I just bought a music album on Bandcamp by the band called Myrkur, a project created by the Danish musician Amalie Bruun. I had seen her singing in the nature in some short incredibly beautiful clips where she just sings traditionals, mediaeval ballads, and Scandinavian folk tunes.
I am still very much in doubt about what I think of her album, but that doesn't really matter here. It is something else I want to talk about. Try listening to this: Amalie Bruun made a pop album before her Myrkur project. Here's one of her pop songs.
And just to compare...
So we seems to have an artist that have a very eclectic oeuvre. (No wonder she fascinates me :) I looked around to see if it was some clever A&R guy that had invented her but she is really in control of her own career. It is simply a talented and original artist that has a very broad interest in music including Scandinavian Black Metal. There is something completely logical and connected about how she has chosen music in this video.
While trying to understand a bit of what was going on I suddenly dropped into a rather stupid discussion. It seems some Black Metal fans hate her, really hate her. I can not hate anybody for making music - there was a time when I could despise bad artists with success, but that is really just youthful righteousness gone bad. But this is not the case here anyway. It seems that what these guys (yes, guys) are concerned about is the holy border of Black Metal. So now I can despise! These guys are not artists, but fans that want other's creation to be their little isolated kingdom. Myrkur/Amalie is by calling her music Black Metal dragging the genre in a completely different direction, no doubt. And her old pop promotion fashion video seems to be a problem too :)
But trying to make other people's art fit your box is definitely not to my liking. It is spiritual poverty, that's what it is. And then it gets worse.
Try to read this: Of Course Crybaby Black Metal Fans Are Sending Death Threats to Myrkur
I can add nothing to the article - I think the author is very clear and concise. Instead I will mention who in the comments below this fine post explains why he doesn't want to be a critic. That is the attitude I share. Why grab an axe and try to chop down artworks to fit your box, when you can learn more, open up for the unexpected... get a bit wiser maybe? Or just move on to better things.
And talking about axes - Myrkur's Youtube profile is called Myrkur Øksemorder which means Myrkur Axe Murderer :) It is a funny thing for me that all texts are in my own language.
If you want to see how different critics can be :)
Here is a positive review
Here is a negative review
My friend
It goes like this: you shall each morning write from the soul, anything going through your head.
He writes a lot more, but this is the essence :) (Read his first morgenseiten post here)
I have decided to try the same. I write from the top of my head every morning or late morning if I have been sleeping late. I only correct typos and make a headline afterwards. Else everything is left as written. Expect some of it to sound like stage directions.