Folk outfit Skáld sign with Napalm Records

Ancient spirits come alive as SKÁLD extend an invitation into times long gone but not forgotten. Ørlǫg, coming September 25, is the French band’s first album via Austrian label juggernaut Napalm Records, and it is our destiny. As the Norns weave our future, this album is a fascinating passageway into our pristine origins and the consequences of our choices. Inspired by Skaldic poetry, SKÁLD use instruments fitting of the time: Ørlǫg is shaped by Nordic fiddles, different forms of harps and lyres, horns, kannels, and whistles, among others, as well as three lead vocalists to bring the arrangements to life. 10 new songs as stepping stones, Ørlǫg is an offering to listen, to dwell, to reflect—and to find something within yourself previously unknown. SKÁLD don’t just play music, they awaken ancient ways.

SKÁLD about the signing:

“Signing with Napalm Records is a really exciting step, the band has never been so united and this strong partnership with the label makes us even stronger. It was undoubtedly meant to be, and Ørlǫg is the perfect album to make it happen. We can’t wait to see where this shared vision takes us.”

Napalm Records Senior A&R Sebastian Münch about the signing:

“SKÁLD have a remarkable way of bringing Nordic folklore and mythology to life through their music. Their new album, Ørlǫg, is a fantastic release that both longtime fans and those discovering the band for the first time are sure to enjoy. I’m thrilled to be working with SKÁLD and can’t wait to see what we can achieve together with Napalm Records.”

Along with the album announcement comes the first single: “Draumakona” opens up the atmospheric journey into Ørlǫg with an expressive look at the female side of shamanic prophecy. Lyrically focusing on dreamscapes, the French band constructs their Nordic folk melodies to be particularly catchy to pull listeners right into their world, shifting powerfully between female lead singing and multilayered vocal arrangements to create an antiphony between individuum and community.

SKÁLD about “Draumakona”:

“‘Draumakona’ explores the unique role women play in divination and shamanic vision; the Norns, who weave the destinies of gods and mortals, support this perspective. Everyone wants to know what their future holds and may wait for it to be revealed to them, but to truly know, one must confront oneself, travel far and wide, not fear the different worlds, and listen to one’s dreams.”

A staple band in the genre, SKÁLD deliver a striking work of art with their latest album, deferentially using their sources to keep old spirits alive and form the enchanting world of Ørlǫg. The language might sound unfamiliar, but the music still touches the soul.

SKÁLD about Ørlǫg:

“Ørlǫg is the cosmic web that influences the world and every person. Part of our Ørlǫg is determined by our birth, our past actions, and our upbringing, but Ørlǫg is not set in stone; our daily choices are constantly shaping it. What we do now and what we have done in the past determines what will happen to us in the future; we cannot escape the consequences of our actions. This album makes us question our choices—both individual and collective—and the patterns we accept or reject. The Norns weave our destiny, but we can take control of certain things: travel, ride worlds, and grow. Each song on this album describes a situation, a place, a choice to be made. Let’s take hold of our Ørlǫg.”

The atmospheric journey to claim direction starts within the dreamscapes of “Draumakona,” an expressive look at the female side of shamanic prophecy. The French band constructs their Nordic folk melodies to be particularly catchy, shifting powerfully between female lead singing and multilayered vocal arrangements to create an antiphony between individuum and community. Inspired by Skaldic poetry, SKÁLD use instruments fitting of the time: Ørlǫg is shaped by Nordic fiddles, different forms of harps and lyres, horns, kannels, and whistles, among others, as well as three lead vocalists to bring the arrangements to life. “Myrkviðr” picks up on the opening track’s persuasive energy, with male vocals taking the lead this time. Further spreading their message is “Ratatoskr,” intonated by clattering sounds and throat singing, channeled into hauntingly repetitive chants of the eponymous squirrel’s name. For “Dǫkksalir,” SKÁLD unwind their melodies to form a gentle song, sweet-talking almost like a lullaby—and therefore fitting the concept of the charming yet also frightening sirens lurking in the dark. “Útgarðr” contrasts the different voices compellingly by the passages being sung simultaneously with alternating focus and a goosebump-inducing climax—instantly opposed by “Ek skald rida” which makes use of similar techniques, but is the most tranquil track on the album. “Himinbjǫrg” reaches far out to the edge of Asgard, where Heimdall guards the rainbow bridge, Bifröst. SKÁLD lend him an assertive voice, so the song serves as an emphatic yet reassuring guide through our sometimes-clouded destiny. “Heiemo og Nykkjen,” a rendition of a traditional medieval folk ballad from what is now Norway, takes a more provident approach to both instrumentation and vocal delivery, while “Veit barnit” calls upon the knowledge of children and uses a child’s voice alongside their usual harmonies to reflect that. The grim finale, “Eldr ok iss,” Old Norse for “fire and ice,” again calls on contrasts as well as referencing part of the creation myth in which the primordial being Ymir emerged from Muspelheim—the realm of fire—colliding with icy Nilfheim in the beginning of times. SKÁLD build an appropriate arc of suspense with a formidably sinister atmosphere.

