Finland’s multi-Platinum cello-rock band Apocalyptica have released the video for ‘En Route To Mayhem’, which will transport the viewer to a fantastical post-humanity future. This imaginary world is barren, dusty, and littered with broken pieces of things once considered essential to humankind such as bits of plastic, a teddy bear, crumbling structures, cell phones and computers, bleached bones, and long-forgotten musical instruments. The setting is devoid of mankind, but brimming with the hope of new life; and then one day, thunder, lightning, and one drop at a time, it begins to rain, and Mother Nature steps in. Check out the ‘En Route To Mayhem’ video HERE.
 
Apocalyptica’s Eicca Toppinen comments:-

     “‘En Route To Mayhem’ is a journey of hedonic needs growing into greed and aggression, driving into inner mayhem and ending without satisfaction. This video underlines the fact that however we think we are in control by destroying things and life around us, life itself will take over in the end, always. We are not in control of the bigger picture, and we should be aware of it and raise our respect to life around us.”
 
The ‘En Route To Mayhem’ video is in support of Apocalyptica’s upcoming album, Cell-0, due out January 10th, 2020 via Silver Lining Music. Produced by Apocalyptica – cellists Eicca Toppinen, Perttu Kivilaakso, and Paavo Lötjönen, and drummer Mikko Sirén and mixed by Andrew Scheps (Red Hot Chili Peppers, Lana Del Rey, Metallica and Black Sabbath), and recorded at Sonic Pump studios in Helsinki.
 
The recording of Cell-0 followed a four-year break between albums that gave the band a fresh perspective and affected the way they approached the new music. Cell-0 is the quartet's first instrumental album in 17 years and found the musicians challenging themselves to discover new flavours and colours in their respective instruments. For Cell-0 pre-order options, go to this location.
 
Perttu Kivilaakso comments:-

     “Cell-0 has a concept which is to challenge the listeners to question themselves and ask “Am I doing the best I can for the environment, for other beings? Is there still something I can change?”
 
To highlight environmental issues, the band wanted to ask fans to do something for our planet; so to coincide with the release of the new video, they have launched a very special competition, which will give fans the chance to win the opportunity for Apocalyptica to play in their living room.
 
To enter, fans will need to show the band how they are making the planet a healthier place for everyone. Fans can head to their Facebook page and comment with photos/videos showing what they are doing to help the planet and telling the band why they should be picked as a winner.
 
To find out more information, head to the band’s Facebook page. The online contest is open to all European fans from now and will close at 7:00 pm CET Friday, January 10th, 2020.  Full terms and conditions can be found here.
 
In concert, Apocalyptica are known for their moving live performances and will kick off the New Year as Special Guests on Sabaton's 15-country, 23-date European arena tour that begins on January 17, 2020 in Zurich, Switzerland. With a set list that will likely vary night to night, Apocalyptica's performances will be comprised of new songs from Cell-0 as well as from the band's rich catalogue. Tickets are on sale now; go to https://www.apocalyptica.com for all pre-sales, VIP packages, and ticketing details.

Notörious is a hard rock/glam metal band from Bergen, Norway. The band was formed at the beginning of 2018 with the intention to bring back to life the classic sound of the hard rock/glam metal bands that ruled the Sunset Strip back in the early 1980’s. The band is inspired by legendary groups such as Mötley Crüe, Van Halen (not Van Hagar), Yngwie Malmsteen’s Rising Force, Europe, Skid Row and Poison, etc. Being a Norwegian band, they also draw inspiration from the black metal scene and incorporate some elements of this into their own music adding spice to the mix.

The band released their first EP called Seducer in the spring of 2019 and got great reviews, saying that the band was able to capture the rawness of those earlier mentioned bands …yet the music also has a lot of originality to it. Now the boys are ready with their first full length album Glamorized which will be released via Sliptrick Records in 2020.

Notörious Dream are:

Chris Höudini – Lead Vocals
Nikki DiCato – Lead Guitar/Backing Vocals
Andy Sweet – Bass/Backing Vocals
Freddy Kixx – Drums

Facebook | Youtube | Instagram | On Sliptrick

There is ample reason to celebrate: Enslaved have once again joined forces with Nuclear Blast, to spread the music of the Norwegian avant-garde metallers all around the globe. With that, band and label renew a collaboration that has been ongoing for around ten years and two years ago produced the universally lauded album E.

