Swedish psychedelic rockers Nephila share new single »The Hidden Folk«; sophomore album »Huldra« out August 28th on Majestic Mountain Records!
Swedish psychedelic rockers Nephila share the second single »The Hidden Folk« taken from their upcoming sophomore album, »Huldra«, set to release on August 28th, 2026 via Majestic Mountain Records.
Nephila comments: “A journey through the darkest forests and mist-shrouded mountains of Nordic folklore. The song weaves together tales of enchanting elves, trolls that guard the depths of the wilderness, and the ancient forces that dwell beyond the realm of humankind. At its core lies the fear of being bergtagen, spirited away from reality and lost to a hidden world where time stands still and no path back remains. With its dark and mysterious atmosphere, the song is a tribute to the legends and mythical beings that have endured through generations of Nordic folklore.”
Tracklist:
01. Mother Of The Woods
02. In Her Hands
03. The Hidden Folk
04. Ash Their Bones
05. Capercailles Hymn
06. Huldra
07. Solar Eclipse
08. The Living Grave
09. F.I.N.N
Courtesy of Viral Propaganda PR:
Some bands evolve gradually. Others disappear into the woods and emerge transformed. Sweden’s Nephila have done the latter.
Since forming in Arvika, Värmland in 2017, the masked rock collective have carved out a distinctive identity rooted in the spirit of 1970s rock while refusing to be confined by nostalgia. Driven by twin lead vocalists and twin lead guitarists, Nephila have always balanced hypnotic grooves with soaring melodies, creating music that feels both familiar and strangely otherworldly. But from the very beginning, the band has been about more than music alone. Their mysterious masked appearance has become an integral part of the band’s identity, reinforcing the cinematic world that surrounds their music.
Following the release of their first single in 2018, Nephila quickly established themselves as one of Sweden’s most intriguing new rock acts. Their acclaimed debut album embraced the warmth and swagger of classic 70s rock while hinting at something darker beneath the surface, earning a nomination for Rock/Metal Album of the Year at Sweden’s prestigious P3 Guld Awards in 2022.
Now, three years in the making, »Huldra« marks the beginning of a bold new chapter.
Rather than simply expanding on the sound of their debut, Nephila have shed their musical skin entirely. The result is a heavier, richer, and far more atmospheric album, one that surrounds its listeners with towering riffs, haunting vocal harmonies, and layers of texture that mirror the mystery and complexity of the Scandinavian forest itself.
The groove remains unmistakably Nephila, but this time it is cloaked in shadow.
At the heart of »Huldra« lies an ambitious concept inspired by the legend of the skogsrå, the enigmatic forest spirit of Nordic folklore. Across the album, every song becomes another chapter in a world built around this captivating figure, who acts as both narrator and guide through an untamed landscape where beauty and danger exist side by side.
From the whispering darkness beneath ancient trees to the liberating force found deep within nature, »Huldra« unfolds as a cinematic journey through myth, transformation, and humanity’s fragile relationship with the natural world.
Yet beneath its folklore lies something far more contemporary.
“It’s not just about mythology,” explain vocalists Josephine Asker and the band’s newest member, Linn Edlund. “It’s about what the forest spirit represents, our fascination with the unknown and the tension between being drawn to it and fearing it.”
That symbolism runs throughout the album. Historically, women who challenged the expectations of their time, whether through independence, ambition, or simply refusing to conform, were often misunderstood, demonized, or feared. In Nephila’s interpretation, the skogsrå becomes a powerful reflection of that history: a woman who answers to no one, ruling her own world while society casts her as both temptation and threat.
The album explores identity, freedom, power, and our instinctive longing for places beyond civilization, allowing ancient mythology to speak directly to modern anxieties.
The road to »Huldra« has been anything but straightforward.
The project took more than three years to complete, slowed by the aftermath of the pandemic, lineup changes, and the arrival of new members. Just as the record neared completion, another setback followed when the label originally scheduled to release the album declared bankruptcy in 2025, forcing Nephila to postpone its release once again.
Undeterred, the band continued refining the record.
During the late summer of 2024, Nephila recorded »Huldra« between guitarist Jacob Hellenrud’s studio and a remote former orphanage in Lappnäs, a setting whose isolation and atmosphere seeped naturally into the music.
The wait is finally over.
On August 28, Nephila will release »Huldra« through Majestic Mountain Records, inviting listeners into their most haunting, cinematic, and emotionally profound work to date. It is an album where classic heavy rock collides with Nordic folklore, where towering riffs meet haunting melodies, and where the forest itself becomes both storyteller and sanctuary.
Line-up:
Josephine Asker – Vocals
Linn Edlund – Vocals
Jacob Hellenrud – Guitar
Anton Athley – Guitar
Charlie Andersson Vistbacka – Bass
Johan Larsson – Organ & Keyboards
Johan Lööf – Drums
FFO: Graveyard, Lucifer, Blues Pills, Blood Ceremony
Bojan Bidovc // music enthusiast, promoter, misanthrop and sometimes a journalist as well