Wardruna performs at the Warner Theatre on Oct. 14, 2022. (Photo by Katherine Gaines)

Dark folk band Wardruna traveled from Norway to tour the United States, including a show at the Warner Theatre, to share their new album Kvitravn.

Katherine Gaines was at Warner Theatre on Oct. 14 to capture the glory of Wardruna in performance.

In the first half of the set, Wardruna performed a new song, “Lyfjaberg,” a single that does not yet appear on any album.

Wardruna’s Einar Selvik explained that the word refers to healing — and in this case Wardruna invoked healing as a necessity after the global COVID-19 pandemic.

According to Wardruna, the Old Norse word “Lyfjaberg” means Healing-hill or Healing-mountain and is known from Norse mythology and the Eddic poem Fjölsvinnsmál as a place of comfort and cure for the “sick and sore” who manage to climb the mountain and bear offerings at the shrines there — a gift demands a gift in return.

Einar said, “The song expresses that climbing a tough mountain, both in reality and metaphorically, is a mental as well as a physical effort. I have tried to write this journey up the mountain as one for the mind and spirit as much as the feet and body. Anything of true value comes at a true cost.”

Watch the official music video for “Lyfjaberg” by Wardruna on YouTube:

The band performed songs from all five of their albums, including new record Kvitravn, released by Columbia Records in 2021.

Of Kvitravn, Einar said:

“The album musically continues where the Runaljod trilogy left off, yet it marks a distinct evolution in our sound. The album features a broad selection of both traditional and historical instruments such as Kravik-lyre, Trossingen-lyre, Taglharpa, Sotharpa, Langeleik, Crwth, Goat-horn, Lur, Bronze-lur, flute, Moraharpa, and the record also features guest appearances by a small group of prominent traditional singers, spearheaded by Kirsten Bråten Berg, one of the most important custodians of Norwegian traditional song. Throughout eleven songs, Kvitravn discusses Northern sorcery, spirit-animals, shadows, nature and animism, the wisdom and meanings of certain myths, various Norse spiritual concepts, and the relation between sage and songs.”

Here are some photos of Wardruna performing at the Warner Theatre on Oct. 14, 2022. All pictures copyright and courtesy of Katherine Gaines.