Band founding member and guitarist Ivar Bjornson stated about the re-signing:

     "It is with great pleasure we re-sign our record deal with Nuclear Blast worldwide! We have been working together for more or less a decade, and it has been an in-divided positive experience. They have both the heart to grasp our musical visions, and the business-muscles to spread them out into the world. When you add personal friendships with the wonderful people in America, U.K. and Germany it is simply an ideal situation for us to be in. Onwards, forwards and in all directions!"

To mark the occasion, Enslaved present a stunning new music video filled with atmospheric imaginary for their interpretation of ‘What Else Is There’ by Norwegian electropop band RÖYSKOPP. The song is featured as a bonus track on the digipack CD and digital version of their latest album, E.
Watch and listen here: youtu.be/7_3WnNAJDRM


Formed in Bergen, Norway in 1991, Enslaved had evolutionary zeal in their eyes from the start. Even as they emerged from the nascent Norwegian black metal scene of the early ‘90s, guitarist Ivar Bjørnson and vocalist/bassist Grutle Kjellson demonstrated a fervently idiosyncratic approach to making extreme music. By eschewing the wilful conservatism of their peers in favour of an outward-looking ethos, Enslaved’s reputation grew rapidly in the wake of extraordinary, epic albums like their primitive but insidious debut Vikingligr Veldi and its strident follow-up Frost (both 1994). By the late ‘90s, the band had morphed into a wildly progressive and adventurous beast, always retaining the core, aggressive tenets of their musical roots but increasingly in thrall to the limitless possibilities that music, in its entirety, truly presents.

Widely acknowledged as a powerful and ferocious live band, Enslaved entered the 21st century by flexing new muscles on the acclaimed likes of 2003’s Below The Lights and its groundbreaking successor, Isa (2004). Now as much a part of the flourishing progressive rock and metal realm as they were loyal servants of the extreme metal underground, Bergen’s finest hit a rich vein of form as the years passed, with albums as diverse and challenging as 2008’s Vertebrae and 2010’s Axioma Ethica Odini joyfully expanded the Enslaved musical universe, drawing in countless new acolytes along the way.
 
In 2015, Enslaved released their 13th studio album, In Times. A tour-de-force of hypnotic prog intensity and scabrous, blackened pomp, it exuded an air of completion and finality that led perfectly into 2016’s extravagant celebrations, as Enslaved marked their 25th anniversary with some truly life-changing shows that explored all shadows and hidden corners in the band’s colossal catalogue.
 
Despite rarely pausing for breath – not just as a result of Enslaved’s hectic touring schedule, but also due to numerous extracurricular projects – the band in 2017 somehow managed to piece together yet another full-length milestone in the shape of their 14th studio effort, the elegantly titled E.

An album full of revelatory moments, spine-tingling dynamics and exquisite but alien atmospheres, E showcased a refreshed Enslaved line-up via songs that took the band into unprecedented territory. From the grandiose, weather-beaten riff-scapes of 11-minute opener Storm Son to the wild, psychedelic frontier squall of Sacred Horse and the muscular, sax-powered shoegaze barrage of monstrous closer Hiindsiight, it was both a typically bold and fearless statement from this most inventive of modern metal bands and a thrilling sideways step that harnessed the spirit of old and set it loose in a whirlwind of imagination. Conceptually, too, Enslaved made giant forward strides.
 
14 albums and 28 years into a career that shows no signs of losing neither momentum nor its magical, effervescent creative sheen, Enslaved will certainly continue evolving before our ears and eyes. This time, however, even the sky is no limit. Stronger than ever and manifestly thrilled to be in such rude health, life in Enslaved has never been more rewarding. And the best is yet to come.

Last month, Nuclear Blast announced the signing of modern metal outfit Amaranthe. To break up the recording sessions for their upcoming, yet-untitled 2020 studio album, the Swedish/Danish group kick off their 8-date »Helix Nordic Tour 2019« next week. In anticipation of the tour and to give fans a taster of what they can expect at the shows, Amaranthe have launched a drum cam video, in which Morten Løwe Sørensen can be seen performing the track 'Call Out My Name' during their show at the Ice Hall in Helsinki on February 16, 2019.

