Just when you think you might have Dun Ringill figured out, that’s when the flute kicks in. The Gothenburg-based doom rock six-piece — three guitars! — make their debut March 1 with the suitably-enough titled Welcome, and it presents a realization of progressive doom that’s anti-genre enough to earn a Cathedral comparison. Metal, and not. Doom, and not. Prog, and not. And so on. The nine-minute opener and longest track (immediate points), “Welcome to the Fun Fair Horror Time Machine” sets a pretty broad context between its clean and growled vocals, copious riffing and title-line hook, and while they don’t quite hit that same level of weird-for-weird’s-sake again, the rest of the album remains informed by the moves that song makes. And that is not without purse. They’re not short on pedigree, and at no point does the Argonauta Records release feel like they’re trying to reach beyond their intentions. That is, that weirdness at the outset is on purpose. You’re supposed to be thrown off. That’s the idea. It’s why you put the longest track first, and here, it works.

Not that the rest of what follows is entirely straightforward, either. Following the Mellotron-laced rocker “Black Eyed Kids,” third cut “Open Your Eyes (And See the Happiness and Truth)” once more ups the theatrics over a classic metal riff that shifts in its middle section to a stretch of acoustic strumming then bursts back to life like nothing ever happened, and “The Door” turns from rocking swing to a doomed march and back again, all the while vocalist Thomas Eriksson repeats “The door! The door! The door! The door!” like a madman. Eriksson‘s dramatic approach plays a large role in the personality of the album — he indeed is the one welcoming you to the fun fair horror time machine at the outset — but that’s not to downplay the contributions of guitarists Jens Florén, Tommy Stegemann and Patric Grammann, bassist Patrik Andersson Winberg and drummer Hans Lilja, who are able not only to provide a backdrop for the stagecraft on display even in the recording, but to build a world around it in which it can take place.

“Snow of Ashes” touches on psychedelia in its second half, while closer “The Demon Within” turns from an opening guest vocal from Matilda Winberg to a culminating Hammond organ appearance by Per Wiberg of Candlemass, Opeth, etc. It’s not quite as far out as the piano and flute on the opener, but it makes a substantial bookend just the same, and Eriksson layers harmonies to rise to the occasion in his soaring early verses. Of course a Hammond lends a classic feel inherently, but again, even as Dun Ringill set up their last march, they do so with a resonant foundation in metal, not quite the NWOBHM, but not quite not. Add that to the list above of stylistic elements touched on by Welcome even as the album refuses to commit to any single style and thereby casts its identity in that refusal.

First outing? Doesn’t seem like it’ll be their last. You can check out the premiere of the video for “The Door” below, and preorders for Welcome are up now from Argonauta.

Enjoy:

Dun Ringill, “The Door” official video premiere

Of what started as a dark and doomy project with Nordic folk influences, when some of the best musicians the Gothenburg scene has to offer came together for a jam in 2017, should become something bigger: Welcome DUN RINGILL, your next favorite new Doom Rock band featuring members of The Order Of Israfel, Doomdogs, Intoxicate, ex Grotesque and many more! Set for a release on March 1st 2019 with Argonauta Records, today DUN RINGILL have unveiled the hotly anticipated details about their first and full-length debut album titled ‘Welcome’!

Recorded with mastermind sound wizard Julien Fabré and co-produced together with the band, the album artwork has been created by Niklas Sundin (Dark Tranquility). DUN RINGILL’s debut ‘Welcome’ will also feature songs with guest musicians such as Per Wiberg of Candlemass, Kamchatka and formerly Opeth.

The ‘Welcome’ track list will read as follows:
1. Welcome To The Fun Fair Horror Time Machine (feat. Emil Rolof on Piano + Björn Johansson on Flute)
2. Black Eyed Kids (feat. Emil Rolof on Mellotron)
3. Open Your Eyes (And See The Happiness And Truth)
4. The Door
5. Snow Of Ashes
6. The Demon Within (feat. Per Wiberg on Hammond + Matilda Winberg on Intro Vocals)

Coming in CD, LP and Digital Download formats, ‘Welcome’ by DUN RINGILL is available to pre-order at: www.argonautarecords.com

DUN RINGILL live:
08.03.2019 SWE – Helsingborg / Rockbåten
04.05.2019 SWE – Gothenburg / Sticky Fingers

DUN RINGILL is:
Thomas Eriksson – Vocals
Hans Lilja – Drums
Patrik Andersson Winberg – Bass
Jens Florén – Guitar
Tommy Stegemann – Guitar
Patric Grammann – Guitar

Dun Ringill on Thee Facebooks

Argonauta Records website

Argonauta Records on Thee Facebooks

As a gentleman of a certain age, every time I see the title of Dun Ringill‘s debut album, Welcome, I can’t help but hear the word said in the voice of the America Online sound effect on my Windows 95 computer. It was followed surely by “You’ve got mail,” or at least hopefully, since that was the equivalent endorphin rush to what social media notifications are now. “I’ve got mail, therefore I am,” and so on. All of this is surely besides the point of the Swedish outfit naming their first long-player Welcome, but it’s just where my head goes, and hey, it’s Friday, so maybe just roll with it.

