I first came across this track from Norwegian band Motorspycho a few years back on a randomly acquired CD, which promptly went missing deep within an ever growing collection. For years, I had a fond recollection of its bluesy, rocky feel and slippery bass groove. But it wasn’t until recently that I rediscovered it. Pleased that I did. It’s one killer track.

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I saw Norwegian duo Kings of Convenience play the other week in New York. As a long time fan of the group, this was a much anticipated show. And while I was a little disappointed that they opened the set playing their entire new album — Declaration of Dependence — from beginning to end (which no one had been able to hear yet), and not any of their earlier material, there were some truly beautiful songs amongst it all that have quickly become oft-repeated favorites. At the top of that list is this typically wistful and melancholic track, 24-25.

I may not have a drop of Viking blood in me, but when I hear bands like Wardruna, I feel like lighting a fire and breaking out the cask of mead. A side project of occasional Gorgoroth drummer Kvitrafn and featuring Gorgoroth frontman Gaahl on vocals, the band attempts to capture the lost sounds of pre-Christian Norway, generating an ambient, folk-based sound that invokes pagan spirits and Nordic gods. Many black metal bands have put out acoustic albums, but the absence of guitars and the use of goat horns and other such traditional instruments sets this apart from other pagan folk projects.

Pre-eminent Norwegian Viking metal band Enslaved has evolved over the years from a straight-forward black metal band into a moody, post-rock outfit without completely abandoning their roots. Their last few albums have seen a shift towards English lyrics, sweeping and majestic instrumentals, and diverse influences — everything from Pink Floyd and ’70s prog and psych rock to ’80s goth and shoegaze pop. Their most recent effort, Vertebrae, is their most contemplative and mellow to date, utilizing electronic elements, mid-tempo rhythms, enchanting harmonized vocals, and spaced out guitar parts than ever before. This is not to say that they have lost their edge — frontman Grutle Kjellson’s gravelly screech is as distinctive and harsh as ever, providing a textural contrast from the warm glow of the music. There are still some more orthodox metal moments on the record, such as on “New Age,” but they quickly veer back into the band’s newer sound.

Listen to the Enslaved song, The Dead Stare.

I’ve heard whispers that Kings Of Convenience, the Norwegian duo of folkloric proportions, have split. I hope they’re unfounded, but like all good rumours, where there’s smoke, there’s fire. Perhaps Erland Oye is enjoying the unlimited scope of his solo career too much? And then there’s his new submorphic guitar pop project, The Whitest Boy Alive, to keep him occupied. The whitest boy alive? Indeed he is. But damn the guy can sing.

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