Watch the video by Antti Kangasaho now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwWcKnvu2hg

»Helix« - Scandinavia Tour 2019

20.11. FIN Oulu - Club Teatria (w/ BEYOND THE BLACK, SMASH INTO PIECES)
21.11. FIN Seinäjoki - Rytmikorjaamo (w/ BEYOND THE BLACK, SMASH INTO PIECES)
22.11. FIN Turku - Turun Messukeskus (w/ BEYOND THE BLACK, SMASH INTO PIECES)
23.11. FIN Helsinki - Hartwall Arena (w/ SABATON, APOCALYPTICA)
26.11. N Bergen - USF Verftet (w/ SYNTHETIC GENTLEMEN)
27.11. N Stavanger - Folken (w/ SYNTHETIC GENTLEMEN)
29.11. S Borlänge - Liljan (w/ ART NATION)
30.11. S Jönköping - DreamHack Winter (w/ HALESTORM, NEW YEARS DAY)


With their foundations tracing back to 2008, the group have released 5 albums since then (2011's "Amaranthe", 2013's "The Nexus", 2014's "Massive Addictive", 2016's "Maximalism", and 2018's "Helix"), consistently delivering hauntingly catchy tunes led by their unique three-part vocals. Within their arsenal of hit singles - with 'Drop Dead Cynical' leading right at the front - a myriad tracks have been received very well via press and fans alike; having also gained countless plays on both radio stations around the globe and across streaming services (the group's songs have been streamed more than 100 million times on Spotify). A string of support tours have blazed Amaranthe's trail in front of huge crowds as well as at their own headline concerts (the group impressively once performed in front of 10,000 fans at Liseberg, Gothenburg). They have kept working incredibly hard over the years, the latest product of which culminated in the form of »Helix,« which achieved them some of their highest chart positions in the band's history (Switzerland #21, Germany #29 etc.).

Be sure to follow the band on Spotify & YouTube to not miss any of their upcoming releases!

AMARANTHE is:

Elize Ryd | vocals
Olof Mörck | guitars, keyboards
Henrik "GG6" Englund Wilhelmsson | vocals
Johan Andreassen | bass
Morten Løwe Sørensen | drums
Nils Molin | vocals

www.amaranthe.se
www.facebook.com/amarantheband
www.instagram.com/amarantheofficial
www.twitter.com/amaranthemetal
www.youtube.com/amaranthetv
www.nuclearblast.de/amaranthe

Norway's Black metal band Kaldvard sets November 29th as an international release date for their second full-length album, entitled "Dømt Til Bål Og Brann"!

Kaldvard, an ancient Norwegian word meaning cold/chilly, is the name of the band given by one of its founders, Kaldr. 

Galge hadn’t really had anything to do with music in years since leaving his former band Gravdal. Leaving the band was a hard decision to make, but out of loyalty for the band and respect for the fans, he left due to the lack of inspiration and to the fact that the band was always coming up with something new that he couldn’t keep up with at the time.

The years went by before Kaldr contacted Galge to give his opinion about some work in progress that he had going. Galge had always kept an open mind on the fact that he could very well return to music one day if an opportunity revealed itself. Listening to this, Galge realized that this was it, this was the way back to do something new, this could open up a universe of new possibilities and collaboration.

And this assumption was right, the song “Blåfrosset I Tid“ came out in 2018 as the first song created by the band that was now officially formed. Galge and Kaldr was now on fire, they had been in a musical coma for far too long and shortly after the second song came along with the title “Savn Med Hat”

Since then the band has produced two albums; “Fossegrimens Pant” (2018) and the upcoming album “Dømt Til Bål Og Brann” (2019), now joined by a new member on bass, “Ve”.

It was now time to decide what the band's direction should be in terms of the lyrical theme. The band was not interested in landing on anything that would end up being something that they couldn’t back up or stand for. Therefore, Galge`s interest in local, national and international myths, history and legends came up as an answer to this question. The band agreed upon the fact that it should try its best to provide the listener with stories that had through history contributed to humanity's way of thinking and coping with life itself. Also, of course, the band would address stories that might have been for pure entertainment way back in time, but these stories could very well have meant something different back then we can imagine.

