Tag: norway

Album Reviews: ASTRA – “Oathkeeper – Part 1”

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ASTRA “Oathkeeper – Part 1” (Eufonia Records) by Jorge Patacas Astra is a new two-man project based in Oslo, Norway. As the story goes, the multi-instrumentalist Sondre Ramstad Paulsen started to work on his own songs while he was still a teenager back in 2012 after not being accepted into the music school and being told he wasn’t good enough for his friends band, which, ironically, included the other current member of Astra, his childhood friend William Strengelsund. They both reunited in 2016 and ended up working together as a…

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Interview: VOLUSPÁ

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Inspired by mythology and folklore, Voluspá was founded by vocalist Sól Geirsdóttir and bassist Stefan Roke in 2012 and now it’s a four-piece that also includes Hilde Stenersen on backing vocals and Varg Saastad on guitars and other additional instruments. This Norwegian folk rock band started out as a studio project and finally took the stage with two great performances at Midgardsblot festival this year. They’re currently working on new material and we talked with the band about this as well as their history, the instruments they use and more!…

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Interview: MORK

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The multi-instrumentist Thomas Eriksen is the mastermind behind Mork, one of the most prominent bands in the current Norwegian Black Metal scene. “Det Svarte Juv” is the name of the fourth full-length studio album released this year by Peaceville Records. We conducted an interview with Eriksen to discuss the new album, the old school Black Metal sound, the story behind the name, his hometown Halden and more!   RISE!: – You have released your fourth studio album “Det Svarte Juv” this year again via Peaceville Records, what do you think…

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Concert Reviews: HELLBOTN METALFEST 2019 (Kolbotn, Norway)

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HELLBOTN METALFEST 2019 (Kolbotn, Norway) August 30-31, 2019 by Jorge Patacas   Hellbotn Metalfest started out in 2014 in the city of Kolbotn located 20 minutes from Oslo, known for being the hometown of bands like Darkthrone. Since the beginning, the organizers had the idea of creating a festival for local bands, adding bigger names from the Norwegian scene year after year. This edition was held once again at Kolben Kulturhus which, as the name suggests, is a cultural center where, among other things, there are concert halls. Previously they…

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Concert Reviews: BEYOND THE GATES 2019 (Bergen, Norway)

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BEYOND THE GATES 2019 (Bergen, Norway) August 21-24, 2019 by Jorge Patacas   Beyond The Gates (formerly Hole in the Sky) is one of those festivals that always offer an interesting lineup, especially for those who are into the extreme metal subgenres. It’s held in the usually rainy city of Bergen, located in western Norway, which has breathtaking landscapes, in addition to Bryggen, an area next to the harbor with colorful houses that in some cases date from the 18th century, which is on the UNESCO list for World Cultural…

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