Wednesday, July 17, 2013

ÅRABROT: Norway’s Grammy-Winning Noise/Punk Unit Preps Sixth LP For Release

Norwegian Grammy winning noise-metal-punks ÅRABROT will release their self-titled sixth LP through Fysisk Format in North America on September 3rd, following the European release on August 19th.

Årabrot follows the band’s greatest success story to date, the 2011-released Solar Anus LP. With more uncaged power than ever, the album surprised even ÅRABROT’s own diehard fanbase; suddenly biblio-pornographic lyrics had become popular culture, as had Steve Albini’s sparse production technique. Solar Anus featured on many best-of-the-year-lists, and it received widespread good reviews, including NME who called the record "as unsettling as a thunderstorm approaching a medieval battle [8/10]” and The Stool Pigeon who, in a 5/5 review, dubbed them "one of Europe's best heavy rock bands." ÅRABROT is also now supported by Fund for Performing Arts and The Art Council of Norway.

While writing Årabrot, singer and guitarist Kjetil Nernes inhabited an old abandoned church just across the border in Sweden, in a pastoral countryside where time has stood still for generations. While the lyrics on the 2010 releaseRevenge were a revenge fantasy dedicated to a certain someone, and Solar Anus and Mæsscr told stories of the human beast, Årabrot revolves around breaking away from city life and the feeling of social asphyxiation invoked by them. Nernes has revealed that much of the inspiration for the lyrics has been found in early 20th century surrealists like Georges Bataille and Robert Desnos, mixed with a fascination for the mythologies of ancient Greece and the Old Testament.

Årabrot features a widened family of collaborators, most notably Emil Nikolaisen (Serena Maneesh/4AD), who in addition to recording and mixing the album, also plays bass and does backup vocals. Basic riffs, percussion and vocals were laid before Norwegian experimental music stalwarts Lasse Marhaug and Erland Dahlen added their musical substance to the mix, and a random visit by Laura Pleasants of Kylesa resulted in guest vocals on “Arrabal's Dream.” The album was then mastered by Jason Ward at Chicago Mastering.

Check out “Arrabal's Dream” -- the third track from Årabrot, featuring guest vocals from Kylesa’s Laura Pleasants -- the cover artwork by Johannes Høie, and more below.

Årabrot Track Listing:
1. Ha-Satan Dêofol
2. Throwing Rocks At The Devil
3. Arrabal's Dream
4. Blood On The Poet
5. Dedication
6. Blood On Bunny
7. Drawing Down The Moon
8. The Horns Of The Devil Grow
9. The Bitter Tears Of Könt
10. Mænads
ARABROT byTarjei Krogh

No comments:

Post a Comment