Gruesome stories were told to protect for example kids from danger, dark legends were told to protect families from adultery and shame. But there are also real-life stories about the duty to become an executioner if your father happened to be one. In Norway, or rather Denmark-Norway the trials against witches and sorcerers are well known, from 1570 to 1695 it is documented that 307 people were burned alive for their alleged crimes of sorcery.

These atrocities are something we should never forget, and the band takes it as one of its responsibilities. The band also checks in with their pagan forefathers to try and imagine the time, place and conditions they were living in. What they might have felt when they lost their culture, when they raided an enemy territory or when they had to defend themselves in an everlasting hostile neighbourhood.

So, the band tells stories of survival, war, bitterness, hatred, religion, politics and miscarriage of justice through our mythical and recorded history, it is the band's purpose to teleport the listener back in time when legends and myth was known as facts. This is the band's own interpretation of the different events.

https://www.facebook.com/kaldvard/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCca-VQF8mOzE6t3lA88v6vQ

Norwegian black metallers Ragnarok have today unveiled  a new video for a track from their upcoming ninth studio album, "Non Debellicata", which is due out on November 15th on Agonia Records 
 
The video, for the track "Chapel Of Shadows" features footage from the band's 2019 performance at Norway's Inferno Festival and can be seen at  https://youtu.be/qSzAfgTDtpo
 
For over two decades the seasoned veterans have been giving fans their uncompromising take on Norwegian Black Metal, both in the studio and on stage, and, for with their latest album, Ragnarok's entire line-up of founder and frontman Jontho, guitarist Bolverk, bassist Rammr and drummer Malignant, have had a significant input.

Recorded in Sweden's Endarker Studio, with Marduk's Devo at the helm, and with artwork by Nestor Avalos and photos by Arash Taheri, "Non Debellicata" will be available in Jewel Case CD, Limited Edition Digipack CD (with bonus track), Digital, and both Red and Black Vinyl editions and is now available to pre-order from https://www.agoniarecords.com/ragnarok 

The band recently had this to say about their ninth full-length album:
 
     "Our new album, "Non Debellicata", is the result of an extensive process in which all the members of the band participated creatively, both musically and lyrically. We put a lot of work into this album to make it as extreme and violent as we possibly could, pushing the borders of our musicianship and song writing skills. Originally we started out with 20 songs, out of which we rehearsed 16 and whittled it down to 13 for recording. We eventually chose 10 for inclusion on the album, because we wanted to ensure the highest possible quality of every song."

As for the title itself:

     "'Non Debellicata' refers to a phrase used as the motto for our home town Saropsborg in the olden days. It is taken from a letter Jarl Alv Erlingsson sent to the Scottish Government in 1286. Aside from being a nobleman and the Jarl (Earl) of Sarpsborg, Alv was also an infamous pirate who was in the habit of robbing Danish and German merchant ships.

     The Scottish Government had confiscated a number of Norwegian ships and Jarl Alv wrote them a letter, in which he said that maybe they were under the impression that Norway was weak after being at war for several years. But assured them that they would learn that the Norwegian people were not weakened by the war and would never be defeated."

NON DEBELLICATA. The people of Norway would never give up - and neither will RAGNAROK!"

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ragnarokofficial
Website: http://www.ragnarokhorde.com
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/RagnarokNorway
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ragnarokhorde/     
Spotify:  https://open.spotify.com/artist/2NOuABTjilCHH7RNw439Vq?si=EO9X9LitS7e8NYLBxf016Q
SoundCloud: http://soundcloud.com/ragnarokofficial  

Agonia Records:

Website: http://agoniarecords.com
Webshop: http://tinyurl.com/agoniashop
Facebook: https://facebook.com/agoniarecords
Twitter: https://twitter.com/agoniarecords
SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/agoniarecords
Bandcamp: https://agoniarecords.bandcamp.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/agoniarecordsofficial
YouTube: http://youtube.com/AgoniaRec

Norwegian Black Metal veterans Crest Of Darkness have revealed a track from their upcoming ninth full-length album "The God Of Flesh", which is set for release on My Kingdom Music on the 6th December.

Crest Of Darkness founder Ingar Amlien has this to say about the  track, which is titled "The Child With No Head":

     "Here we are, yet another chapter written in the book of Crest Of Darkness, with a track that is probably one of the most violent and extreme we have ever written during  our career. Turn up the f***ing volume and you'll be overwhelmed by its sense of loss and total lack of hope."

