Archive for the ‘TROLLFEST’ Category

We are very sad to announce that due to a very busy schedule TrollfesT’s Per Spelemann (Per-Olav Wiik) has had to quit his role as guitarist with TrollfesT.  We are, however, very happy to announce that his permanent replacement with immediate effect will be St Beinhard (Tor Einar Rogn).  Some of you will already have seen him in our ranks, as we have recently put him through a lengthy and rigorous test drive during three gigs, and he has proved to be an extremely skilled guitarist and an ace vocalist (not to mention a good drinker in the good old fashioned TrollfesT way).

We broke the news to him yesterday, and initiated him into our ranks as an official band member complete with diploma and champagne as you can see from the photo above.  If he looks just a tiny bit bemused, it’s not because of the diploma, it’s because the champagne bottle had a cork in it, and he was wondering how soon he was going to be allowed to open it!

You will get to see him on the Rockefeller Stage at The Inferno Festival in Oslo, Norway at 18:15 on Thursday, and of course on the upcoming tour with Korpiklaani which starts on Friday, so feel free to make him feel welcome (he responds very well to alcoholic beverages).  And if you’d like to give Per Spelemann a farewell hug (he also responds well to alcoholic beverages), he will be on stage with us at Inferno, but as part of the Devil’s Dangleberries and with a name like that who knows what’s going to happen!  Here we all are below:

See you either at Inferno, or somewhere along the road on the upcoming tour – dates below, and if you aren’t able to make it, here’s the rare track we uploaded especially for our fans:


APRIL TOUR WITH KORPIKLAANI

Fri 6, PPM Festival, Mons, BE
Sat 7, Paaspop, Schijndel, NE
Sun 8, Aeronef, Lille, FR
Mon 9, Divan Du Monde, Paris, FR
Tue 10, Bikini, Toulouse, FR
Wed 11, CCO, Lyon, FR
Thu 12, Rockstar Live, Bilbao, ES
Fri 13, Razzamatazz 2, Barcelona, ES
Sat 14, Caracol, Madrid, ES
Sun 15, Capitol, Santiago de Compostella, ES
Mon 16, Hard Club, Porto, PT
Tue 17, Republica da Musica, Lisbon, PT
Wed 18, Fanatic, Seville, ES
Thu 19, Rock City, Valencia, ES
Fri 20, Le Vox, Toulon, FR
Sat 21, Magazzini Generali, Milan, IT
Sun 22, Viper Club, Florence, IT
Mon 23, Boogaloo, Zagreb, Croatia
Tue 24, Bergwerk, Millstatt, Austria
Wed 25, Pont Rouge, Monthey, Switzerland

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Web Site: http://www.trollfest.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/trollfestofficial
SoundCloud: http://soundcloud.com/trollfest
WebShop: http://trollfest.bigcartel.com/
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/trollfest
ReverbNation: http://www.reverbnation.com/trollfest

 

Norway’s TROLLFEST, a band known for using an eclectic, and somewhat unusual instruments, to create what it calls “True Norwegian Balkan Metal” is streaming a track dating back to the early days of the band’s existence, but which has never been released, although fans familiar with the TROLLFEST’s exuberant live appearances may have heard the track before.  The band’s decision to make the track available a few months before the release of their fifth full-length album is best summed up by the close, and very interactive relationship TrollfesT has developed with its fans over the years: “While we were in the studio recording our new album we wanted to do something for all our fans while they wait for the release of “Brumlebassen”.   One of the songs that often features in our live set is “Skogsfest”, which happens to be the third song we ever wrote, and was a part of an early TrollfesT promo that was never released.  We know that this is a popular song with the audience at our shows, so we came up with the idea of re-recording it, and uploading it so that everyone can listen to it (it will not appear on the new album).  And that’s exactly what we did!  So if you’re coming to see us (and raise a few glasses together) on the KORPIKLAANI tour you may hear it then.  But if you’re not, then you’re not going to miss out, because here it is – from us, to you”.  “Skogsfest” can be heard below

 

TROLLFEST have an extremely full schedule of live appearances and tours during 2012, including a tour with KORPIKLAANI in April, MetalFest in Austria, Germany and Switzerland in July, MetalCamp in August and the Heidenfest tour in October and November.   Kicking off their live schedule in inimitable TROLLFEST style the band will bring a special show to Norway’s Inferno Festival when they hit the Rockefeller stage on the 5th April.  The show goes under the name of “TrollfesT & The Devil’s Dangleberries Inferno Balkan Madness” and according to the band they will be joined on stage by “a group of slightly dodgy individuals known as “The Devil’s Dangleberries” who will be in charge of all the Balkan madness that will be unleashed.  The Devil’s Dangleberries incidentally is the name we first thought of calling ourselves when we started out and before we decided on TROLLFEST”.  The “good friends and superb musicians” who form the Devil’s Dangleberries consist of Per Olav Wiik (TROLLFEST, UNTIME) on Bouzouki, Morten Müller (DEAD TROOPER) on Bouzouki, Birger Larsen (GROTESQUE HYSTERECTOMY) on Acoustic Guitar, Harald Odland (SJU) on Acoustic Guitar and Jon Eirik Bokn (DEAD TROOPER, ZEROZONIC) on Percussion.

