Back in 2021, Blodtår caused quite a stir with their self-titled EP. The Swedish folk-black metal duo showcased an uncanny ability to tap into a musical current that is rarely captured these days – all the while infusing the formula with fresh and innovative ideas. Ever since, label and fans alike have been anxiously anticipating to see where they go next. The answer has now arrived, in the form of Blodtår’s debut album, “Det förtegna förflutna” (‘The secretive and quiet past’), and it does not fall short of expectations. The pulsating core of “Det förtegna förflutna” is Carl’s masterful use of intricate riffing heavily inspired by Swedish folk melodies – played lightning-fast but without sounding upbeat. Blodtår forges the lo-fi black metal malice of Embassy-era Gorgoroth with the folkish grandeur of Windir and Dissection’s icy, melancholic melodies. “Det förtegna förflutna” is set for release on CD, LP, and digital format by Nordvis on April 21, 2023. It was recorded and mixed by Sverker Widgren at Wing Studios. When Carl, the band’s founder and driving force, started Blodtår in 2019, he’d been looking for music with a highly distinct feeling. After a prolonged search with very little to show for it, he decided to take matters into his own hands. H. Alarcón C. was brought into the fold for the recording of what ultimately became the project’s debut EP. In the spring of 2021, Nordvis received a demo from a young Swedish black metal duo. The cover letter stated that the material had been written with Nordvis in mind – and that they were the only label to receive it. While such tactics are not unheard of among bands fishing for a record deal, any doubts about the validity of this claim were dispelled upon first listen. Clearly, Blodtår were a Nordvis act even before their collaboration was formalised. The underlying intention behind Blodtår is to weave together an immersive soundscape fit to accompany the feelings and impressions one experiences when admiring artwork by the likes of John Bauer and Theodor Kittelsen. By virtue of sheer conviction, Blodtår breathes new life into the long-forgotten woodland magic imbued in the timeless art of these old masters. Carl commented: The album title expresses my wish to shine some light on a cultural heritage we in Scandinavia still have but appear to be neglecting more and more. “Det förtegna förflutna” consists of songs that are somewhat linked together by themes such as northern folklore, forests, mountains, and mythological beings. Each composition tells a different story, akin to old Scandinavian fairy tales (which were often illustrated by artists like John Bauer).