"The Child With No Head" can be heard at https://youtu.be/h48655yPThU

Although still filled with Crest Of Darkness' trademark Satanic themes "The God Of Flesh" marks a change to the feel, variety and depth of the music, showing the band's line-up of Amlien (Bass / Vocals), Rebo (Rhythm / Lead Guitars), and Berhard (Drums), to be as much at home with more progressive and melodic elements, as they are the with the aggressive and dark brutal side, for which they are known.  

Amlien recently remarked that "The God Of Flesh", which will be the band's ninth full-length album,  was "probably the darkest and most brutal album we've ever made! It's also the most honest work ever from my perspective"

With all lyrics by Amlien and music by Amlien, Rebo and Bernhard, except for the track "Forgotten" where Amlien joins forces with the album's session keyboardist Kristian Wentzel,

Seeking an outlet for his passion for sonic brutality and his interest in Vampirism and Satanic ideology, on which he is an acknowledged expert, Amlien  formed Crest Of Darkness in the mid nineties and considers today's line-up to be the strongest in the band's history,  as he explains:
 
     "During the whole production of the album I was thinking that now, more than ever before, I wanted to make an album my way!  And, as a result, we haven't made any compromises whatsoever, in any direction.  And I'm very fortunate to be able to say that I was not alone during the whole process. With the help of my fantastic band mates Rebo and Bernhard, it became possible to bring my darkest fantasies and visions to life through "The God of Flesh"

"The God of Flesh" will be available in Digital, Digipak CD, Deluxe CD Box, and Vinyl formats, and is now available to pre-order at http://smarturl.it/CODFLESH

Crest Of Darkness will be live at Good Omens in Trondheim, Norway, on the 12th October

More information about Crest Of Darkness can be found here:

http://www.crestofdarkness.com/
http://www.facebook.com/crestofdarknessofficial

Masterful Norwegian storytellers Wardruna sign to Sony Music/Columbia Records for the world, and announce European tour dates for 2020. Dates below with tickets going on sale on 11th October at 10am BST, 11am CEST. Details of the upcoming album shall be revealed in due course.
 
Einar Selvik comments:

     “Wardruna has been a DIY to-the-bone kind of project since the very beginning. Slowly and patiently evolving. Working hard and always keeping the art itself as the primary decisive factor. This will never change for me, and so having people on our team that also embrace this way of working is paramount. Partnering up with Sony Music / Columbia Records is a new steppingstone for us and I am very confident that this new addition to the team will give us new opportunities to further develop our art and take it to the next level.”

2019 marks ten years since Wardruna’s first release. A series of sold out shows at prestigious concert venues around the world culminate in the highlight of the fall; Wardruna will perform in the legendary Red Rocks Amphitheater in the United States, followed by sold out European tour. The group's critically acclaimed “Runaljod” trilogy based on the Nordic runes reached its conclusion and was followed by a stripped-down, fully acoustic album exploring the ancient poetic traditions of the Skalds. This spring, a new chapter for the band will start. New music is being worked on as well as further steps in the band´s concert production.
 
     “I don’t wish to reveal too much at this point but can say that we are now deep into the process of writing and recording a new album. When Wardruna gets up from the current studio-hibernation and initiate the concert-year of 2020, it is clearly allowed to hope for new music!" Says Einar Selvik.

WARDRUNA 2020 EUROPEAN TOUR DATES:

28 Mar - Oslo (NOR) - Sentrum Scene
2 Apr - Kristiansand (NOR) - Kilden Teater
3 Apr - Stavanger (NOR) - Konserthus
4 Apr- Bergen (NOR) - Grieghallen
30 Apr - Moscow (RUS) - Crocus City Hall
01 May - St. Petersburg (RUS) - Yubileyny Sports Palace
03 May - Poznan (POL) - Hala Ziemi

04 May - Krakow (POL) - ICE Congress Center
05 May - Bratislava (SVK) - Refinery Gallery
07 May - Belgrade (SRB) - Sava Centar
08 May - Bucharest (ROM) - Arena Romanele
04 Jun - Manchester (UK) - Albert Hall
05 Jun - Dublin (IRL) - Vicar St.
06 Jun - Birmingham (UK) - Symphony Hall

07 Jun - Glasgow (UK) - Royal Concert Hall
09 Jun - London (UK) - Royal Festival Hall
10 Jun - Cambridge (UK) - Cambridge Corn Exchange
01 Aug - Savonlinna (FIN) - Savonlinna Opera Festival
21 Sep - Reykjavik (ISL) - Harpa

Bristling with an epically baroque life and energy, Finland’s multi-Platinum cello-rockers Apocalyptica have unveiled their brand new single ‘Ashes Of The Modern World.’ The song is taken from Cell-0,  their upcoming ninth studio album, released on January 10th via Silver Lining Music.
 
