LUMSK – Fremmede Toner

I will be the first to admit that I have never been a huge fan or admirer of Norwegian folk metal outfit Lumsk. Full disclosure here, people. Then something strange and magical happened the other day when I received the promo copy of their upcoming full-length entitled Fremmede Toner, which our ever-reliable friends in Dark Essence Records will release in early May.

Imbued with a heart rendering feel and somber mood, this evocative and oftentimes hauntingly beautiful world of sound is directly inspired by the poems of Norwegian author André Bjerk, or rather his translations of poems by other famous (International) poets and writers. What makes this even more enticing and interesting is the fact that certain poems are reflected and mirrored in song more than once on the disc; essentially the same poem in two different languages set to different melodies and arrangements and so on. My explanation is absolutely dreadful, and I apologize for that, but you get the idea of variations and different interpretations of something that is fundamentally the same. Folk rock and folk metal still seem like apt descriptions with respect to the sound and style of Lumsk’s musical explorations, but this particular LP is infinitely more heartfelt, moving, and otherworldly than any of their previous releases. There is an eloquent timbre to Mari Klingen’s voice, and the guitars have a whiff of psychedelic rock about them, which adds some unexpected touches to the compositions. In addition, the production feels quite earthy and rustic somehow.

Everything about Fremmede Toner is tasteful, and the layers and thematic atmospheres of the music are captivating. A few more soaring guitars and big orchestral moments would have made it an even more dynamic offering but rest assured that the ensemble have brought their A game here and crafted something that feels very different and rewarding. A cool surprise for sure.