Birna is the sixth studio album from Norwegian trad/folk combo Wardruna, formed in 2003 by Einar Selvik and Gaahl, of Gorgoroth fame with Lindy-Fay Hella. Gaahl would eventually leave the band after their second album Runaljod – Yggdrasil was released in 2013. Since then the band have expanded beyond the original three-piece and is currently a four-piece with Eilif Gunderson on Neverlur, Bronselur and Bukkehorn, and John Stenersen on Moraharpe. They also have four backing vocalists. The band plays music that is based on Norse culture and esoteric traditions and they use traditional Nordic instruments.

Birna was written and recorded between 2020 and 2024- it features a song cycle regarding the she-bear (Birna), and the way her annual rhythm mirrors that of Mother Earth. 

The album opens with "Hertan", and after an inaugural repetitive beat that mimics the sound of a heartbeat, the song quickly starts to build, adding drones, flutes and chanted vocals to a primal drumbeat subsequently creating something that feels authentic and traditional despite being original material.  The title track, "Birna" is up next, and after a slow start we are greeted by Lindy’s first ethereal lead vocal, by the time the song kicks up a gear you get the sensation that a battle is about to start. My knowledge of the traditional Norse instruments is minimal, however, there is a clanking sound that evokes images of armour-clad warriors doing battle with one another. Track three is "Ljos til Jord" begins with a chanted choral piece featuring Koret Artemis before heading into slightly more upbeat territory when Selvik’s vocals kick in. "Dvaledraumar" begins with what sounds like a lone horn before slowly building with some fairly creepy, ambient drones and atmospheric noises. By the time Selvik’s vocals enter the fray, we have the sound of a slow booming war drum, giving this an epic feel. In fact, the whole album feels completely epic.  This particular track is also more than 15 minutes long, which just adds to the epic nature of things, it feels like a centre piece track that everything else fits around. "Jord til Ljos" follows in a similar fashion, after a slow start with the sound of running water and bare instrumentation it slowly starts to build into a fairly epic track (you’re going to get sick of hearing the word epic, but it’s the best way to describe Wardruna’s music).  "Himinndotter" features even more choral voices massed behind Einar Selvik’s lead vocals, giving this an even more epic feel than much of the other material. It’s a primal chant that evokes images of Viking warriors landing on English soil to raid the monastery of Lindisfarne in 793AD. "Hibjørnen" features another Einar Solvik lead vocal line with very sparse backing music, a plucked instrument that sounds like it may be lyre or a harp of some sort. "Skuggehesten" is a more uptempo track that almost feels celebratory in nature, while "Tretale" is initially a much more subtle affair with lots of atmosphere and found sounds, before breaking out into another epic anthemic slab of Nordic goodness. Finally, "Lyfjaberg" brings the proceedings to a close with an epic slab of atmospheric tribal folk. 

Birna is an exceptional record. An epic slab of Nordic traditional music written and recorded in the modern age. Einar Solveik and Lindy-Faye Hella’s 11 compositions sound utterly timeless, they could have been written at any time between the Viking age and now. The use of traditional Nordic instruments just adds to the authenticity that drips from every note and drumbeat. Having been a fan of the band from their inception, I firmly believe that they continue to create outstanding Nordic music that sits comfortably alongside either Heilung or the heavier Enslaved. Another thing that I love about this album, is that they have included both the traditional Norse lyrics and the English translation in the booklet, which allows us a greater insight into the story of the she-bear.

Overall, this is a cracking release of an excellent album that deserves to be listened to by fans of Nordic folk and traditional music and metal fans with a penchant for dark traditional sounds. Remarkable stuff that will probably feature very highly on my end-of-year list.