The six-piece band have set a March 1 release for Welcome through Argonauta Records and have just unveiled the alternately nifty and horrifying cover art, as well as the track details and more background of its making. It all came down the PR wire, which assures regularly that, indeed, I’ve got mail. Which is fortunate, because I don’t have any friends to contact me otherwise, perhaps in part because I’m the kind of person who remembers computer sound blips from two and a half decades ago.

Info follows:

DUN RINGILL REVEAL ALBUM DETAILS!

Debut ‘Welcome’ drops March 1st 2019!

Of what started as a dark and doomy project with Nordic folk influences, when some of the best musicians the Gothenburg scene has to offer came together for a jam in 2017, should become something bigger: Welcome DUN RINGILL, your next favorite new Doom Rock band featuring members of The Order Of Israfel, Doomdogs, Intoxicate, ex Grotesque and many more! Set for a release on March 1st 2019 with Argonauta Records, today DUN RINGILL have unveiled the hotly anticipated details about their first and full-length debut album titled ‘Welcome’!

Recorded with mastermind sound wizard Julien Fabré and co-produced together with the band, the album artwork has been created by Niklas Sundin (Dark Tranquility). DUN RINGILL’s debut ‘Welcome’ will also feature songs with guest musicians such as Per Wiberg of Candlemass, Kamchatka and formerly Opeth.

The ‘Welcome’ track list will read as follows:

1. Welcome To The Fun Fair Horror Time Machine
(feat. Emil Rolof on Piano + Björn Johansson on Flute)
2. Black Eyed Kids (feat. Emil Rolof on Mellotron)
3. Open Your Eyes (And See The Happiness And Truth)
4. The Door
5. Snow Of Ashes
6. The Demon Within (feat. Per Wiberg on Hammond + Matilda Winberg on Intro Vocals)

When The Order of Israfel took a one year break from September 2017, the rhythm section Patrik Andersson Winberg (Bass) and drummer Hans Lilja (also in Lotus) grabbed the chance to create new music again together with Patrik’s old band mate from the Doomdogs era, Tomas Eriksson (Intoxicate and ex Grotesque). To make this exciting project of DUN RINGILL as great as possible, the band teamed up with Gothenburg’s fella musicians, guitarists Tommy Stegemann (Silverhorse), Jens Florén (also in Lommi & ex- live guitarist for Dark Tranquillity) and Patric Grammann (SFT, Neon Leon). In late 2018, the band premiered a first music video to the album opening track, watch ‘Welcome To The Fun Fair Horror Time Machine’ HERE!

Coming in CD, LP and Digital Download formats, ‘Welcome’ by DUN RINGILL is available to pre-order at: www.argonautarecords.com

DUN RINGILL is:
Thomas Eriksson – Vocals
Hans Lilja – Drums
Patrik Andersson Winberg – Bass
Jens Florén – Guitar
Tommy Stegemann – Guitar
Patric Grammann – Guitar

DUN RINGILL live:
08.03.2019 SWE – Helsingborg / Rockbåten
04.05.2019 SWE – Gothenburg / Sticky Fingers

www.facebook.com/DunRingillSwe
www.argonautarecords.com
www.facebook.com/ArgonautaRecords

Dun Ringill, “Welcome to the Fun Fair Horror Time Machine” official video

If the title sounds completely over the top, it is. I think that’s the idea. Apart from a studio snippet posted on the social medias, this is the first audio made public from Dun Ringill‘s impending debut album, Welcome, and it’s a rousing start. That’s probably the idea too. “Welcome to the Fun Fair Horror Time Machine.” What’s in a name, right?