“Brumlebassen” itself is set for release on NoiseArt Records in the summer, and more information about TROLLFEST can be found at http://www.trollfest.com

Below you can see the official video for the track “Karve” from the album “En Kvest For Den Hellige Gral”

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Web Site: http://www.trollfest.com
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/trollfest
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/trollfestofficial
ReverbNation: http://www.reverbnation.com/trollfest
SoundCloud: http://soundcloud.com/trollfest
WebShop: http://trollfest.bigcartel.com/

TrollfesT proudly present “TrollfesT & The Devils Dangleberries Inferno Balkan Madness”! No, this is not the band’s new soccer team, but it’s THE “team” that will hit the stage at the Inferno Festival  in Oslo next Thursday, the 5th April.   TrollfesT will be accompanied by a group of slightly dodgy individuals known as “The Devils Dangleberries” who will be in charge of all the Balkan madness that will be unleashed on stage.

Aside from being persons of dubious repute,  “The Devils Dangleberries” is actually made up of really good friends and superb musicians.  They are:

Per Olav Wiik – Bozouki (TrollfesT & Untime)
Morten Müller – Bozouki (Dead Trooper)
Birger Larsen – Acoustic guitar (Grotesque Hysterectomy)
Harald Odland – Acoustic guitar (Sju)
Jon Eirik Bokn – Percussion (Dead Trooper & Zerozonic)

They are all are rehearsing like hell to make this an unforgettable night, and can’t wait to bring this madness to all you in just over a week!

Fun fact: “The Devils Dangleberries” was the first name TrollfesT wanted to namethemselves before theyended up with TrollfesT.

Below you can see the official video for the track “Karve” from the album “En Kvest For Den Hellige Gral”

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Web Site: http://www.trollfest.com
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/trollfest
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/trollfestofficial
ReverbNation: http://www.reverbnation.com/trollfest
SoundCloud: http://soundcloud.com/trollfest
WebShop: http://trollfest.bigcartel.com/

Back in 2005, when, as you can see, they all looked fresh-faced and innocent, some TrollfesT members (details below) recorded a few Christmas songs for fun which they gave to their friends and families as a Christmas present. Now their list of friends and family has increased to include all their fantastic fans from all over the world, so here, only over the Christmas period, is that TrollfesTive recording. Bing Crosby doesn’t need to worry too much that they’ll overtake him in popularity at Christmas, but hopefully you’ll enjoy listening to the songs while you raise your glasses as much as they enjoyed making them. And you can bet they’ll be raising theirs to you all. SKÅL!

 

01. White Christmas
Psychotroll: Vocals, Synth, Piano
Manskow: Accordion, Choir
TrollBANK: Guitar, Choir
Mr. Seidel: Bass, Choir

02. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
Manskow: Vocals
Psychotroll: Lead Guitar
Mr. Seidel: Rhythm Guitar
TrollBANK: Bass

03. Jingle Bells
TrollBANK: Vocals
Psychotroll: Guitar solo, Acoustic Guitar, Choir
Mr. Seidel: Lead Guitar, Choir
Manskow: Bass, Choir

04. Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree
Mr. Seidel: Vocals
Manskow: Lead Guitar, Choir
TrollBANK: Organ, Choir
Psychotroll: Bass, Choir

05. Frosty the Snowman
Psychotroll: Vocals
TrollBANK: Lead Guitar, Choir
Manskow: Rhythm Guitar, Choir
Mr. Seidel: Bass, Choir

06. Winter Wonderland
Manskow: Vocals
Mr. Seidel: Guitar, Choir
Psychotroll: Casio Keyboard, Choir
TrollBANK: Bass, Choir

07. Jingle Bell Rock
TrollBANK: Vocals
Mr. Seidel: Lead Guitar, Choir
Psychotroll: Rhythm Guitar, Choir
Manskow: Bass, Choir

08. Last Christmas
Mr. Seidel: Vocals
Manskow: Backing Vocals
TrollBANK: Synth
Psychotroll: Bass

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Web Site: http://www.trollfest.com
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/trollfest
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/trollfestofficial
ReverbNation: http://www.reverbnation.com/trollfest
SoundCloud: http://soundcloud.com/trollfest
WebShop: http://trollfest.bigcartel.com/
Band Contact: trollfest_@hotmail.com
Management: patriciathomas@btinternet.com
Label:    www.noiseart.cc
Booking:  www.rtn-touring.com

 

 

Work is set to begin this month on the fifth full-length album from TROLLFEST, the band that has eschewed musical convention by combining local folk sounds from their native Norway with those from the Balkans, and mixing them together with occasional melodies that could originate anywhere from the Latino countries to the Middle East, and topping it all with head banging metal and a generous dose of humour, in order to form their own genre of “True Norwegian Balkan Metal”.  The band will enter the Strand Studios on the 7th November to spend three weeks in the company of engineer Marius Strand to record drums, bass, guitars and main vocals, and then move on to their own “Trollskogen Recording Facilities” to record the extra vocals, choirs, and instruments. Updates on the recording, including photos and video, will be available on the band’s blog at http://trollfest.blogg.no/

