The band VILNIR hails from southern Germany and, in a Nordic-fantasy style, their songs explore not only the depths of human existence in all its facets, such as critical thoughts about oneself, fears, hopelessness, struggle, and suffering, but also confidence, love, hope, and joy. These are themes that have always preoccupied people and remain as relevant today as ever.
Born from a studio project in early 2019, composer and producer Michael "Eldur" Schnoor, together with Aranka "Ari" Nagel and later with Claudia "Jola" Elmer, developed the musical orientation in which they do not commit to a specific time period, but create space for creativity and incorporate a wide variety of influences and ideas.
VILNIR takes the listener on a journey, placing them in the middle of a battlefield or a market where things aren't always above board. They hear the story of a drunkard or of a love affair with a girl that unfortunately remains unfulfilled. A rollercoaster of emotions, sometimes serious, sometimes mischievous, sometimes spirited.
VILNIR, with its drums and drones of the hurdy-gurdy, can be loud and driving, complemented by unmistakable melodies and the deep, raspy vocals of Eldur, rounded off by the voices of Jola and Ari. This creates the characteristic VILNIR sound, which can also be quiet, almost mystical. For example, with the delicate plucked notes of the lute and the sweet sound of the nyckelharpa. In combination with the vocals of Ari and Jola, the listener is transported to another world.
The lyrics are written primarily in German, with some Swedish and Norwegian. The music primarily features traditional instruments such as the hurdy-gurdy, nyckelharpa, moraharpa, lyre, lute, various drums, and horns.
01 Arg
02 Being - Birth
03 Fire Dance
04 Rascals
05 Then drink!
06 Being - Life
07 Unband
08 Halvor
09 Giljadans
10 Aimless
11 World Warriors
12 Forget-me-not
13 Being - Death
