Mývalyĭr - The Past Tales
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MÝVALYĬR – THE PAST TALES
LABEL: INDEPENDENT RELEASE
RELEASE DATE: FEBRUARY 27th 2026
Conflict is a constant, resurfacing long after the moment has passed - moving through history and war, and settling within oneself. Struggle appears in many forms, from external confrontation to internal collapse, blurring the line between memory, myth, and lived experience. Battles are fought not only on the battlefield, but in thought, instinct, and endurance, leaving marks that shape identity over time… until resilience - the ability to persist, to adapt, and to continue forward while carrying the weight of what came before - becomes the measure of what we endure.
The first nascent ideas that would grow into the formidable entity that is Mývalyĭr appeared during the pandemic, with isolated musicians exchanging fledgling musical concepts, before finally finding its identity and solidifying its purpose in 2023. Mývalyĭr are steeped in the forms and aesthetics of melodic death metal, but they also draw on folk traditions and orchestral stylings, incorporating violin, cello and traditional instruments like the nyckelharpa to bring additional depth and layers to their sound, sending roots deeper into musical history, long past the apocryphal birth of metal. After releasing two singles – ‘Reign’ and ‘Recollection’ – in late 2025, Mývalyĭr are now ready to present their debut full length album. A concept album that explores the idea of the eternal conflict, both within and without, that shapes us and runs through every aspect of our history and culture. The Past Tales is a staggering beginning to the story of Mývalyĭr…
Opening track, ‘Requiem’, is a gateway to the world of Mývalyĭr, a rite of passage through which the listener is transported and transformed, before being plunged into the dark waters of ‘Recollection’. Dense, layered and fierce, with cataclysmic drums, keyboards dancing between the steel-clad guitars and vocals with real bestial menace, ‘Recollection’ is comprised of a multitude of musical chapters. The sense of drama is immense, the melody lines superb…and we have only just begun to make our way through this expansive narrative. The measured and powerful ‘Reign’ is next, imbued with an air of tragedy that twists between the riffs like a cold mist, the harsh vocals a revelation – demonstrating just how evocative and effective this style of delivery can be. Enthroned at the heart of the album, the epic ‘The Past Tales Part 1’ is magnificent from the first note – with haunting melody lines, bloodied riffs and a cinematic feel, as if a curtain is being drawn back to reveal something vast and breathtaking. Beautiful female vocals add a weight of melancholy as “the battle rages on” and a superbly atmospheric conclusion flows directly into ‘The Past Tales Part 2’; an epilogue to Part 1, but tumultuous and emotionally overwhelming in its own right, with superb touches of violin. ‘The Mighty Never Fall’ then grabs you in an iron fist of death metal, immediate, engaging and irresistible, before ‘Renascence’ provides a majestic conclusion, a march from the war-torn kingdom of The Past Tales, back into the light of reality…the vivid, visceral landscape of Mývalyĭr’s creation slowly fading from perception, leaving you with an ache - a need to return.
Adorned in the striking artwork of Felipe Machado Franco (Blind Guardian, Iced Earth, Rhapsody Of Fire etc) and mixed and mastered by Janne Lunnas (Boreal Grave, Shade Of Sorrow etc) The Past Tales is the complete package – a thrilling, immersive listening experience that will never let you go. Your voyage begins on February 27th…
Genre: Melodic Death Metal
For fans of: Insomnium | Amon Amarth | Omnium Gatherum | WolfheartLine-up:
Dale Pountney – Bass
Kai Boyce – Lead Guitar
Stephen Wilkinson – Drums
Joe Clayton – Guitar/Backing Vocals
Natalie Fluess – Keyboards/Violin/Cello/Nyckelharpa/Backing Vocals
Kain - Vocals
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