SKÁLD LIVE 2026:
EUROPE:
05/15 — Ponta do Sol, PT —  Aqui Acolá
05/17 — Toulouse, FR —  Échos & Merveilles Festival
06/18 — Clisson, FR —  Hellfest Open Air
06/20 —   Poznań, PL —  Pyrkon Fantasy Festival
07/17 —  Dresden, DE —  Weisser Hirsch Open Air (w/ FAUN)
07/18 — Regensburg, DE —  Piazza Festival (w/ FAUN)
07/19 — Bolków, PL —  Castle Party
07/21 — Nyon, CH —  Paléo Festival
07/30 — Lisse, NL —  Castlefest
08/15 — Borre, NO —  Midgardsblot
08/30 — Graz, AT —  Kasematten (w/ FAUN)

NORTH AMERICA:
06/26 — Denver, CO — Marquis
06/27 — Farmington, NM — Locke Street
06/28 — Phoenix, AZ — Crescent Ballroom
06/29 — Los Angeles, CA — Lodge Room
06/30 — San Diego, CA — Brick By Brick
07/01 — San Jose, CA — The Ritz
07/02 — Portland, OR — Hawthorne Theatre
07/03 — Seattle, WA — El Corazon
07/04 — Vancouver, BC — Rickshaw Theatre
07/06 — Calgary, AB — Dickens
07/07 — Edmonton, AB — Starlite Room
07/09 — Winnipeg, MB — Park Theatre
07/10 — Minneapolis, MN — Turf Club
07/11 — Chicago, IL — Reggies
07/12 — Detroit, MI — Sanctuary
07/13 — Toronto, ON — TD Music Hall
07/14 — Montreal, QC — Fairmount Theatre

WARRIOR CHANT TOUR:
As Special Guest for The HU:
09/29 — Glasgow, UK — O2 Academy
10/01 — Bristol, UK — Prospect Building
10/02 — Bournemouth, UK — O2 Academy
10/03 — Newcastle, UK — O2 City Hall
10/05 — Belfast, UK — The Telegraph Building
10/06 — Dublin, IE — 3Olympia Theatre
10/08 — Birmingham, UK — O2 Academy Birmingham
10/09 — London, UK — O2 Academy Brixton
10/10 — Manchester, UK — O2 Apollo
10/11 — Norwich, UK — UEA LCR
10/14 — Brussels, BE — Ancienne Belgique
10/15 — Hamburg, DE — Sporthalle
10/17 — Munich, DE — Tonhalle
10/18 — Berlin, DE — Columbiahalle
10/19 — Warsaw, PL — Stodola
10/20 — Warsaw, PL — Stodola
10/22 — Cologne, DE — Palladium
10/23 — Utrecht, NL — TivoliVredenburg
10/24 — Tilburg, NL — 013
10/27 — Lyon, FR — Le Radiant
10/28 — Paris, FR — L’Olympia
10/30 — Zurich, CH — X-TRA
10/31 — Esch-sur-Alzette, LU — Rockhal

SKÁLD ARE:
Christophe Voisin Boisvinet —  Percussion, Nordic Fiddles, Harp, Horn, Vocals, Programming
Marti Ilmar Uibo —  Percussion, Lyre, Kannel, Whistles, Jaw Harp, Vocals
Steeve Petit —  Percussion, Vocals
Marie Potosniak —  Fiddles, Vocals
Guillaume Levy —  Irish Bouzouki, Citole, Gudok
Nathalie Lemoye-Voisin —  Vocals
Ravn —  Moraharpa
Michel Abraham —  Vocals
Eyline Uibo —  Vocals