Pestkrønikene by Jordsjø

The album is part of Jordsjø's tenth anniversary celebrations.  Initially conceived as a collection of unreleased tracks recorded in the studio between 2020 and 2025, the project then took on a life of its own, with the pieces intertwining thematically exploring themes such as war, chaos, the fall of rulers and the dawn of a new period, as well as cults and sects.

 

The album was created, arranged and mixed entirely by the two founding members:

Håkon Oftung (Multi-instrumentalist: guitars, flute, keyboards, vocals), leader of the group and leading figure in the psychedelic and progressive underground scene in Oslo.  He has collaborated over time with cult bands such as Tusmørke, The Chronicles of Father Robin, Wobbler and Zenon, just to name a few.

 

Kristian Frøland (Drums, percussion, production), childhood friend of Oftung and long-time partner in the Jordsjø project. In addition to taking care of the acoustic rhythm section, he personally took care of the production and mixing of Pestkrønikene, giving the album its peculiar 70s analog sound.

 

Prominent artists have been invited to contribute significantly to specific tracks.

 

Jon A. Henriksen, multi-instrumentalist and singer, lends his voice to the songs "White Magic" and "Talisman II". He is the creator of Black Magic, a Norwegian band that started as a heavy/doom/black metal project and then veered towards 70s hard rock sounds. He collaborated with HÃ¥kon Oftung for many years in Black Magic.

 

Kristian Valbo, well-known extreme metal drummer of the historic Norwegian bands Obliteration and Aura Noir, takes care of the drums, rototoms and artwork of the song "Spiritual Lament". For this album he demonstrated his crossover versatility by playing percussion and doing the cover art.

 

Lars Fredrik Frøislie, keyboardist and mastermind of Wobbler, one of the leading bands of modern symphonic prog, performs a MiniMoog synthesizer solo on the track "Kaosveldets Endelikt". He is a great fan and collector of vintage keyboards (Mellotron, Hammond, Moog), with which he recreates atmospheres faithful to the early 70s.

 

Andreas Prestmo, lead singer and lyricist of The Wobbler, as well as frontman of The Chronicles of Father Robin, is the guest vocalist on the song "The Awakened". He is famous in the Scandinavian scene for his evocative and theatrical vocal lines, ideal for the mythological lyrics of Jordsjø.

 

The title "Pestkrønikene" means "The Plague Chronicles" in Norwegian.  This title embodies the central idea of the album: a dark and mythological concept album that revolves around destruction, distorted faith and the rebirth that follows. The songs on the album are connected by a coherent theme and lyrics, based on four fundamental elements: war and destruction, the collapse of old social structures; the fall of kings, the brutal end of kingdoms, monarchs and empires; sects and cults, religious and spiritual fanaticism in times of crisis; It is the dawn of a new era, the birth of a new period from the ruins of devastation.

 

In this apocalyptic context, the band blends its hard rock and heavy metal roots with folk and psychedelic elements, creating a real "sound alchemy" to tell the eternal cycle of death and rebirth.

 

The album alternates sung songs with entirely instrumental compositions, in perfect Scandinavian progressive rock style. The vocal tracks are "Pestkrønikene" (in Norwegian), "White Magic", "Seven Heads", "The Awakened", "Spiritual Lament" and "Talisman II" (all in English).  Instead, "Kaosvelde" and "Kaosveldets Endelikt" are completely instrumental.

 

I particularly appreciate the use of the Norwegian language in their songs since always, which makes them archaic, solemn, mystical and profound.  On this album, the English-language songs are no different, they manage to evoke the same feeling thanks to the splendid interpretations.

 

This album was made with an artisanal and vintage approach, far from modern and digital productions.  The sound is rich and warm, created with iconic analog keyboards such as the MiniMoog and the Mellotron that weaves orchestral sound carpets.  The Hammond organ and piano, then, drive the main melodies with timeless class.  The hard rock energy is perfectly balanced by dreamy and acoustic sections, creating an immersive and dynamic atmosphere.

