FSC #122 April 2019 - Norway
FSC Norway - April 2019 - Gåte - Fanitullen
Representing Norway in FSC April 2019, and returning to the FSC after 1 year, is the accomplished Norwegian Folk-rock band Gåte, the most famous band we have in this genre and part of Norwegian Folk-music tradition. Here is some more information about them.
Gåte (the word means ‘riddle’ in English) is a well known Norwegian Folk-rock band from Trøndelag (region around Trondheim), Norway. The band came into being in 1999/2000 formed by Sveinung Sundli (violin, keyboards) together with his little sister Gunnhild Sundli (vocals), Gjermund Landrø (bass, backing vocals), Martin Langlie (drums) and Magnus R Børmark (guitar, keyboards). They played what came to be termed Progressive Folk-rock with some elements from metal and electronica and, above all, Norwegian Folk-music.
The band released their first EP ("Gåte") in 2000, and rapidly gained some popularity nationally and abroad. A second EP, also self-titled, was released in 2002. Their first album, "Jygri", released the same year proved to be their commercial breakthrough both in Norway and abroad. They also gained a lot of media attention, particularly the wonderful distinctive voice of Gunnhild Sundli caught the interest of music journalists. After the release of another EP, "Statt Opp (Maggeduliadei)" in 2003 and their second album, "Iselilja" in 2004, the band announced that they were taking a break, saying that Gunnhild wanted to devote time to other pursuits.
During this first part of their successful career they toured extensively and played almost every popular music festival in Norway, as well as the major international festival Roskilde festival in Denmark. The band reunited for one concert some years later in 2009 (now with a new drummer, Kenneth Kapstad), but then decided to follow this up with a mini-tour of Norway consisting of five concerts in 2010. The band now took another long break and many (both fans and critics) thought/feared the band had disbanded for good.
In 2016, however, Sveinung Sundli, the ‘nexus’ behind the band, began thinking of a comeback and finally persuaded his sister Gunnhild to return, together with several (new) band members. They slowly began writing new melodies for Gåte (the first new songs for 12 years) and the first of these was released in October 2017 as a single from a forthcoming EP, the song “Stolt Solvår”. A great Norwegian Folk-rock melody in their signature style, this was the Norwegian entry in FSC April 2018. Later in October 2017 Gåte released a second single from their forthcoming EP, “Rideboll og Gullborg”, and then in November 2017 the EP itself called “Attersyn” was released, to great critical acclaim, consisting of four songs incl. the two singles.
A new anticipated full album called “Svevn” was finally released in November 2018, to mostly critical acclaim, which included 10 new songs including a handful new singles. The first single from the album, released shortly before the album itself, was the song “Kom No Disjka”. It was followed by two other singles. One of the other great songs on the album, however, was the melodic and powerful Folk-rock song “Fanitullen”. This is the song chosen by the Norwegian jury as the Norwegian entry here in FSC April 2019.
Gåte have been touring and promoting their new album and new songs in the past months and we will without doubt hear more from this talented and vibrant Norwegian Folk-rock band in the future.
The Norwegian entry for FSC #122 April 2019, called “Fanitullen” (or “Devil’s Tune” in English) is a new melodic and powerful Norwegian Folk-rock song co-written and performed by Gåte in Nynorsk (New Norwegian). In this very dark song, which bridges death and warfare in the past and present, they continue their musical journey into Norwegian folklore. The song is driven by the Norwegian national violin-instrument called ‘Hardingfele’ (Hardanger fiddle). The Norwegian jury is happy to enter Gåte again in the FSC for Norway.
Below are the New Norwegian (Nynorsk) lyrics for the song and a translation into English. Hope you’ll enjoy the Norwegian entry for April!
