With a sound that defies generic labels and a vision that stretches the limits of creativity, Múrare the latest descendants from Iceland’s volcanic underground. The emerging quintet are forging a new era of dark, atmospheric and boundary shattering metal. With progressive sensibilities that harken to the Devin Townsend Project and mid-era Opeth, a talent to cohesively juxtapose atmospheric textures with polished technicality a la Meshuggah and Gojira, and a focus on jazz study among the fresh-faced instrumentalists, Múr is already proving itself to be a reckoning force.

Today, Múr is pleased to announce that they have joined forces with Century Media Records for the release of their debut self-titled full-length! In celebration, the band is now sharing the mind-bending new single, "Frelsari," along with a video. The clip was animated by Múr's Kári Haraldsson (vocals, keytar, synthesizers) during his teenage years and can be found below.

The band comments: “’Frelsari’ is one of our more powerful, but also more conventionally structured songs, exploring themes of blind faith, giving up control, and the illusions of liberation. The music video is an animation our frontman made in his teens, which seems to harmonize well with the themes of this song, written years later.”

Múr’s trajectory really gained momentum a year after their formation when their talent was recognized in the spring of 2022 as they conquered the Icelandic Wacken Metal Battle, propelling them to an impressive fourth place in the international finale at Wacken Open Air in Germany.

The band recently created a buzz following the release of their folk horror infused video for “Heimsslit," which can be found HERE.

“'Heimsslit’ is an Icelandic word for the apocalypse, but the literal translation is 'world's tearing,’ inspiring a vision of the world coming apart at the seams,” says the band. “The lyrical themes have more to do with an acceptance of something vital falling apart within one's own mind rather than being about the physical world ending. The song is accompanied by our first music video, a massive cross-discipline collaboration between local artists."

The album is due digitally on November 22, 2024 while CD and vinyl will be available January 10, 2025. Pre-orders are now live HERE.

Describing their music as “a wall of sound and emotion,” Múr is quick to point out that their sound is up for interpretation. “I’m not sure whether it’s our place to fully define it,” cautions Haraldsson “as people seem to take vastly different things away from experiencing it, depending on who they are and what they like in music.” While their complex passages will undoubtedly elicit different perspectives as it borrows from many genres and elements, the emotional component to their music is more direct, with lyrics that center on the human experience. “Most of the lyrics revolve around facing yourself, breaking the shackles of inner turmoil and finding strength in letting go,” he adds.

As for what comprises their multifaceted sound, Haraldsson explains, “We draw inspiration from a lot of different sources, both when it comes to the songwriting and when designing the more overarching soundscapes and textures. Amongst other things we are inspired by film scores, forces of nature, and various different forms of electronic music.”

Making their debut with their self-titled full-length, which will be released via Century Media Records on November 22, 2024, the newcomers already have a buzz around them as they have been winning over crowds on the festival circuit since conquering Soulcrusher Festival in 2023. Through their unique blend of atmospheric textures, evocative songwriting, and raw emotional intensity, Múr has garnered critical acclaim both within their homeland and beyond, solidifying their position as one of the country's most promising and exciting musical exports.

Lineup:

Kári Haraldsson - Vocals, Keytar, Synthesizers

Hilmir Árnason - Guitar

Jón Ísak Ragnarsson - Guitar

Ívar Klausen - Bass

Árni Jökull Guðbjartsson - Drums

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