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All Music Guide:
Norwegian "black 'n' roll" sextet Kvelertak ("Chokehold") was formed in 2007 in Stavanger, Norway's third city and home to several popular gothic metal bands. Kvelertak's sound could not have been more different, however. Fusing the raw punk 'n' roll sound pioneered by the likes of Turbonegro with the harsh, shrieking fury of black metal was not a new idea -- it had already been done with great success by fellow Norwegians Satyricon -- but this was arguably the first time it had been attempted by a band of "regular guys" not already grounded in the black metal idiom. An early demo, Westcoast Holocaust, and steady touring earned them a devoted fan base, and in 2010 they released their eponymous debut album.
Recorded by Converge's Kurt Ballou and released by Oslo's Indie Recordings (and later by the End in the US), Kvelertak was a surprise global hit, with its lyrics all in Norwegian. Critics praised the band's sledgehammer sound and the freshness in their mash-up of genres, and the album went gold, giving the band two Spellemann Awards (the Norwegian Grammys) and leading to a deal with Sony Music in Scandinavia and massive metal factory Roadrunner in the rest of the world, opening them up to a global audience. Their second album, Meir ("More"), was released in 2013 and was another critical and commercial hit, despite some controversy over its cover art -- by influential American artist John Dyer Baizley (of the band Baroness) -- of a naked mother-goddess figure spattered with bird droppings.
Wikipedia:
Kvelertak (Norwegian for "stranglehold" or "chokehold") is a six-piece metal band from Stavanger, Norway, formed in 2007. The group comprises vocalist Erlend Hjelvik, guitarists Vidar Landa, Bjarte Lund Rolland and Maciek Ofstad, bassist Marvin Nygaard and drummer Kjetil Gjermundrød.
The band's self-titled debut album was released in 2010 and sold more than 15,000 copies in Norway. The second album, Meir, was released in March 2013.
Kvelertak have Norwegian lyrics and their main influences are rock and roll, black metal and punk rock.Cite error: There are <ref> tags on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist}} template (see the help page).
History[edit]
Kvelertak was formed in Stavanger, Norway in 2007. A demo, Westcoast Holocaust, was self-released that year. The band released their debut album, entitled Kvelertak, on June 21, 2010 via the Norweigian record label Indie Recordings, and on March 15 via The End Records in North America. The album was certified gold by IFPI in Norway for selling over 15,000 copies.
In March 2011, Kvelertak was presented with two Spellemann Awards—a prestigious Norwegian music award similar to the American Grammy Award—for Best Newcomer and Best Rock Band. The Kvelertak song "Mjød" was used as the end music for the film The Troll Hunter
A new album entitled Meir, was released on March 25, 2013 (March 26 in the US) via Sony Music Scandinavia in Scandinavia, Roadrunner Records in the rest of the world, and by Indie Recordings on vinyl.Cite error: There are <ref> tags on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist}} template (see the help page).
