Völur

History

With a name derived from "völva," a seeress in Norse folklore, Völur are not the kind of band to fulfil faux-pagan longings, neither thematically nor musically. Although they hail from Canada, the group is fascinated by European history. They delve deep into the wide array of Germanic myth, drawing freely from a keen interest in the everyday life of their pre-Christian ancestors, their relation to culture at large and its spirituality. How those people actually lived and practised their beliefs is scarcely known, the less so since they were bound rather locally and had a very subjective worldview differing from one place to another. Hence for the band members, the Pagan European past becomes a blank canvas upon which they put their own vibrant imagination into music.

The trio is comprised of Blood Ceremony bassist Lucas Gadke, drummer James Payment of post-rock stalwarts Do Make Say Think, and experimental violinist Laura C. Bates - a mixed ménage for sure, and this is mirrored in their music. Filtering many influences, which range from Fairport Convention's pastoral prog to the droning doom sound of Earth, through multiple folk traditions (Swedish fiddle music and Alpine singing, for instance) and a fondness for the darker side of metal, Völur are both airy and heavy in their own way.

The debut release was the demo called 'Disir', which is almost a hour long. It was released on cassette limited to 100 pieces, and digitally, in April 2014.

The next release was a single 'Breaker of Oaths', which came out on 10" picture vinyl, limited to 50 pieces.

The band's debut full-length album 'Disir', which is a reissue of the debut demo minus one song, will be out in June 2016 via Prophecy Records, on CD and vinyl. The album is dedicated to ancestral female spirits.

(source: Prophecy Records, April 2016)