With the city at a near stand-still after a brutal winter storm, fans still managed to flock to The Great Hall in Toronto, Ontario, Canada for an evening of Northern/Arctic-inspired music by the multi-talented Sylaine and Eivør. The array of folk, electronica, and post-rock/black metal on display warmed the souls (and frostbitten extremities) of everyone in attendance; while the venue’s outstanding acoustic resonance and Victorian architecture provided the perfect backdrop for the haunting and ethereal sounds of the evening’s performances.

SYLVAINE
Norwegian multi-instrumentalist Kathrine Shepard (more widely known in metal circles as Sylvaine) was, without a doubt, the perfect opener for this tour. Kicking off her five-song set with the celestial ‘Dagsens Auga Sloknar Ut’ and ‘Mørklagt’ (from 2024’s Eg Er Framand and 2018’s Atoms Aligned, Coming Undone, respectively), it became immediately apparent that the long-tressed, enigmatic virtuoso didn’t need a full band to captivate an audience; her voice, guitar, and atmospheric soundscapes are more than enough to transport listeners into dream-like states. From the opening notes of ‘I Close My Eyes So I Can See’, it was as if gravity ceased to exist in the venue. The airy tenor of her vocals, layered with incredibly hypnotic looping effects, created an atmosphere I can only describe as what it might feel like floating through the vast cosmos. If I hadn’t pinched myself, I might have believed this true. This was immediately followed up by the equally stunning ‘L’Appel Du Vide’ (translated to mean: The Call of the Void) and ‘Eg Er Framand’ (of the EP of the same name).

Sylvaine’s beautiful performance tonight exemplified the principles of noble simplicity and calm grandeur, a phrase introduced by the German architect Johann Wolfgang von Goethe to describe the aesthetic values of Neoclassical architecture. Similarly, Sylvaine concentrated on harmony, balance, and clarity in her music to express strength and beauty through simplicity, avoiding excessive embellishment. It doesn’t get much better than this, folks.

Setlist
‘Dagsens Auga Sloknar Ut’, ‘Mørklagt’, ‘I Close My Eyes So I Can See’, ‘L’appel Du Vide’, ‘Eg Er Framand’

EIVØR
To witness the stunningly charismatic Faroese singer-songwriter Eivør in a live setting is an experience that I would describe as both ‘ancient’ and ‘otherworldly’. To be clear, Eivør herself is not ancient, as she radiates a youthful beauty that is the antithesis of her music. In this context, the descriptor of ‘ancient ‘ relates to the core of her music, which exudes a timeless connection to her homeland’s traditional music and mythology. The ‘otherworldly’ in this context describes the elements of synthpop/synthwave/electronic music that are peppered throughout the set, giving the whole of the performance a slightly cyberpunk-ed version of Nordic folk (which would not have been out of place in some cantina in a galaxy far, far away).

Eivør opened her set with the first four tracks from her latest album, Enn, released last year on Season Of Mist. As the performance began, a profound silence enveloped the eager crowd, amplifying the anticipation that filled the historic 130-year-old venue. The delicate, haunting piano arrangement of ‘Ein Klóta’ floated through the air, wrapping the audience in a serene embrace; while Eivør‘s radiant voice pierced through the lingering ethereal mist, evoking the essence of an ancient spirit awakened by her enchanting vocal melodies. Each note resonated, weaving a spell that captivated everyone present. Almost immediately, the mood of the room shifted from deeply contemplative to hypnotic and trance-inducing as the boom of a pulsating synth and the tribal-like drums of ‘Jarðartrá’ resonated throughout the hall. This modern-yet-primal vibe continued on with the next track, ‘Hugsi Bert Um Teg’, which also had one of the most memorable choruses and sing-alongs of the night.

Between songs, Eivør interacted with the audience in a fun and thoughtful manner, showcasing her strong connection with fans. Her backing band of the night was stunningly impressive, complimenting her every word with a judiciously executed performance. All in all, this was easily one of the best tours to come through Toronto yet in 2025. For this metal-devouring scribe, it was something a bit different, which I truly appreciated and will have fond memories of for years to come.

Setlist
‘Ein Klóta’, ‘Jarðartrá’, ‘Hugsi Bert Um Teg’, ‘Purpurhjarta’, ‘Let It Come’, ‘Skyscrapers’, ‘Trøllabundin’, ‘True Love (Extended Intro)’, ‘Enn’, ‘Upp Úr Øskuni’, ‘Hymn 49’, ‘Salt’, ‘Í Tokuni’, ‘Gullspunnin’, ‘You Want It Darker (Leonard Cohen cover w/Sylvaine), ‘Falling Free’