The outfit Nordein is a solo-project by some Jørn Øyhus aka Nord, whom you might know as well from e.g. Nordjevel, Byrdi, Tvangeste, Varde, Liktjern or Fatal Impact (amongst others?). This Norway-born musician started this specific act in order to canalize his more Folk-based ideas, and after three full-length recordings, he now returns with the three-track EP Reisa.
Reisa sticks to the naked essence of Ceremonial Folk Music, closely related to Mother Nature in both concept and execution. The three tracks are comparable in a cohesive sense, yet they do differ as well, at the very same time, when focusing on the sonic performance. Spring (05:40), Kampen Är Evig (03:45) and Reisa (03:02) all show a connective yet individually different approach.
The first piece on this EP is Spring, an initially instrumental song that opens with some bird-like sounds and sweet acoustic strings (Irish bouzouki?). After about one minute, shamanistic drums join, as well as additional strings and flutes. The whole evolves into a somewhat energetic, yet somehow catchy Folk piece with a strenuous power. This is Folk Metal without being ‘Metal’, yet with a comparable orbit. Towards the end, epic choirs, majestic flutes, solid drums and sturdy strings mingle into a cinematic yet quite dynamic epic, slowly evolving towards Nordic Folk oriented solemnity, climbing up to some theatrical ‘grande finale’.
Next comes Kampen Är Avig, which is a reinterpretation of a track of Mathias Gyllenghal (Utmarken). The atmosphere is quite epic, caused by the fine (male / harmony) vocals, rhythmic drum patterns, and bathorian compositions (the Twilight Of The Gods era), being mingled with a certain Wardruna injection, and with quite some other nice details (percussion-, voice- and string-wise) that uplift the tradition of timeless (Nordic) Folk. Despite it’s quite short duration, there is a lot to experience throughout this heroic poem, caused by both the abundant instrumental and the varying vocal execution.
The EP ends with the short title track, which starts in the best vein of the Nordic tradition: dramatic-shamanistic drum patterns, deep voices, haunting sound-waves and epic choir-chants. It’s the Viking-like mood that overwhelms the whole thing, especially driven by the multiple mesmerizing percussion-lines, as well as the melodious sonic sculpting and vocal additions at the background.
The artwork is quite ‘simplistic’, but that’s not an inferior statement this time. On the contrary; the relationship with Mother Nature and the spirits of the Earth get connected more intensively through this cover picture, which acts as a fine link to both concept and content behind this three-track release.
https://nordein.bandcamp.com/album/reisa