Sorcerous Folk Metal HRAFNABLÓT Announces Debut Album, Guðlaugar Saga, Out Sept 2026 + New Video “Heljarhlíð”
Icelandic folk-metal band Hrafnablót is preparing to unleash their debut album, Guðlaugar Saga, on September 11, 2026. Blending Icelandic folklore, magick, Sagas, and heavy metal, the ambitious concept album follows Guðlaug, a modern woman unexpectedly thrown back into Iceland’s settlement age.
Following the release of “Dísablót” and “Svartigaldur,” the Reykjavík-based band continues the story with their latest single, “Heljarhlíð.”
We caught up with Hrafnablót to learn more about the creation of Guðlaugar Saga, the folklore and storytelling behind the record, their distinctive approach to folk metal, and what comes next.
First off, care to introduce yourself to our readers?
I am Þórgnýr Albertsson, bassist and backing vocalist for Hrafnablót, a sorcerous folk metal band from Iceland.
We play our own brand of folk metal, influenced primarily by Icelandic folklore, Sagas, mythology and magick.
Tell us a bit about your recent release.
Our debut single, “Svartigaldur,” was released on July 10, 2026, alongside an official music video. It is the first chapter from our upcoming debut album, Guðlaugar saga.
The album follows Guðlaug, a woman from modern-day Iceland who is thrown back into the settlement age. “Svartigaldur” finds her bound to the mast of a longship after being accused of witchcraft. The rowing rhythm gives the song an almost sea-shanty foundation, but we surround that with black metal-inspired guitars, folk melodies, orchestration and a large, melodic chorus.
It was important that our first release introduced both the story and the different sides of our sound. It is heavy and dark, but it is also energetic, catchy and theatrical.
Walk us through your creative process when creating music.
Usually one of us provides a rough outline or idea for a song and we then workshop it together until we feel like it’s become the finished product.
We then try to make sense of how and where a particular song would fit into the overarching narrative of the album it’d be a part of, and write lyrics that reflect the emotions in the song as well as tie it into the story.
Now that the music is out, what does the ‘road ahead’ look like? Beyond tours and videos, what’s one ‘bucket list’ goal you hope to achieve with this release?
Our next single, “Dísablót,” will be released on July 31, followed by another single and our debut album, Guðlaugar saga, later in 2026. Our immediate goal is to keep building the world around the album and introduce listeners to the full story one chapter at a time.
Our greatest bucket-list goal would be for this release to open the door to playing festivals both outside of and in Iceland. Midgardsblot in Norway would be particularly meaningful because it brings together metal, history and Norse culture in a setting that feels almost designed for Hrafnablót.
Every artist has a ‘lightbulb moment’ where things just clicked. Looking back, what’s the one performance or milestone that made you realize, ‘Okay, this is what I was meant to do’?
For me, it was when we played the Icelandic Sorcery festival in the West Fjords of Iceland in the spring of 2025. We were the first band on stage, and seeing the crowd grow with every song was a special experience.
We love championing Canadian talent. If you were curating a ‘Must-Listen’ playlist of emerging artists right now, who is the first person you’d add?
I was very fond of Hazzerd’s album last year. Great melodic thrash metal with amazing guitar leads.
There’s nothing like the energy of a live room. Where can fans catch you on stage next, and for someone seeing you for the first time, what should they expect from a Hrafnablót live experience?
We do not have our next live date ready to announce at the time of writing, but upcoming shows will be shared through our website and social media as soon as they are confirmed. A Hrafnablót concert is intended to feel like more than six people reproducing recordings onstage. People should expect large melodies, harsh and clean vocals, heavy riffs, folk-inspired passages and a great deal of energy and fun. Even when the subject matter is dark, the live experience is celebratory.