Wurdiz

Dutch Nordic dark folk band Sowulo harks back to the times of gods where the stories and beliefs of our proto-Germanic ancestors were asking questions of the future, a period where destiny was called wurdiz. The musical instruments of the past accompany those of the present to create expansive soundscapes mapping out how history informs the now. It’s a Nordic pagan narrative of a contrary kind, moving between fate and free will. The sources of the past come from instruments that include the carnyx, lyre, nyckelharpa, Irish bouzouki, Celtic harp and blow horns; with throat-singing, spoken incantations and vocals to tell the stories on an emotional level, accompanied by heavy turgid percussion and strings.

The 12 songs take you on a journey of unfolding life events, decisions and directions to a place within us, hopefully to a threshold of becoming the rulers and creators of our own destiny. Concepts are explored but it lacks depth and contrast, often feeling like it’s a search for the answer rather than discovering destiny.