 

The flute, played by Håkon Oftung, remains one of the band's hallmarks, intertwining with guitars and recalling the greats of progressive rock. Despite the complex structures and the continuous changes of tempo, the structured suites and the symphonic atmospheres typical of northern European prog (inspired by Scandinavian bands such as Landberk, Änglagård and the Wobbler themselves), the album is compact, with a total duration of only 36 minutes, a real concentrate of energy and creativity.

 

"Pestkrønikene", a song sung in Norwegian, opens the album with an immediate immersion in the band's new 70s hard rock sound. Powerful guitar riffs alternate with soothing flute sections, creating an atmosphere that oscillates between tension and relaxation. The song explores the theme of cyclical time, with the "plague" representing the social and moral collapse that is repeated every time humanity forgets history and breaks the balance. Håkon Oftung deftly juggles sharp guitars and a dreamlike flute, while Kristian Frøland's rhythm section adds a touch of vintage analogue warmth. The main riff, inspired by classic hard/prog, is simply splendid.

 

"White Magic", a song sung in English, is one of the catchiest songs on the album, its hypnotic and decidedly psychedelic rhythm, combined with folk influences, creates an atmospheric rock that immediately enters the head while maintaining a complex structure. The song describes the dynamics of psychological manipulation within cults, with the "White Magic Man" seducing the minds of his fifty followers with utopian promises that work like a drug ("poppy seeds"). Jon A. Henriksen, with his theatrical and charismatic voice, perfectly interprets the ambiguity of the cult leader. The song has an extremely engaging chorus. The countermelodies are beautiful and the mood is both positive and expresses an atmosphere of urgency. When the song slows down there is a great guitar solo with exceptional sustain. Great song.

 

"Seven Heads", a song sung in English, enhances the darker and heavier side of the band, touching primitive doom rock but resulting in sudden symphonic melodic moments dominated by the Mellotron. The apocalyptic symbolism is evident: the "Seven Heads" refer to the biblical Beast and symbolize the destructive arrogance of declining political and religious power. Oftung's work on vintage keyboards (Hammond organ and Mellotron) creates a majestic wall of sound that emphasizes the sense of impending catastrophe. The backbone groove of the excellent rhythm section is composed of multiple inlays and chisellings. The alternation of flute and guitar when the atmosphere becomes tense is splendid. The central tempo change, which transports the piece into a spooky atmosphere is absolutely great. Great vocal interpretation at the end of the song, when he returns to the hard rhythm, of an extraordinary rock. Textbook closure. Beautiful piece.

 

"Kaosvelde - Vasallens Elegi" is the first fully instrumental track on the album, a jewel of progressive folk, with acoustic guitars and flute that intertwine in an elegant way, evoking a woody and melancholic atmosphere reminiscent of the Scandinavian tradition of the early 70s.  It is the lament of a vassal who helplessly witnesses the chaos that invades his kingdom, marking the end of the old feudal order. Oftung's acoustic performance is impeccable, and Frøland's minimal and evocative percussion marks an almost solemn tempo, in a slow and continuous credendo that briefly seems to accelerate but then returns imposing and solemn.  The central flute solo is poignant and dreamlike, and adds a touch of melancholy to the narrative.

 

"Kaosveldets Endelikt", a completely instrumental track, is the sequel to the previous track to which it is inextricably fused, but this time in an electric and majestic key. The style shifts towards a more complex symphonic prog and a fast tempo with Heavy Metal accents, describing the final act of the collapse of the kings. Primordial chaos takes over, wiping out corrupt hierarchies. Lars Fredrik Frøislie's intervention is extraordinary, with a virtuoso MiniMoog analog synthesizer solo cutting through the track like lightning, an exceptional solo explosion. Great energy and transport not without clichés typical of the genre and of fine workmanship. The guitars are often doubled and the drums are metronomic with thrilling rolls. Great piece,

 

"The Awakened", a song sung in English, is a theatrical, dynamic and dramatic song. The sound combines structural complexity with airy and solemn vocal melodies typical of Nordic symphonic rock. The focus shifts to the survivors, forced to walk through the rubble with a new, painful spiritual self-awareness after the catastrophe. The guest voice of Andreas Prestmo is the fulcrum of the piece; its timbre gives an epic and poignant tone to the narrative. The mood and voice are very prog, the excellent guitar riff alternates in a game of back and forth with the keyboards. The intertwining of Prestmo's vocal lines and Mellotron's carpets is splendid, creating an evocative and engaging atmosphere. Monstrous bass throughout the song, sharp guitar.

