How Wardruna is Preserving Norse Culture in the Face of a Growing Far Right
Originally written in 2018
For many people, heavy metal is a strange and scary genre — a genre that is full of heavy, fast guitars and pounding drums, along with often extreme vocals. Heavy metal can be off putting to a great many people. The off putting screamed vocals, the lyrical content, and image of the bands, as well as the aforementioned instrumental stylings. All things that a decent amount of people don’t enjoy. A hefty amount of the most popular heavy metal bands originate from Europe, particularly Scandinavian countries such as Norway, Sweden and Finland. Among these bands, topics often sung about include nature, animals and land of their particular country, traditional stories that address ancient norse culture or gods, and how the musicians feel about a particular religion (usually negatively) — and for better or worse, nationalism. There is an interesting amount of self proclaimed national socialist black metal bands from these countries and regardless of opinion, they contribute to the overall musical landscape of heavy metal in Scandinavia.
Black metal started as a genre that consisted of a small group of bands that just wanted to play faster, louder, and more raw than the thrash metal bands of the time like Slayer and Metallica. Bands like Venom, Bathory, Hellhammer/Celtic Frost, and Mercyful Fate make up the first wave of black metal. But the genre really got its start as it is known today in the 1990s. In the early 90s bands like Darkthrone, Mayhem, Immortal, Burzum, Emperor and many others made a name for themselves in Norway. These bands made up the second wave of black metal and made national headlines for the infamous murders, church burnings and other acts committed by some bands members. The music itself is fairly straightforward metal style music with the inclusion of distorted electric guitars, electric bass guitar, drums, and harsh screamed vocals. The big thing that set black metal apart from other metal genres in the 90s was it’s raw, sometimes “bad” production. The musicians wanted to make something that was more extreme than death metal and something that didn’t sound like it was selling out and going mainstream like all of their favorite bands at the time. While there were some shady figures in black metal, they usually weren’t anything beyond young kids that were angry at “the man”. Some bands take it to a further extreme and start to bring their own political and nationialistic ideologies into the genre.
There are many bands in the metal subgenre of black metal that have views that many people might consider “sketchy”, or unpleasant, usually these bands are classified under the sub-genre name “national socialist black metal” or NSBM for short. Some of these bands include groups such as Satanic Warmaster, Goatmoon, M8l8th, Peste Noir (KPN), and Absurd. Probably the most notable and well known NSBM band (although he would argue that he exists in a different genre) is Varg Vikernes black metal/ambient solo project Burzum. While not known as a national socialist, Varg is nonetheless very well known for his views on Abrahamic religions, particularly Judaism. As well as his nationalism and pride in what he calls “white European heritage”. Many of these NSBM bands use and appropriate iconography from many cultures, but most prominently is the use of traditional Norse symbols, runes and icons by these extreme enationalist bands and groups. In recent years, there has been push back against these national socialist bands that use the traditional iconography as a vessel to exert what they consider their “superior European heritage” — excluding groups, cultures, and ideologies that do not align with their values. There are now bands and groups that are working to take back those traditions, runes, symbols, icons and stories that have effectively been stolen by extreme nationalism. Enter: Wardruna, and Einar Selvik.
Einar Selvik, also known by his stage name Kvitrafn, is a Norwegian multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and Norwegian traditionalist. He is known primarily for being the drummer for the highly popular black metal band, Gorgoroth, from 2000–2004. ( He is also well known for being one of the founding members and primary songwriter of the musical entity known as Wardruna. Einar Selvik, Lindy Fay Hella, and the infamous black metal musician and vocalist Gaahl (best known for his time in Gorgoroth) founded the Norwegian traditional folk project Wardruna in 2003. The group formed with the goal of creating traditional and accurate musical renditions of ancient Norse cultural and religious traditions, a concept that very few groups have tried. The only other large group to do something similar being the German group Heilung — active since 2014 . One of the many unique features of Wardruna that separates them from their folk peers is the use of exclusively traditional instruments. Many of the instruments that the band uses were hand crafted for the group based on the designs of ancient instruments found in archaeological digs in Scandinavia. Some of the instruments that Wardruna use in their songs include primitive deer-hide frame drums, wooden flutes, the kraviklyra (a sort of old-Norse lyre), the tagelharpe (a two or three stringed lyre that is bowed), mouth harps, goat horns, and lurs (a lur is a long blow horn that is played without any finger holes). They also make frequent use of field recordings taken from Norwegian natural soundscapes. All of these traditional instruments and recordings help to make the content of their songs feel more authentic.
Wardruna has released four albums as of 2018. (Wardruna.com, n.d.) The content discussed in the band’s albums is largely the same across the four releases. Einar and Lindsay sing in a mix of Norwegian, and ancient Norse dialects to convey traditional renditions of Norse myths and stories. The first three albums by the group are all titled Runalijod (each of the three has a different secondary title) and are based on Norse mythology. The fourth and most recent album release is titled Skald is based entirely on the Odin sayings in the Völuspá — the most well known and first piece of the Icelandic Poetic Edda. The Völuspá is made up of about 65 stanzas that discuss the creation of the world, the gods, monsters, and men, all the way up until the end of the world — known as Ragnarök. (Britannica, n.d.) ( Everything that Wardruna and Selvik sing about and discuss in the group’s music are all very important to him and are supported by his belief in modern paganism and animism. Animism is the belief that all beings — animals, plants, and people — all have value, and spiritual essence. This concept believes all life is important and linked together. (Park, 2019) Their music is not the only way that Selvik and Wardruna are helping to preserve and spread traditional Norse culture and beliefs. Wardruna has also helped in educating millions of television viewers about Norse culture through the History Channel and their hit TV show — Vikings.
