British Progressive Rock composer, keyboardist and producer Clive Nolan has announced his ambitious new studio album, “Song Of The Winter Throne – The Saga Of Håkon Håkonsson,” due for release on 2 October 2026 via WLR (We Låve Rock) and Oskar Records.
Blending Progressive Rock, Folk, Orchestral, Cinematic and Epic Rock elements, the album tells the extraordinary story of Håkon Håkonsson, the child born in secrecy during one of the most turbulent periods of Norwegian history, who would eventually become one of the country’s most important Medieval kings.
It is a story of survival, war, ambition, loyalty, power and ultimately legacy — themes that Nolan translates into a Cinematic musical journey.
Watch the official music video for the first single “Frost Upon The Longships” via the YouTube player below:
“Song of the Winter Throne” tells the saga of Håkon Håkonsson, the child born in secrecy who became one of Norway’s most important Medieval kings. Born in 1204 at Folkenborg, Håkon was the son of King Håkon Sverresson and Inga of Varteig. His claim to the throne was dangerous from the beginning. Norway was divided by civil war, and the infant prince became a threat to those who wished to control the crown. The album opens in a world of snow, fear, and whispered bloodlines, where a mother protects a child whose name could change the fate of a kingdom. As enemies gather, loyal Birkebeiner warriors carry the young Håkon across the mountains through brutal winter conditions, preserving the fragile hope of a future king. Hidden for years, he grows beneath borrowed roofs, learning to survive while the realm remains divided. His legitimacy is confirmed through one of the saga’s most powerful moments: Inga’s trial by hot iron. Before church and court, she carries the burning iron to prove her son’s royal blood. When no wound is found, the ordeal becomes a divine judgement in Håkon’s favour. Håkon became king in 1217, but at first he wore a “puppet crown,” with others ruling in his name. Chief among them was Skule Bårdsson, his guardian, regent, and eventual rival. Though Skule was made Norway’s first duke, ambition drove him to claim the
throne for himself. In 1239, he was proclaimed king, and Norway was torn once more into civil war.
Håkon then rises as a true ruler and commander. Skule is hunted down and killed at Elgeseter monastery in Nidaros in 1240, bringing the long age of Norwegian civil war towards its end. Peace follows. Håkon is formally crowned in Bergen in 1247, and the realm begins to flourish through law, order, music, saga, and renewed strength.
The story then turns outward. Håkon’s influence reaches across the northern sea roads, withIceland and Greenland accepting Norwegian rule in the early 1260s. The hidden child has become lord of a kingdom of longships, oaths, frost, and ocean. Yet his final campaign brings no easy triumph. In 1263, Håkon sails west to defend Norway’s claims in the Hebrides against Scotland, but storms scatter his fleet and the campaign falters. Driven north to Orkney, the old king faces the end of his long road. He dies in Kirkwall in December 1263, far from home but carved into legend.
The album closes as both elegy and remembrance: the boy born in shadow, the king forged in fire, and the ruler of the Winter Throne.
Pre-Order “Song Of The Winter Throne – The Saga Of Håkon Håkonsson” here: CD Version | 2xLP Version | 2xLP Blue Ice | Earbook + 2xCD + DVD
Main Album Tracklist:
01. Bornin Shadow (03:13)
02. The Womanfrom Varteig(04:34)
03. Wolves Gather (03:02)
04. Flightof the Birkebeiners (03:28)
05. The Hidden Prince (04:12)
06. Ritualof Faith(04:29)
07. The Puppet Crown (04:23)
08. Fractured Throne(03:40)
09. The Swordandthe Fire(06:04)
10. A Kingdom Rejoices (03:23)
11. Frost UpontheLongships (04:38)
12. Stormsand Wrecks (03:50)
13. The Kinginthe Mist (04:52)
14. The Winter Throne(03:10)
Bonus Album (Earbook) Track List:
01. Wearethe Storm andtheIron (06:05)
02. Back to Varteig (04:40)
03. Stringsand Necks (03:20)
04. Crowns Across Time (04:30)
05. Inthe Mist (04:51)
06. The First Prince (03:59)
07. Ritualof Faith(Ceremonial Mix) (03:35)
08. More Wreckage (03:50)
09. Purely Instrumental Flight (03:33)
10. Puppet Frets (04:31)
11.Longships Backing Track (04:01)
12. The Narration(Fireside Mix) (08:13)
DVD (Earbook):
Forging the Winter Throne: The Making of the Album
— About Clive Nolan —
Clive Nolan is a British musician, composer, and producer renowned for his pivotal role in shaping Progressive and Symphonic Rock. Born in Gloucestershire, he studied at Wycliffe College and King’s School, Gloucester, before earning his B.Mus and M.Mus degrees at London University, where he focused on composition, orchestration, and conducting. Clive’s career in Progressive Rock was cemented with Pendragon, where he has served as the band’s keyboardist since 1986, contributing to seminal albums like “The Window of Life” and “Not of This World.” In 1995, he co-founded Arena with drummer Mick Pointer, creating one of the genre’s defining acts with albums such as “The Visitor” and “Contagion.” Shadowland, formed in 1992, further showcased his lyrical and Melodic prowess, while his collaborations with projects like Strangers on a Train and Caamora added to his diverse musical portfolio. In addition to his work with these bands, Clive has also ventured into theatrical productions. As the founder of the Caamora Theatre Company, he has written and staged several musicals, including “She,” “Alchemy,” and “King’s Ransom” which have been performed internationally. In 2016, Caamora Norway was established, producing acclaimed shows like the all-Norwegian ‘Alchemy’ performances at Høytorp Fort in Mysen (2017). Clive’s most recent
musical “The Mortal Light,” the continuation of perilous adventures in the ‘Alchemy’ universe, was released in February 2026.
In recent years, Clive has expanded his artistic scope. His 2020 project “Song of the Wildlands,” a secular oratorio inspired by “Beowulf’, featured an orchestra, soloists, and a two-hundred-voice choir singing in Old English. Additionally, he joined Eric Bouillette’s project Imaginærium as the main composer, lyricist, and keyboardist, releasing “The Rise of Medici” in 2021 and continued to work with singer Laura Piazzai on a follow-up album,
“Siege” released in 2025. Clive’s literary contributions include two books published in 2020: “This Is Not The Zombie Apocalypse!” and “Nightmares, Nonsense and Nursery Rhymes,” further reflecting his multifaceted creative pursuits.
Despite his theatrical achievements, Clive remains committed to his roots in Progressive Rock, as he continues to tour with both Arena and Pendragon. In 2024, he launched the “Mead Hall” in Hereford, UK, a music and theatre venue celebrating his creative legacy with four sold-out events in 2024, 2025 and 2026, followed by a Folk Rock concert, The Knights Templar Symposium and two Clack Crow Historical Society Viking conventions.
Clive’s work has earned him numerous accolades, including numerous Classic Rock Society Best Keyboard Player awards, HRH Best Keyboard Player, the Bolivian government’s Honorary Visitor title, the MLWZ Golden Lexicon Award in Poland, and a Gold Disc for his contributions to Dragon Force’s ‘Inhuman Rampage’. Through his work with Pendragon, Arena, Shadowland, Imaginaerium and his theatrical ventures, Clive Nolan has cemented his legacy as one of Progressive Rock’s most innovative and influential figures.