1349 is back after five years of silence and not exactly in the way you might expect them to have returned. The band just dropped their new song "Dødskamp," which was commissioned by Innovation Norway, Visit Norway and the Munch Museum. The commissioning unit approached four different Norwegian musical artists to give their artistic interpretation of famous Norwegian painter Edvard Munch, and of course 1349 handed in a very black metal piece of music.
Here's what guitarist Archaon had to say.
"Munch is arguably the biggest Norwegian artist throughout history, together with Edvard Grieg, I suppose. His works are tremendously dark and eerie, reflecting a lot of anxiety, pain and loneliness, in the way I perceive them. So, it suited us perfectly. I chose the work 'Dødskamp' which directly translates 'Death Struggle' and speaks volumes for itself. It was an emotionally heavy task, and also a completely new way to compose. As well as some very long nights, bereaved of sleep. In the end though, it was worth it. This is the soundtrack to the dilemmas of mortality."
"Dødskamp" is out digitally now and on vinyl come April 5, with the latter containing the live bonus track "Atomic Chapel."