Well, this name brings along nine-plus minutes of classic doom from members of Doomdogs and The Order of Israfel, among others — six dudes; plenty of pedigree to go around — and calls upon the masters of Scandinavian doom in order to cast its sound. Yes, I’m talking about Candlemass, but also some of Lord Vicar and Reverend Bizarre‘s ultra-schooled worship of Saint Vitus and Black Sabbath, doom that wants to get to the roots of when it and metal came together to become something dark and encompassing. I don’t know if horror themes will persist throughout Dun Ringill‘s recently-tracked LP, which Argonauta will release early next year, but they make an impression here with nod-ready riffs and vocals that swap between cleaner, Ozzy-style vocals and a throaty delivery of the titular hook that, yeah, it’s a little silly, but is also bound to get stuck in your head.

That is, get ready to spend the rest of your day welcoming various and sundry other people to the fun fair horror time machine. If only in your inner monologue.

I won’t claim to know what the rest of the album has in store, but “Welcome to the Fun Fair Horror Time Machine” is a more than solid execution of unpretentious traditional doom, and it bodes well for what might follow. The personnel already had me looking forward to the record. It’s fortunate to have the first glimpse at the material itself live up to that.

Enjoy:

Dun Ringill, “Welcome to the Fun Fair Horror Time Machine” official video

We are so proud and happy to finally release our debut video!

The single is also out on all digital platforms.

It was easy for us to pick the track “Welcome to the Fun Fair Horror Time Machine” as the first video and single” the band explains. “It shows the variety of the band that has their roots in doom but paints them with nordic folk music. The lyric idea behind is to explore the evil and dark side of our minds and this song and video shows it pretty well.“

Filmed & Directed by Robert Hellström
Make up Marianne Stepperud Antonsen
Actors Tomas Olsson, Ozzy Grammann, Eddie Grammann
Special thanks to Nalles Tivoli

Dun Ringill on Thee Facebooks

Argonauta Records website

Argonauta Records on Thee Facebooks

Adding to the ever-expanding roster of Argonauta Records is the Swedish troupe Dun Ringill, which boasts in its six-piece ranks members of The Order of Israfel and Silverhorse, among a slew of others. Music is pretty sparse at this point — that is, no demos or anything like that — but there’s a studio snippet they posted on Thee Facebooks you can see below and that sounds plenty doomy. The band take their name either from the Jethro Tull song or the Iron Age fort on the Isle of Skye that inspired it, and either way, the promise of Scandinavian folk with some pro-shop doom sounds pretty right on to me. Their debut album, Welcome, is set for release early in 2019, and I’ll hope to have more to come before then.

The PR wire gives the announcement like this:

DUN RINGILL SIGN TO ARGONAUTA RECORDS!

Feat. members of THE ORDER OF ISRAFEL, DOOMDOGS, LOTUS, SILVERHORSE & many more!

Debut album ‘Welcome’ coming in early 2019!

When The Order of Israfel took a one year break from September 2017, the rhythm section Patrik Andersson Winberg (Bass) and drummer Hans Lilja (also in Lotus), grabbed the chance to create new music again together with Patrik’s old band mate from the Doomdogs era, Tomas Eriksson (Intoxicate and ex Grotesque).

Of what started as a dark and doomy project with Nordic folk influences, creating music with big harmonies and present them with lyrics in the land of evil and darkness that were hiding behind a closed door in the mind of Winberg, became something bigger and your new favorite Swedish Heavy Doom Rock band was born: Welcome DUN RINGILL, who just signed a worldwide deal with Italy’s rising label Argonauta Records!

Says the band: „We in Dun Ringill are super stoked to strike this deal with Argonauta Records! We do believe that Argonauta is the new Black for the doom and hard rock scene and that together with us as a band we will create magic and reach beyond our wildest dreams. Welcome to the land of Dun Ringill!“

To be able to make this project as great as possible the band teamed up with some of the best musicians the Gothenburg scene has to offer: Tommy Stegemann, Guitar (Silverhorse), Jens Florén, Guitar (also in Lommi & ex live guitarist for Dark Tranquillity), as well as Patric Grammann (SFT, Neon Leon) on guitar, a master of melancholy melodies and harmonies.

DUN RINGILL just finished to record their debut album with mastermind Julien Fabré as sound engineer and co-producer together with the band. Titled ‘Welcome’, the band is set for an album release in early 2019 with Argonauta Records. The soon to be unveiled album artwork has been created by Niklas Sundin (Dark Tranquility). ‘Welcome’ will also feature songs with guest musicians such as Per Wiberg of Candlemass, Kamchatka and formerly Opeth.

Stay tuned for many more news, live dates & album details coming soon!

www.facebook.com/DunRingillSwe
www.argonautarecords.com
www.facebook.com/ArgonautaRecords

Dun Ringill, studio snippet