The powerful video was directed by the award-winning Finnish photographer/videographer Ville Juurikkala who has worked with a wide variety of prominent artists from Guns N’ Roses and Aerosmith to opera singer Andrea Bocelli.
 
The recording of Cell-0 followed a four-year break between albums that gave the band - Eicca Toppinen, Perttu Kivilaakso, Paavo Lötjönen, and Mikko Sirén, all of whom are classically-trained musicians - a fresh perspective and affected the way they approached the new music. The album sees them return to their roots and is the quartet’s first instrumental album in 17 years, finding Apocalyptica challenging themselves to discover new flavours and colours in their respective instruments.
 
“It is tough to express without lyrics, but in Cell-0, we found particles of our universe previously unknown to us,” they explained. “Millions of notes combine to create music just as millions of cells combine to create life, and when you visualize the whole thing, similar patterns appear.”
 
Produced by Apocalyptica, mixed by Andrew Scheps (Red Hot Chili Peppers, Lana Del Rey, Metallica and Black Sabbath), and recorded at Sonic Pump Studios in Helsinki, Cell-0 sees the band soaring into ethereal space on ‘Ashes Of The Modern World,’ while diving head-first into aggressive thrash cello-riffery during ‘En Route To Mayhem.’ 
 
Rather than put strategic attention on aspects like writing singles, the band approached Cell-0 as a fully-formed piece of art, connecting the right details and hues with the energy of being a real cello-metal band.  By pushing themselves to find other places and levels in their music, Apocalyptica opened up to some seemingly unorthodox methods and emotions while travelling through that creative process.
 
“These new songs have so many layers and are so complex, and it’s not always easy to point exactly what they are about,” Toppinen expresses. “But I think that’s also the beauty of instrumental music, that the listener always can feel free to experience the same songs in very, very different ways. It’s also one reason why we don’t want to explain the songs before they’re experienced.”

In support of the release of Cell-0, Apocalyptica will Special Guest with Sabaton on a 15-country, 23-date European arenas tour, including an appearance at Wembley Arena on February 8th 2020. All confirmed dates are below.

JANUARY

17  Hallenstadion, Zurich, Switzerland
18  Schleyerhalle, Stuttgart, Germany
19  Olympiahalle, Munich, Germany
21  Gasometer, Vienna, Austria
22  Arena, Budapest, Hungary
24  Torwar, Warsaw, Poland
25  Max Schmeling Halle, Berlin, Germany
26  O2 Arena, Prague, Czech Republic
28  Alcatraz, Milan, Italy
30  Arena Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
31  Festhalle, Frankfurt, Germany
 
FEBRUARY

 1   König Pilsener Arena, Oberhausen, Germany
 2   Sportpaleis, Antwerp, Belgium
 4   Sant Jordi, Barcelona, Spain
 5   Vistalegre, Madrid, Spain
 7   Zenith, Paris, France
 8   Wembley Arena, London, UK
 9   Afas Live, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
11  Sporthalle, Hamburg, Germany
12  Forum Black Box, Copenhagen, Denmark
14  Scandinavium, Gothenburg, Sweden
15  Hovet, Stockholm, Sweden
16  Spektrum, Oslo, Norway

Cell-0 will be available in a variety of formats, including CD Mediabook, heavy-weight double vinyl and a variety of digital download options. Pre-order at www.apocalyptica.com.

For Norwegian Folk Metallers Elvarhøi choosing the 30th October to release their long-awaited debut full-length album "Dansen låter fra graven åter" was a no brainer, because fifteen years ago to the day is when the band itself was formed. 

