Drott (Enslaved, Ulver) Release Super-Creepy Single “The Marauders”

Drott (Norwegian for “lord”) is a newish project featuring Enslaved guitarist Arve Isdal, Ulver drummer Ivar Thormodsæter, and some dude named Matias Monse. I say “newish” because they formed last year and released a self-titled EP in March, but MetalSucks as a collective seems to have missed it. Whoops!

But now the band has announced their full-length debut, Orcus… so we’re getting to play catch-up. And, unsurprisingly, given the band’s pedigree, Orcus‘ first single, “The Marauders,” is a keeper — a slow building, mesmeric, genuinely eerie piece of work with atmosphere to spare.

Actually, the band’s description of “The Marauders” is spot on:

“The Marauders are not visible through the layers of mist. You can hear them hanging in ropes and sharpening their tools of mischief before their dire intentions are manifested through slow, dark riffs and slaughtering, heavy beats. They are lost souls roaming the Underworld, vicious murderers and thieves constantly searching for prey.” 

Like, seriously, that is what the song sounds like. I plan to someday play it beside my mother’s death bed.

The accompanying video, which Isdal created with Cathrine Wespestad, is also pretty disturbing. Most of it is just shots of the woods that wouldn’t be creepy were they not accompanied by such ominous music… but then the dolls show up. And no sentence has ever ended with “but then the dolls show up” if it wasn’t about something scary.

Give yourself nightmares with “The Marauders” below. Orcus will be out September 24 on By Norse Music. Pre-order it here (North America) or here (Europe).

Tracklist: 
1. “The Lure”
2. “Caerdroia”
3. “Katabasis”
4. “The Strait”
5. “Psychopomp”
6. “By the Lunar Lake”
7. “The Marauders”
8. “Grey Gull”
9. “Arch of Gloom”
10. “Orcus”