Satyricon have released a surprise new album, Satyricon & Munch, which accompanies an Edvard Munch art exhibit in Oslo, Norway.
The single 56-minute piece spans genres and showcases the vast range of styles employed by Satyricon throughout their career. There’s dark ambient, industrial, martial orchestral, and even bits of atmospheric black metal.
The “Satyricon & Munch” exhibit is currently on display at the MUNCH Museum in Oslo through August 28th. The musical piece was directly inspired by the works and life of the artist in question, combining the visual and aural art of Norway.
“In the musical work Satyricon & Munch, you will find my musical response to the emotions that the works of Edvard Munch instilled in me when working on the art exhibition,” commented frontman Satyr in a press release. “One could therefore say that the album release is not only a consequence of the making of an exhibition, but also a reflection of my studies of Edvard Munch’s life and philosophy on the making of art — and my eagerness to push myself as an artist. I deeply appreciate his emphasis on feeling over technique, his will to experiment and his determination to walk his own way. Of course these are also core values to Satyricon, which in this particular case becomes even more important.”
Satyr went on to say that the band had to break its typical workflow to create the desired effect, implementing a vast array of instruments including “old school analog synthesizers, electric guitar, baritone guitar, bass guitar, drums, theremin, cello, viola, bass clarinet, contrabass clarinet, jouhikko, Hardanger fiddle, [and] grand piano to name some.”
“We encourage everyone to refrain from trying to label the music and just accept that there is no need to,” Satyr added. “It is certainly not film music, it is not ambient and it is not something you have to make up a word for. It is SATYRICON.”
Satyricon & Munch is also receiving a physical vinyl and CD release via Napalm Records. Multiple vinyl variants, including a deluxe box set, are available for pre-order from the label’s website.
Check out the full 56-minute piece below, followed by a clip fin which Satyr discusses the project. For more on the exhibit, visit the MUNCH Museum site.