Today Árstíðir lífsins returns with their much anticipated sixth album titled ‘Aldrlok’. Similar to previous albums, ‘Aldrlok’ features nine songs with a total playing time of 82 minutes, and contains both modern and classic Black Metal elements, as well as ambient folklore patterns supported by dark chants and classical instruments. The pre-sale has started at Ván Records: https://van-records.com/New-products

‘Aldrlok’ is sung entirely in Old Norse-Icelandic and contains lyrics with heavy use of Skaldic and Eddic poetry. The story is based on both societal and mythological topics, and plays out in some of the most turbulent times of change in Iceland: in the first half of the eleventh century, some forty years after the Christianisation in 999/1000. The album depicts a fictional story set in a period of Icelandic history of which generally little is known. Nevertheless, it was a turbulent time where older customs became obsolete and gave way to new traditions and, not least, new forms of belief. It is these particular circumstances which the title of the album alludes to, since ‘Aldrlok’ can be translated to ‘End of an Age’, or simply ‘Death’.

‘Aldrlok’ was composed and recorded in Norway, Sweden and Germany in 2022 and mixed and mastered in September 2022 by Markus Stock at Studio E, Mellrichstadt, Germany. The layout was done by Christopher Duis (eingemachtes.net).

Tracklist

1. Hvítir hjǫrvar Heimdalls aldraðra fjallgylða 11:01
2. Stormr, hvítundit grand grundar gjálfrs 10:21
3. Er faðir kulda ok myrkrs hopar fyrir endalausum vegi Ránar 13:07
4. Eftir bjartlogar hróts hreggs kveikja ógnarstríðan úlf storðar í grasinu 07:23
5. Nú er lengstu miskunndir dalreyðar ná hátindi 05:13
6. Nauð greyprs élreka 06:55
7. Ek sneri aftr til golfhǫlkvis fleygra sárelda heiftar 05:45
8. Fyrsta fǫnnin fellr úr hátunnu regns 09:09
9. Ofsaveðrsgnýr ber auma bústaði 14:04