Myrkur's Amalie Bruun makes black metal that is at once savage and sylvan, capable of harrowing violence one moment and beauty the next. Last year's self-titled EP was full of unharnessed promise, but with members of Mayhem and producer Kristoffer "Garm" Rygg (whose mid-'90s work with Ulver no doubt informs Myrkur), the forthcoming M gives body to the Nordic folk song, choral arrangements and shoegaze that haunt Bruun's music. Here's the album opener "Skøgen Skulle Dø," with a regal folk melody blown out by violin and dual tremolo-picked guitars.
M comes out Aug. 21 on Relapse.
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