Myrkvedr started early 2010 in Gotherburg, Sweden, as the three friends Hagal, Askebloss and Rok found they shared the same creative visions for expressing nordic mythology and lore in heavy music. All three had spent years carving bows, reading ancient nordic poems and playing instruments as pure hobby. But in 2010 they realized it would be a good idea putting those things together. The result, Myrkvedr.
Rolling back the timeline almost 20 years, Hagal was in 2003 deeply in love with the Norwegian black metal scene. Bands like Mayhem, Immortal and Burzum was the centerpieces in the journey that would become the foundation of Hagals, Askeblosses and Roks musical expressionism.
But putting together a band can be hard. The vision was there, but finding members that could work, perform together and share that very vision was hard, which the band was to be painfully aware of after a few years of changing members back and forth.
They where lucky to cross path with Thurisaz though, the giant. An exceptionally skilled drummer that where to become a centerpiece of Myrkvedr for as long as we still know.
Another of the more important members to be acquired was Runar, that joined the band in 2011 as the bands main folk-performer. Wielding flutes, bagpipes, bones & harps, Runar completed the sound composition that was to become Myrkvedr’s signature.
In 2013 the band recorded their first full-lenght album “Sons Of Muspell” which featured some of the iconic songs still associated with Myrkvedr. Like Odens Prophecy, Cerdic and Urdarbrunnr. But due to bad choices and unfocused guidance, the album never became what it was supposed to and for that reason never really left ground.
In 2014 & early 2015 Myrkvedr carried out some of their best shows. For a time, they held a regional reputation for their gritty and bloody live performances where standing to close to the scene could mean your clothes got sprinkled with blood and dirt. During the first part of 2015, negotiations between Myrkvedrs manager and a German booking agency prepared what would be the bands first tour on the international board. And to capture the essence that had helped create Myrkvedr’s widespread buzz, a profesionally produced live movie was planned for production.
Sadly this never came to be, as internal struggles between the members had created rifts that would be brutally unforgiving. In 2015, Myrkvedr recorded their fairly unknown “Tvenne Korpar” EP at Bohus studio.
This would be the last stand for Myrkvedrs original Line-up.
In July 2015, Myrkvedr were no more, their first era had come to an end.
The members parted ways. Two years later, in 2017, Myrkvedr original member Rok lost his life and moved on to his ancestors in Valhall. Myrkvedr were recognised by members and fans alike as dead definitely.
But during the pandemic 2020, Hagal and Askebloss began putting together melodies and lyrics when roaming the wilderness of Västerbotten where they own land. Inspired by the bleak beauty of the northern reaches with its massive mountains, endless forests and silent tundras, they put together what was to be the first song of what we now know as the album “Gengångare.” But it was not until they had their first song almost done that they understood that the music they had created was Myrkvedr. Unintentionally. Myrkvedrs second era had begun, with the release of their new album “Gengångare” in July 2021, Myrkvedr were once again alive.
“Gengångare” is a Swedish word. It kind of means “Wraith,” it is a being created from a severely unjust death where the unjust deed itself holds the vengeful spirit in this world. Forcing it to stay in this world until the deed has been corrected, spreading malice and spite til it’s done.
Read our review here.