Gåte - Fanitullen
I desse traumetider kor makt i ørske rår / In these traumatic times where power wildly rules
Og ragnarok på nyom kan skapa pinekår / And chaos all around can create times of poverty
Der menneske som jotnar kan kjempe gudar ned / Where humans and giants can defeat gods
Og berre domedagen kan gjeva varig fred / And only Judgment Day can give eternal peace
Står det eit blodig brudlaup på denne vesle jord / Is there a bloody wedding on this small earth
Der mørkemakter kjempar mot dei som er av sol / Where forces of Darkness fight the Light
Og fatige må lide for dei som har det flott / And the poor have to suffer for the rich to prevail
Frå livsens mørke-kjellar det lydest enn ein slått / From life’s dark well a Devil’s Tune sounds
Der svik og svartsjuke er som grøde / Where betrayal and plague fester
Som veks av udådar, drap og døde / Growing from bad deeds, murder and death
Der hat og rovlysten ligg på lur / Where hate and predators lie in wait
Og valdar livet bak lås og mur / And destroy life behind locked doors and walls
Der lyder slåtten av skrik og pine / There the Devil’s Tune sounds with screams and pain
Frå spelemannen i blåne-skinet / From the fiddle player in the blue sight of the moon
Om noko lukkast og står til liv / If anything succeeds and brings life
Den aggen atter til vanvet driv / It returns to bring everything to madness
Det bit og knasar i bein og krafsar / It bites and crunches bones and scratches
Med kjøtermunnar som blodet slafsar / With mouths of beasts devouring the blood
Av heilt uskuldige, tekne att / Of innocents that are taken again
Og strupekvelte i ævig natt / And strangled in the eternal black night
Den må seg fredlaus til grava slepa / He must desparing drag himself to the grave
Som søkjer sæla i det å drepa / Seeking to know the reason for these murders
Kvar gong ein kvitkledd er kjempa ned / Every time a person of Light is defeated
Da finn den svarte i slåtten fred / Then the Devil find’s peace in his Devil’s Tune
I desse traumetider kor makt i ørske rår / In these traumatic times where power wildly rules
Og ragnarok på nyom kan skapa pinekår / And chaos all around can create times of poverty
Der menneske som jotnar kan kjempe gudar ned / Where humans and giants can defeat gods
Og berre domedagen kan gjeva varig fred / And only Judgment Day can give eternal peace
Står det eit blodig brudlaup på denne vesle jord / Is there a bloody wedding on this small earth
Der mørkemakter kjempar mot dei som er av sol / Where forces of Darkness fight the Light
Og fatige må lide for dei som har det flott / And the poor have to suffer for the rich to prevail
Frå livsens mørke-kjellar det lydest enn ein slått / From life’s dark well a Devil’s Tune sounds
-M
FSC Norway - April 2019 - Gåte - Fanitullen
Representing Norway in FSC April 2019, and returning to the FSC after 1 year, is the accomplished Norwegian Folk-rock band Gåte, the most famous band we have in this genre and part of Norwegian Folk-music tradition. Here is some more information about them.
Gåte (the word means ‘riddle’ in English) is a well known Norwegian Folk-rock band from Trøndelag (region around Trondheim), Norway. The band came into being in 1999/2000 formed by Sveinung Sundli (violin, keyboards) together with his little sister Gunnhild Sundli (vocals), Gjermund Landrø (bass, backing vocals), Martin Langlie (drums) and Magnus R Børmark (guitar, keyboards). They played what came to be termed Progressive Folk-rock with some elements from metal and electronica and, above all, Norwegian Folk-music.
The band released their first EP ("Gåte") in 2000, and rapidly gained some popularity nationally and abroad. A second EP, also self-titled, was released in 2002. Their first album, "Jygri", released the same year proved to be their commercial breakthrough both in Norway and abroad. They also gained a lot of media attention, particularly the wonderful distinctive voice of Gunnhild Sundli caught the interest of music journalists. After the release of another EP, "Statt Opp (Maggeduliadei)" in 2003 and their second album, "Iselilja" in 2004, the band announced that they were taking a break, saying that Gunnhild wanted to devote time to other pursuits.
During this first part of their successful career they toured extensively and played almost every popular music festival in Norway, as well as the major international festival Roskilde festival in Denmark. The band reunited for one concert some years later in 2009 (now with a new drummer, Kenneth Kapstad), but then decided to follow this up with a mini-tour of Norway consisting of five concerts in 2010. The band now took another long break and many (both fans and critics) thought/feared the band had disbanded for good.
In 2016, however, Sveinung Sundli, the ‘nexus’ behind the band, began thinking of a comeback and finally persuaded his sister Gunnhild to return, together with several (new) band members. They slowly began writing new melodies for Gåte (the first new songs for 12 years) and the first of these was released in October 2017 as a single from a forthcoming EP, the song “Stolt Solvår”. A great Norwegian Folk-rock melody in their signature style, this was the Norwegian entry in FSC April 2018. Later in October 2017 Gåte released a second single from their forthcoming EP, “Rideboll og Gullborg”, and then in November 2017 the EP itself called “Attersyn” was released, to great critical acclaim, consisting of four songs incl. the two singles.
