The Norns have been busy weaving, and it seems SKÁLD’s destiny was written in runes all along. The French Nordic folk collective just announced they’ve signed with Austrian metal and rock powerhouse Napalm Records, and they’re kicking off the new chapter with a brand new album called Ørlǫg, set for release on September 25.

For a band that has spent years reviving ancient Scandinavian sound worlds — think Nordic fiddles, harps, lyres, horns, kannels, whistles, throat singing, and the kind of layered vocal harmonies that feel like they’re being chanted around a fire somewhere deep in a fjord — the Napalm partnership feels almost inevitable. Or, as the band themselves put it, “It was undoubtedly meant to be, and Ørlǫg is the perfect album to make it happen.”

Napalm Records Senior A&R Sebastian Münch echoed that energy, saying, “SKÁLD have a remarkable way of bringing Nordic folklore and mythology to life through their music. Their new album, Ørlǫg, is a fantastic release that both longtime fans and those discovering the band for the first time are sure to enjoy.”

Ørlǫg — the Old Norse concept of cosmic fate woven by the Norns — is a fitting title for a record that leans hard into themes of destiny, choice, and consequence. Across ten tracks, SKÁLD move from shamanic dreamscapes to sirens lurking in the dark, from the rainbow bridge of Bifröst to the fire-and-ice collision of the Norse creation myth. It’s mythology as meditation, and it’s ridiculously immersive.

The first single, “Draumakona,” is out now, and it’s the ideal entry point into the album’s atmospheric world. Focused on the female side of shamanic prophecy, the song shifts between a striking female lead vocal and layered choral arrangements, creating a kind of call-and-response between the individual and the community. It’s catchy in that irresistible SKÁLD way — you don’t need to speak Old Norse to feel exactly what’s going on.

The band on the track: “‘Draumakona’ explores the unique role women play in divination and shamanic vision; the Norns, who weave the destinies of gods and mortals, support this perspective. Everyone wants to know what their future holds… but to truly know, one must confront oneself, travel far and wide, not fear the different worlds, and listen to one’s dreams.”

Watch the official music video for “Draumakona” here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjvHb3rmI_w

Ørlǫg Track Listing:
1. Draumakona
2. Myrkviðr
3. Ratatoskr
4. Dǫkksalir
5. Útgarðr
6. Ek skald rida
7. Himinbjǫrg
8. Heiemo og Nykkjen
9. Veit barnit
10. Eldr ok iss

Beyond the singles, the album is packed with moments worth waiting for: “Ratatoskr” channels throat singing into hauntingly repetitive chants of the mythological squirrel’s name, “Dǫkksalir” unwinds into an almost lullaby-like ode to dark-dwelling sirens, and the grim closer “Eldr ok iss” (“fire and ice”) builds a formidably sinister arc referencing Ymir’s emergence from the collision of Muspelheim and Niflheim. If that sentence made you feel something, this album is very much for you.

SKÁLD are also hitting the road hard in 2026, with European festival dates including Hellfest Open Air, Castlefest, Midgardsblot, and Paléo Festival, a full North American headline run from Denver to Montreal, and a massive fall tour as special guests on The HU’s Warrior Chant Tour, which stops at rooms like O2 Academy Brixton in London, L’Olympia in Paris, and Columbiahalle in Berlin.

Ørlǫg drops September 25 via Napalm Records and is available in a small army of collectible vinyl variants, deluxe hardcover book editions, and bundle configurations. Pre-order the album now, cue up “Draumakona,” and let the Norns do their thing.