Nytt Land Ritual in Poland
The tour opened with three Polish
dates. Organized by Gryf Events, they arrived in Białystok, Warsaw, and Rybnik.
I managed to arrive in Białystok at the very last possible moment, only minutes
before the concert began. I had just seven minutes left before the start.
Anyone who knows me knows that this is absolutely not my style. After rushing
around all day, I could not fully tune myself into the concert the way I wanted
to, especially not for a ritual-like performance such as this. It also felt
unusual that there was no opening band. Somehow, I have become used to concerts
always having one. But here there was none, and honestly, it was not missed at
all.
At 7 PM they stepped onto the stage,
and when the set ended, I could already head home while it was still relatively
early in the evening, something I was particularly grateful for. If this
concert had taken place in this country, the starting time would probably have
been around 9 PM just so it could end unnecessarily late.
In Białystok there were relatively
few people attending, and neither the sound nor the lights were particularly
good. I also was not at my best mentally, so I would rather focus this review
on the Warsaw performance. In every possible way, the Warsaw show was miles
better.
About an hour before the concert,
some classical music started playing — mea culpa, I do not know these
compositions well enough to identify them. Then, around ten minutes before the
beginning, Nytt Land’s opening music started playing, and shortly after 7 PM
the intro finally began.
For me, Nytt Land belongs to that
rare category of bands that I enjoy far more live than at home on record. At
home I cannot fully disconnect from reality, but the moment they appear on
stage and create that atmosphere, they truly bring the experience of genuine
trance and spiritual immersion to life.
We have already become accustomed to
the fact that there is never too much lighting at a Nytt Land concert, and this
time was no different — and that is exactly how it should be. The Warsaw
lighting was perfectly executed, unlike in Białystok where the stage was
drowning in pink light and even lasers became part of the visual setup. I
personally love how clean and organized their stage presence always feels. Even
though there are only two of them — or rather one standing while Anatoly sits —
they completely fill the space with their music.
Everything is permeated by the depth
and pagan ritual atmosphere they create during their performances. The audience
often stood completely motionless watching them, while at other moments almost
everyone seemed to sway together in unison. It is rare to witness a concert
where nearly the entire audience experiences the music in the exact same
hypnotic state.
In Warsaw this atmosphere was
occasionally interrupted by applause between songs, while in Białystok there
was barely any applause between tracks, meaning nothing broke that trance-like
immersion. Their performances contain no unnecessary show elements — no
speeches, no filler, nothing beyond the music and the two of them on stage,
which is entirely enough and makes the experience feel complete.
Naturally, the shamanic drum plays
the central role among the authentic instruments used during the concert, but
wind and string instruments also appear, including the tagelharpa and kravik
lyre, as well as the jaw harp, all contributing even more to the traditional
atmosphere.
What always fascinates me is
Natalia’s voice — the way she moves effortlessly between clean vocals and
throat singing. A deep silence settled over the audience while the ritual
lasted. The atmosphere at their performances is not the usual concert energy;
it is more like a shared meditation, a collective journey into the world of the
shamans living in the taiga. Everyone becomes completely absorbed in the dark
and meditative world the two of them summon onto the stage.
By the end of the concert, even
those seeing them for the very first time likely realized that Nytt Land is not
just another folk band among dozens of others. They create an atmosphere during
their performances — an atmosphere that is beautiful, dark, frightening, and
spiritual all at once.
Very few concerts are truly capable
of pulling me completely out of everyday reality, but theirs absolutely do. In
Warsaw I was genuinely surprised when, after leaving the stage, the audience
erupted into massive applause and kept waiting for them to return, refusing to
stop clapping for a long time.
Of course, this concert is not for
people who are used to raw metal shows and nonstop moshing. But for those who
may not know them yet and enjoy bands like Heilung, I can warmly recommend
attending a Nytt Land concert whenever the opportunity arises, because they
will most likely love the experience.
Setlist:
1.
Intro
2.
Taiga
3.
Medved
4.
Ritual
5.
Rig
6.
Flute Solo
7.
U-Gra
8.
10 min
9.
Risu Raknar
10. Ragnarok
11. Blood of the North
12. Khakas
13. Nord
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