-order it here.