New album, “Song Of The Winter Throne – The Saga Of Håkon Håkonsson”, out on October 2nd!
Thew new ambitious album of British progressive rock composer, keyboardist and producer Clive Nolan tells the story of one of medieval Norway’s most remarkable kings.
Blending progressive rock, folk, orchestral, cinematic and epic rock elements, the album tells the extraordinary story of Håkon Håkonsson, the child born in secrecy during one of the most turbulent periods of Norwegian history, who would eventually become one of the country’s most important medieval kings.
The project follows Nolan’s longstanding fascination with the mythology, history and storytelling traditions of the North.
His 2020 project Song of the Wildlands explored the world of Beowulf, combining orchestra, soloists and a 200-voice choir singing in Old English. That experience left Nolan wanting to return to the North — but this time with a story rooted in history rather than myth.
“Having immersed myself in the world of Beowulf, I found that the pull of the North had not loosened its grip on me. The sagas, the stark beauty of Norway, the rhythm of old stories carried across crackling fires and ocean spray… all of it continued to echo in my imagination long after the final notes of ‘Wildlands’ had faded. There were more stories to tell… and perhaps, this time, something based in history, rather than myth. The more I explored Haakon’s world, the more I realised that this was not simply the story of a king’s reign. It was a story of survival. This was the perfect story for me to set as an album!”
It is a story of war, ambition, loyalty, power and ultimately legacy — themes that Nolan translates into a cinematic musical journey.
(Photograph by Kristina Clason)
https://www.clivenolan.net
https://www.facebook.com/clive.nolan.7
