Einar Selvik (born 18 November 1979), also known by his stage name Kvitrafn… Read Full Bio ↴Einar Selvik (born 18 November 1979), also known by his stage name Kvitrafn, is a Norwegian musician known for being the drummer in the black metal band Gorgoroth from 2000 to 2004, and for fronting the Nordic folk project Wardruna, founded in 2003 and also including Gorgoroth's ex-vocalist Gaahl. Selvik and Wardruna's soundtrack work for the History Channel television show Vikings has earned him international prominence, and he also appeared as an actor on the show.

On 1 March 2016, A Piece for Mind & Mirror by Skuggsjá, a collaboration between Kvitrafn and Enslaved's Ivar Bjørnson, was announced and streamed. Prepared for the 200th anniversary of the Norwegian Constitution, the album tells the history of Norway, and was released by Season of Mist on 11 March.

Selvik has also recorded with other projects including Det Hedenske Folk, Bak de Syv Fjell, Jotunspor, Sahg, Dead to this World and Faun. Furthermore, he has worked on the soundtrack for Assassin's Creed Valhalla.

Intro: Ull Kjem
Einar Selvik Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Dette var eit land, lenge før det var eit land

Før me kom, bygga og sleit det ned

Hova reiste seg, og hjarta brann

Me lytta, ofra og søkte fred

Dei bygde hus i hjarta sine
til mi søster, bror, min far og mi mor

Dei gjorde vinteren trygg for meg og min
haldt liv i flammen og frøa i jord

Nye tankar kom med sverd og kniv
om at mange skulle bli éin

Fri og dauden, eller trell og liv,
og no er natta her, og timen sein

Overall Meaning

The opening lyrics of Einar Selvik's song "Intro: Ull Kjem" paint a vivid picture of a land that existed long before it was recognized as a country by humans. The song speaks of how people came and built their homes in their hearts, keeping their families and loved ones safe during the harsh winters. The people of this land sacrificed and searched for peace, but then a time of change came with the arrival of new ideas and weapons that sought to unite them under one rule. The song suggests that the night has fallen, and the time has come for decisions to be made about whether to fight for freedom or accept a life of slavery.

The lyrics present the idea that the land existed independently of human recognition and intervention, and it was only when people came, built, and destroyed that it became a recognizable entity. Furthermore, the lyrics highlight the importance of family and community in facing challenges and keeping the fires burning. Also, the lyrics suggest the changing landscape following the arrival of new ideas and inventions, with the concomitant effect of a loss of peace and the inevitability of a decision between freedom and slavery.

Line by Line Meaning

Dette var eit land, lenge før det var eit land
This land existed before it was officially recognized

Før me kom, bygga og sleit det ned
Before we arrived, we built and destroyed it

Hova reiste seg, og hjarta brann
The spirit rose up and the heart burned

Me lytta, ofra og søkte fred
We listened, sacrificed, and sought peace

Dei bygde hus i hjarta sine
They built homes in their hearts

til mi søster, bror, min far og mi mor
For my sister, brother, father, and mother

Dei gjorde vinteren trygg for meg og min
They made winter safe for me and mine

haldt liv i flammen og frøa i jord
Kept the flame and the seeds alive in the soil

Nye tankar kom med sverd og kniv
New ideas came with swords and knives

om at mange skulle bli éin
That many should become one

Fri og dauden, eller trell og liv,
Freedom and death, or slavery and life