WHITE RAVEN FLIES HIGH

I discovered Wardruna through Norwegian black metal.  Being a huge fan of Gorgoroth, my interest was piqued when I learned that two of the band's members were involved in another project together, and I of course had to check it out.  To my surprise, their music was unlike anything I'd ever heard and so far out of my usual scope of listening that it might as well have been from another universe.  And yet I sensed there was something special about it.  From there I followed the Wardruna's activity sporadically over the years, never thinking that I would ever get a chance to experience them live.

But as my wife and I were preparing to move to Oregon, there it was; Wardruna playing just a few minutes from us at the Elsinore Theatre in Salem.  There was no way that I was going to pass up the opportunity to experience something so unique, and so we immediately picked up a pair of tickets.  To say that I was anticipating this show would be an understatement, as my appreciation of the band had only grown in the years since discovering them and it would be one of our first shows back after well over two years.

When we arrived at the Elsinore, the line was already snaking down the street, but moved quickly once the venue opened it's doors.  The theatre, which was built in 1926, was beautiful inside and seemed the perfect place to host such an event; my excitement only continued to grow even as I waited in the ridiculously long merch line.  After grabbing the requisite shirt and CD, my wife and I settled into our seats for some good old fashioned people-watching while we waited for the show to start.  Other than a few questionable douche-bros clad head to toe in Spirit Halloween and who may or may not have gotten lost on the way to a Minnesota Vikings game, it was exciting to see so many different types of people all there to appreciate Wardruna, from metalheads like us, to folks clad in traditional Nordic garb, to older couples that could've been our grandparents, to everything in-between.

Finally, the lights dimmed and it was time for Wardruna to hit the stage, lead by vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Einar Selvik.  The band's music has a very unique energy, and you could feel it coursing through the venue from the moment the first notes of "Kvitravn," the title track from Wardruna's latest album, came pouring out of the PA.  I had spent a great deal of time listening to Kvitravn prior to the show, but the song sounded even more powerful in the live setting and was an excellent start to the career-spanning set that laid ahead of us.

In the preceding paragraph, I noted the unique energy of Wardruna's music and it's that energy that makes it so difficult to describe.  When the band plays, it feels like the songs are coming up through the gnarled roots of the earth itself and being channeled through the musicians; it's both primal and sophisticated at the same time thanks to the band's mastery of a variety of instruments.  Wardruna is often referred to as a Nordic folk band, but that label feels so lacking, especially after experiencing the depth and richness of sound they're capable of producing in front of a live crowd.

As the band played through songs such as "Solringen" "Tyr" and "Odal" it was evident that they had the audience in the palm of their hand.  Selvik has a knack for creating songs that exude a mesmerizing atmosphere, and that atmosphere was in full effect here, aided and abetted by a backdrop that was made to resemble fire, rock or water, depending on the color of the lighting.  The experience was totally immersive both audially and visually; the amount of effort that Wardruna and their crew had put into their presentation would put many more well-known bands to utter shame.

Highlights of the show were many, but among my favorites were Selvik's beautiful solo rendition of "Voluspa (skaldic version)," the utterly haunting "Lyfjaberg" and "Tyr," which prominently featured the use of two massive lur horns.  I've spent the better part of two weeks thinking back on the show in an effort to pick out all the best moments, but the sheer excellence of what we witnessed that night makes it a truly difficult task.

The only hitch came when the building's fire alarm system went off a little over halfway through band's set, apparently due to the ample amount of fog they were using on stage.  But, the band handled things like true professionals while the venue's staff addressed the situation, and then picked up right where they left off once the "all clear" had been given.  While it was an unfortunate occurrence, I was thankful that it wasn't an actual emergency and the show was able to continue.

I'm pretty sure they could've played all night and no one in attendance would've protested, but alas, all good things must end, and as Wardruna closed out their set with a stunning rendition of "Helvegen," I found myself feeling thoroughly satisfied, not just in a "that was a great show" sort of way, but also on an emotional, hell, maybe even a spiritual level. In a time when so much music is just a product that serves no purpose other than to exist, Wardruna's music reaches in deep and touches your soul.

https://www.wardruna.com/