 

"Spiritual Lament", a song sung in English, is a deep and reflective track, with a ritual atmosphere. The tones become more intense and decidedly rock, abandoning the lightness of folk to embrace a psychedelic sound full of emotions. The beginning is very King Crimson. It represents an inner journey of grieving and searching for peace, symbolizing the spiritual emptiness that a person can feel when his old material certainties are lost. Kristian Valbo on drums introduces the rototoms, giving a powerful and tribal rhythm. The song is animated by an amazing bass line with which the guitar dialogues wonderfully. Rich and powerful battery. The splendid voice of a beautiful vocal enters about halfway through the song after a long instrumental section and the song becomes more folk, before resuming the initial mood that with the voice becomes epic and imposing. Towards the end the atmosphere becomes decidedly psychedelic and is the basis for a stratospheric guitar solo. The closing was beautiful. Great drums that stand out in this beautiful piece.

 

"Talisman II", a song sung in English, is the perfect conclusion to the album. An epic track that mixes hard rock with the tempo changes typical of symphonic prog, culminating in an emotional finale that leaves a sense of completeness. The talisman, a magical and symbolic object guardian of knowledge, is essential to overcome difficult times and start a new era of rebirth. Jon A. Henriksen returns to vocals to support Oftung, closing the conceptual circle of the album. The final interaction between electric guitar, synthesizers and drums is magnificent, and the final instrumental coda is liberating and beautifully arranged. There is a folk mood that never disappears. The entries overlap and complement each other. A song of extraordinary structure and power, powerful even in the most folk phase, it explodes in the epic phases. The singing and the piece as a whole are extraordinary.

 

Pestkrønikene is an album that is like a journey through time through a mix of musical genres performed with great skill and blended together in a brilliant way, a sound experience that blends hard rock and classic heavy metal of the 70s with typical atmospheres of progressive rock, folk and psychedelic, without losing contact with the Scandinavian tradition.  Compared to Jordsjø's previous pastoral and acoustic works, this album stands out for a more powerful and decisive sound, a real tribute to the heaviest hard rock scene of those years.  The voices and performances of the individual musicians are splendid, a screaming rhythm section.

Essential album, so far the best of 2026. Prog is back!!

 

 

Informazioni sull'uscita:

Pestkrønikene dei Jordsjø  è in uscita il 24 luglio 2026 per la DYING VICTIMS PRODUCTIONS.

– Edizione su vinile nero, con inserto, poster, adesivo, cartolina e codice download.

– Edizione speciale su vinile rosso, con inserto, poster, adesivo, cartolina, codice download e patch.

– Edizione CD con adesivo e obi.

Pre-order:
https://www.dyingvictims.com

https://dyingvictimsproductions.bandcamp.com/

My Version

digital format, waiting for the physical support.

Tracklist

1. Pestkrønikene         4:29

2. White Magic feat. Jon A. Henriksen         4:42    

3. Seven Heads           4:36    

4. Kaosvelde - Vasallens Elegi          3:14    

5. Kaosveldets Endelikt feat. Lars Fredrik Frøislie  3:17    

6. The Awakened feat. Andreas Prestmo      4:17    

7. Spiritual Lament feat. Kristian Valbo       5:41    

8. Talisman II feat. Jon A. Henriksen           4:57

LineUp

HÃ¥kon Oftung: vocals, guitars, flute, keyboards

Kristian Frøland – drums, percussion

With:

Jon A. Henriksen: Voce

Lars Fredrik Frøislie: Tastiere

Andreas Prestmo: vocals

Kristian Valbo: drums, percussion

Note: All links to the musicians’ works are in the TAGS under the article title or on the "Artists"