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Hagalaz' Runedance @ Reviews


Frigga's Web @ Tartarean Desire
9.5 out of 10
Hammerheart Records have signed some of the best Metal bands in the world, such as Alas, Ancient Rites and Necrophobic, but they have also discovered the unique talents of Andrea "Nebel" Haugen, who is the sole woman behind Hagalaz' Runedance. She has been working on this project since 1996 with the sole purpose to musically express her tribute to the pagan spirituality. The music could best be described as Ambient Neo-Folk with ritual drums, lyres, harps, bagpipes and every other instrument you could ever wish for. On top of this, another dimension is added through the wonderful and characteristic deep vocals from Andrea herself. She is not entirely on her own though, since Kristian Nordeide (Corona Borealis), Gøran Hallmarken, Zilla Eidskrem (Paradigma, Ashes to Ashes) and Kristian Eidskrem (Paradigma) have all helped to make this recording possible. The album starts out with a soothing sample borrowed from Mother Nature herself with the waves of the ocean contributing to the music of this album in their very own way. We are then taken to the underworld to visit Hel, in a song that I see as a build up for the definite highlight of this album the enchanting title track. Altogether this is an amazing album and there is no other band in the world who make pagan, ambient music with the level of professionalism that Hagalaz' Runedance possesses today. Frigga's Web is without a single trace of doubt one of the musical highlights of 2002. Standout tracks: Frigga's Web, Where the Lonely Souls Go.
- Vincent Eldefors -

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