The time has come to offer a glimpse of “Moþir”, Forndom’s upcoming album, set for release on December 6, 2024. The first single, “Tunridor”, is accompanied by a spectacular music video, courtesy of Ludvig Swärd.

Listen & watch: https://silentfuture.ffm.to/tunridor

“Moþir” is as intricate as the deities it portrays, interweaving themes of fertility and loyalty, love and betrayal, light and shadow. “Tunridor”, an old word for witches, symbolises feminine darkness.

 The song draws inspiration from two stanzas of the Hávamál:

Stanza 155: The tenth I know: if I see witches play, high in the air I can cause them to go astray, lose their form, and lose their soul.

Stanza 118: A man I saw, sorely wounded by words of an evil woman; a lying tongue took his life, though for no just cause.

Ludvig Swärd commented:

The tenth rune, according to the Uthark system (which I believe is the correct interpretation), is Ís – the rune of death. This rune is chanted by Janne Posti (Häxkapell, Sons of Crom) eight times in the song, representing the eighth rune, Hagall (hail), which is also associated with curses.

While the song had an intensely personal and emotional connection during its creation – where I sought to embody the essence of deceitful human behaviour – it evolved over time, taking on a more profound magical significance. This led to events beyond my understanding: volcanic eruptions, displacement, and death. A chain of events that felt almost too perfect to be real!

At its core, the song revolves around the invocation of Odin, as described in stanza 155, and the strength and protection he provides – a feeling beautifully conveyed through the stirring string arrangements of Thomas von Wachenfeldt (Bard of Skaði).

The song’s ending also includes a small homage to Dissection and “Where Dead Angels Lie” – a nod I hope those familiar with the style will recognise.

Moþir

In the music of Forndom, the past breathes with a vitality that transcends time. “Moþir” is as complex as the deities it portrays, weaving together themes of fertility and loyalty, love and betrayal, light and shadow. It is an exploration of divine ambiguity, where the nurturing embrace of a mother can just as easily turn into the cold hand of inevitability.

Here, Ludvig Swärd strips away the modern trappings of synthesisers, embracing a purely acoustic sound. The music feels as though it has been carved from the very earth, born from instruments fashioned by hand and played with reverence for the ancient.

Recorded and mixed by Swärd himself, “Moþir” features the talents of Thomas von Wachenfeldt (Bards of Skaði), whose violin conjures both light and darkness; Janne Posti (Häxkapell, Sons of Crom), whose choral tones add a numinous depth; and Draugurinn, whose haunting presence lingers like a spirit from a forgotten age.

Forndom’s latest offering is a meditation on the eternal cycle of life, death, and rebirth, seen through the lens of ancient Scandinavian spirituality. Ludvig Swärd continues to stand at the crossroads of the past and present, offering a glimpse into the heart of ancient wisdom through the eyes of a modern seeker.

Swärd commented:

Like my previous albums, this one follows the cycle of life, beginning in darkness and chaos and ending in a grand crescendo, followed by silence. I hope that listeners will absorb not only the notes but also the silence before, between, and after them. For it is in that silence, after all, where we find the true mother – the unknown that awaits us all.

Tracklist: (with translations)

1 - Tunridor ('Tun Riders')
2 - Urd
3 - Moderstårar ('Mother's Tears')
4 - Disar ('The Dísir')
5 - Jord ('Earth')
6 - Rán
7 - Den kärlek som vi gav ('The Love That We Gave')

Release date: December 6, 2024

Format: CD, LP, Digital

Purchase link: https://silentfuture.ffm.to/forndom-mothir

Scheduled single titles and release dates:
2024-10-18 Single #1: "Tunridor”
2024-01-12 Single #2: “Disar"