In 2013, before the debut of the show Vikings on the History Channel, Einar Selvik was contacted by the History Channel, “… they were looking for music that imparted a sense of Nordic spirituality. They licensed seven songs for that season, after which I was contacted again to team up with Trevor Morris, the chief composer of the show,” Selvik stated in an interview (Joy 2018). While not always featured prominently, Wardruna’s music, or more specifically Selvik’s music is seeded throughout the show. Wardruna music, as well as songs from other of Selvik’s projects have appeared throughout every season of the show since season two. Selvik is also involved as a contributor to some of the overall look and feel of the show. He has even appeared as an actor. Preserving tradition, as well as sharing it is important to Wardruna. Selvik does not want the culture to be forgotten, as shown through the emphasis of sharing the culture through his music. Sharing the culture, and educating people is almost as important as the preservation of the traditions themselves. Even still, there are some groups misusing the traditions Wardruna is striving to keep alive.
Selvik said in an interview that Wardruna roughly translates to “the guardian of secrets” or “she who whispers”. (Wardruna.com n.d.) But another way of looking at the name is to look at the words that make up the word “Wardruna”. Breaking up the name gives you two words, “varða” — meaning “to guard,’’ as well as “run” — meaning “rune”. As previously stated Wardruna is all about promoting and preserving Nordic history and tradition. Sharing, and educating are a large part of what makes Wardruna the band that they are. Another interesting aspect of Wardruna is how they are one of the few well known bands that can be considered part of the neofolk genre that aren’t wholy claimed by extreme right wing nationalist groups. Neofolk is a genre of music that describes bands who mix traditional folk stylings with other genres of music, typically industrial and other similarly experimental genres. Neofolk is a genre that is very often associated with the far right, and the strongly conservative views of those musicians creating music in the genre. Wardruna is not one of these. Wardruna is a very left wing, liberal group. Unusual for a music group in their given genre as well as their musical content. Neofolk isn’t the only genre that is heavily claimed by far right extremists. As stated in the opening paragraphs of this writing, there are plenty of far right black metal bands that make up the sub-genre “National Socialist Black Metal”, NSBM for short. Wardruna is unique in their stance, and specifically Einar Selvik’s stance on Norse paganism in is belief that it is for all.
“…I use relevant sounds, relevant instruments, relevant words, relevant language and poetry, and record in relevant environments, placements, and even on specific dates or periods of the year…” — Einar Selvik (Lysen, 2016). Wardruna is more than a musical group. They practice, and protect ancient traditions that are nearly as old, and in some cases older than organized religion. Einar Selvik and Wadruna are keepers of traditions, and educators of the old ways. But what really makes them stand out, is that they are welcoming and open to all. Instead of fiercely guarding and gatekeeping traditions, in the manner that some groups and musicians do. Wardruna invites any and all, no matter the background. Coming from a traditional black metal background, but breaking out and starting what would become one of the largest Nordic folk bands in the world. Einar Selvik has time and again proved to be one of the best and most informative teachers of Norse tradition and music. His use of traditional instruments, sounds, languages and symbols in Wardruna’s music and his other musical projects (Including the collaboration with Norwegian musician Ivar Bjornson) helps spread all that Wardruna strives to protect. Not to mention Selvik’s assistance and appearance in History Channel’s Vikings. Over the last 16 years, since the group’s inception, Wardruna has grown into an important musical group and practitioner of ancient traditions. Because of all that the band has done for Norse music and ancient traditions, as well as being one of the few groups taking any stance against the extreme nationalism that is rampant in black metal and other similar genres. The band’s popularity and success will likely only continue to grow over the years to come. For now we can only wait, and hope that whatever Einar Selvik and co. may have in store for the world will be as educational, and interesting as the rest of the groups releases.
Works Cited.
ANSUZ. (2019, April 4) Wardruna is Taking Back Nordic Pagan Culture and Music from the
Far-Right [Blog Post].
Love, B. (n.d.)Wardruna Revives Ancient Nordic Folk Traditions
https://greenglobaltravel.com/wardruna-einar-selvik-interview/
Handleman, B. (2016, October 18) Wardruna is Sowing New Seeds and Strengthening Old
Roots
https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/qbvjqw/wardruna-is-sowing-new-seeds-and-strengthe ning-old-roots
Wardruna (2009, January 21) Encyclopaedia Metallum: The Metal Archives
https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Wardruna/3540272417
News Team, Lysen, L. (2016, December 9) Runeology — Einar Selvik of Wardruna Interviewed
https://www.ghostcultmag.com/interview-runeology-einar-selvik-wardruna-runaljod-ragn arok-by-norse/
N/a. (n.d.) Völuspá https://www.britannica.com/topic/Voluspa
Park, G. K. (2019). Animism https://www.britannica.com/topic/animism
Trendell, A. (2018, November 18) Wardruna call on ‘the wisdom of the past’ to soundtrack hit
TV show ‘Vikings’
Joy, J. (2018, December 14) Einar Selvik from Wardruna talks about working for Vikings
and new album Skald
https://www.indulgexpress.com/culture/music/2018/dec/14/einar-selvik-from-war
Druna-talks-about-working-for-vikings-and-new-album-skald-11576.html
N/a. (n.d.) Interview: Wardruna — Secrets of the Runes