A new anticipated full album called “Svevn” was finally released in November 2018, to mostly critical acclaim, which included 10 new songs including a handful new singles. The first single from the album, released shortly before the album itself, was the song “Kom No Disjka”. It was followed by two other singles. One of the other great songs on the album, however, was the melodic and powerful Folk-rock song “Fanitullen”. This is the song chosen by the Norwegian jury as the Norwegian entry here in FSC April 2019.
Gåte have been touring and promoting their new album and new songs in the past months and we will without doubt hear more from this talented and vibrant Norwegian Folk-rock band in the future.
The Norwegian entry for FSC #122 April 2019, called “Fanitullen” (or “Devil’s Tune” in English) is a new melodic and powerful Norwegian Folk-rock song co-written and performed by Gåte in Nynorsk (New Norwegian). In this very dark song, which bridges death and warfare in the past and present, they continue their musical journey into Norwegian folklore. The song is driven by the Norwegian national violin-instrument called ‘Hardingfele’ (Hardanger fiddle). The Norwegian jury is happy to enter Gåte again in the FSC for Norway.
Below are the New Norwegian (Nynorsk) lyrics for the song and a translation into English. Hope you’ll enjoy the Norwegian entry for April!
Gåte - Fanitullen
I desse traumetider kor makt i ørske rår / In these traumatic times where power wildly rules
Og ragnarok på nyom kan skapa pinekår / And chaos all around can create times of poverty
Der menneske som jotnar kan kjempe gudar ned / Where humans and giants can defeat gods
Og berre domedagen kan gjeva varig fred / And only Judgment Day can give eternal peace
Står det eit blodig brudlaup på denne vesle jord / Is there a bloody wedding on this small earth
Der mørkemakter kjempar mot dei som er av sol / Where forces of Darkness fight the Light
Og fatige må lide for dei som har det flott / And the poor have to suffer for the rich to prevail
Frå livsens mørke-kjellar det lydest enn ein slått / From life’s dark well a Devil’s Tune sounds
Der svik og svartsjuke er som grøde / Where betrayal and plague fester
Som veks av udådar, drap og døde / Growing from bad deeds, murder and death
Der hat og rovlysten ligg på lur / Where hate and predators lie in wait
Og valdar livet bak lås og mur / And destroy life behind locked doors and walls
Der lyder slåtten av skrik og pine / There the Devil’s Tune sounds with screams and pain
Frå spelemannen i blåne-skinet / From the fiddle player in the blue sight of the moon
Om noko lukkast og står til liv / If anything succeeds and brings life
Den aggen atter til vanvet driv / It returns to bring everything to madness
Det bit og knasar i bein og krafsar / It bites and crunches bones and scratches
Med kjøtermunnar som blodet slafsar / With mouths of beasts devouring the blood
Av heilt uskuldige, tekne att / Of innocents that are taken again
Og strupekvelte i ævig natt / And strangled in the eternal black night
Den må seg fredlaus til grava slepa / He must desparing drag himself to the grave
Som søkjer sæla i det å drepa / Seeking to know the reason for these murders
Kvar gong ein kvitkledd er kjempa ned / Every time a person of Light is defeated
Da finn den svarte i slåtten fred / Then the Devil find’s peace in his Devil’s Tune
I desse traumetider kor makt i ørske rår / In these traumatic times where power wildly rules
Og ragnarok på nyom kan skapa pinekår / And chaos all around can create times of poverty
Der menneske som jotnar kan kjempe gudar ned / Where humans and giants can defeat gods
Og berre domedagen kan gjeva varig fred / And only Judgment Day can give eternal peace
Står det eit blodig brudlaup på denne vesle jord / Is there a bloody wedding on this small earth
Der mørkemakter kjempar mot dei som er av sol / Where forces of Darkness fight the Light
Og fatige må lide for dei som har det flott / And the poor have to suffer for the rich to prevail
Frå livsens mørke-kjellar det lydest enn ein slått / From life’s dark well a Devil’s Tune sounds
-M
SWEDEN 