To celebrate the impeding release Elvarhøi have debuted a video for a track from the album.  Titled "Vertshuset Dovregubben" the video is in the form of a fascinating screen capture of the work of artist Even Mehl Amundsen, taking the viewer through the process he underwent to create the beautifully detailed cover art for "Dansen låter fra graven åter".

The video can be seen on YouTube at https://youtu.be/6tZEOXPmcoA

The single can also be purchased or streamed at:  https://elvarhoi.fanlink.to/dovregubben 

The track itself tells the story of a plucky youngster who, one especially cold winter night, comes across an invitingly warm tavern, filled to overflowing with all sorts of characters and strange artefacts. Here he witnesses his first hanging - that of a fiddler accused of possessing the good people of the town. As the noose tightens, it generates a tone that resonates within the fiddle, which starts to play on its own, and before his mind's eye the fiddler can see the long afterlife amongst the hills that awaits him, and all the others in the room.

It may seem that fifteen years is a long incubation period for a debut album, but during its making Elvarhøi underwent a journey filled with doubt, dispossession and ultimately death and defeat. But with determination the band have come up with "Dansen låter fra graven åter", an album of which its members can be rightly proud. 

Produced by the band and recorded between the winter of 2017 and the summer of 2019 at Rönnhögen Lydvær, Elvarhøi's home studio in the Swedish woods, with additional recording at Studio Hemstad in Holter, it was mixed by Markus Skroch at the Kalthallen Studio and mastered by Magnus «Devo» Andersson (MARDUK) at his Endarker Studio.

Elvarhøi's line-up of Christopher Rakkestad (RAGNAROK, JORDSKIPSTYRANN) on Bass & Vocals, Magnus Wandås on the Hardanger Fiddle, Sean Murphy on Flutes, Carl Engstrøm (ASTAROTH, DØDSFALL, KVALVAAG, SARPEDON, TROLL, MOLOCH, to name but a few) on Drums, and Martin Langebraaten (SARPEDON, RAVEN WING, FROSTHEIM, SOLMUND) on Guitars, brings with it musicians whose backgrounds span Folk Metal and Extreme Metal, as well as traditional Norwegian and Celtic folk music. The band's songs mirror the profane world in a language of Faerie and adventure, and the eclectic backgrounds of its members enables Elvarhøi to create a down-to-earth sound and style that is redolent of the golden age of Folk Rock, whilst bringing it firmly into the realm of modern Folk Metal. 

The sound of the album is a joyous mix between the distinct timbre of Norwegian Folk Music and 70s Rock and Prog, draped over the bones of Heavy Metal. The songs range from triumphant metal anthems, to soft and lush "folk singer-esque" ballads. As  songwriter and bassist, Christopher Rakkestad, explains:

     "When Elvarhøi started up in 2005 we concentrated on medieval ballads, with a focus on paying homage to the cultural heritage of the romantic era. We've had an incredibly long musical journey since then, where we held Norwegian folk music up against the backdrop of everything from Black Metal to contemporary music. "Dansen låter fra graven åter" bears the mark of this entire journey, and today we have become a band who boldly cross any musical boundary in order to tell the story we want to share. Our aim is to give something positive to the listener.

The title "Dansen låter fra graven åter" is a line from the debut single "Vertshuset Dovregubben" , in which the fiddler must die after having caused too much senseless revelry. And when the tune keeps playing from beyond the grave, that's when the party finally kicks into the magical sixth gear. Magnus Wandås, fiddler and lyrical mastermind of the band, explains about the choice of title and the process the band went through to produce the album :

     "Dansen låter fra graven åter" translates into something like 'The dance continues from beyond the grave.' A few years ago, we would have told you that this album, or any album, would never survive our work process. But we're far too stubborn to quit, no matter how monumental the task is. And since we wholeheartedly believe in the strength of this material, we couldn't ever let it go. This attitude could easily have been our downfall, but it must have proved to be a strength. Why? Because here we are, back from the grave and stronger than ever for having gone through the ordeal.

"Dansen låter fra graven åter" will be released by Elvarhøi's own label Ramljod Records, in both Jewel Case CD format complete with a 24-page booklet, and digital format. It is now available to pre-order from https://elvarhoi.bandcamp.com

Elvarhøi will be debuting the new album live in Oslo on the 19th October at the Rock In. Details at https://www.facebook.com/events/396486787592019/

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Band Contact and Booking: post@elvarhoi.com