Osi and The Jupiter is a neofolk project from the mind of Kent, Ohio denizen Sean Deth. Named after his two German Shepherds, Osiris and Jupiter, Sean set out on this pastoral endeavor back in 2015. It’s a tonal far cry, at least instrumentally, from his other prevailing bands, Witchhelm (vocals and bass), Ulven (one-man, all instruments), and Burial Oath (vocals), each of which resides in the artery of black metal. However, when I steep myself in the mysticism brimming from Osi and The Jupiter compositions, I can’t help but feel a kinship smoldering between them and the arctic extremities of black metal.

The vast majority of the instruments and their respective arrangements are performed and placed by Sean. Be it the acoustic guitar melodies, the enrapturing swells of celestial synth, the chitters and murmurs heard from myriads of night critters, or his shamanistic vocalizations, Nordlige Rúnaskog encapsulates the serenity of nature in every fiber of its construction. This wondrous pine- and oak-sodden canopy is further elevated by the droning cello craftsmanship of Kakophonix (Hvile I Kaos). As it delicately weaves through and between each instrument performed by Sean, it permeates a primordial aura that sways like a tranquil wind. And meditative all of the strings become when tribal drum rhythms throb.

We both have a lot to say about this record. From the live Osi show we caught at Fire in The Mountains last summer to Connor’s attempts at re-telling Norse myths, there’s a great deal to unpack. Thank you for tuning in.