The album will be called “Brumlebassen” and as with all TROLLFEST’s previous releases will tell a story involving Trolls and a certain amount of drinking.  Without wanting to give too much away at this early stage a spokesperson for the band said that the storyline will revolve around a brewer called Brumlebassen who is charged with making the mead much beloved by the Trolls.  Cover art for the album will once again be in the hands of Swedish artist and cartoonist Jonas Darnell and designer Terje “Andy Wartroll”, both of whom have worked with the band for several years, and whose work on the band’s last album “En Kvest For Den Hellige Gral” has yet again proved to be a huge hit with the fans and an integral part of the overall TROLLFEST “experience”.

The band, which comprises members of URGEHAL, PANTHEON I, UNTIME, MELCH, SARKOM, HALLUCINATIONS and POWERSWORD has already written ten metal tracks and a handful of acoustic ones, and will decide which to include on the album once recording is completed.  There will also be guest musicians, who will be announced at a later date.  “Brumlebassen” is set for release early next year on NoiseArt Records and then TROLLFEST plan to expand on this year’s live appearances during which the band has collected a whole set of new fans who have found themselves caught up in the band’s musically skilled and infectiously fun-filled performances.

More information about TROLLFEST can be found on the band’s website at http://www.trollfest.com.

Below you can see the official video for the track “Karve” from the album “En Kvest For Den Hellige Gral”

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Web Site: http://www.trollfest.com
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/trollfest
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/trollfestofficial
ReverbNation: http://www.reverbnation.com/trollfest
SoundCloud: http://soundcloud.com/trollfest
WebShop: http://trollfest.bigcartel.com/
Band Contact: trollfest_@hotmail.com
Management: patriciathomas@btinternet.com
Label:  www.noiseart.cc
Booking:  www.rtn-touring.com

 


Norway’s TROLLFEST has today released a video for the track “Karve” from the band’s latest album “En Kvest For Den Hellige Gral”.  Made by Manskow Productions, the video was filmed in Super 8, and shows scenes of the band performing at a neighbourhood barbeque in the company of family and friends, including members of PANTHEON I and DEAD TROOPER, as well as fans who had heard about the filming and turned up to enjoy the fun.  As Manskow himself is actually TROLLFEST’s accordionist, Oslo-based Romanian photographer and writer Andrea Chirulescu assisted with the video, which can be seen below:

 

“En Kvest For Den Hellige Gral”, was released on NoiseArt Records in April of this year, and since then TROLLFEST, whose line up drawn from bands such as URGEHAL, PANTHEON I, UNTIME, MELCH, SARKOM, HALLUCINATIONS and POWERSWORD has been sharing its particular brand of exuberance and fun with festival goers in Europe.  With members who between them are able to  play a selection of unusual instruments from a variety of countries which are more  typically used in folk music, as well as the more standard instruments you would expect from a metal band, TROLLFEST manages  to somehow blend folk music sounds from their native Norway and from the Balkans, with the sinuous and seductive melodies of the Middle East and lively Hispanic rhythms, all mixed in with a healthy dose of pure headbanging metal to produce what the band themselves define as “True Norwegian Balkan Metal”.  TROLLFEST will hit the road on the 30th September as part of this year’s Heidenfest tour along with FINNTROLL, TURISAS, ALESTORM, ARKONA and SKÁLMÖLD.  Tour itinerary as follows:

September
30 DE – Geiselwind, Music Hall *EXTENDED*
October
01 DE – Gießen, Hessenhallen *EXTENDED*
02 DE – Berlin, Postbahnhof *EXTENDED*
03 PL – Warsaw, Progresja
04 PL – Krakow, Studio
05 DE – Hannover, Faust
06 DE- Hamburg, Markthalle
07 DE – Stuttgart, LKA Longhorn *EXTENDED*
08 DE – Oberhausen, Turbinenhalle *EXTENDED*
09 NL – Tilburg, O13 *EXTENDED*
10 NL – Leeuwarden, Romein
11 UK- London, HMV Forum
12 FR – Lille, Aeronef
13 CH – Pratteln, Z7
14 DE – Munich, Backstage
15 DE – Leipzig, Hellraiser
16 BE – Antwerpen, Trix
17 DE – Lindau, Vaudeville
18 IT – Bologna, Estragon
19 SI – Ljubljana, Cvetlicarna Mediapark
20 HU – Budapest, Club 202
21 AT – Vienna, Arena
22 AT – Linz, Posthof
23 AT – Innsbruck, Hafen
*EXTENDED SHOWS + WINTERSUN + DORNENREICH + TODGELICHTER

The band has also released another part of their Q&A videos where fans are invited to send in their questions for the members of TROLLFEST who then answer them on video. You can see the latest instalment  below:

More information about TROLLFEST can be found at http://www.trollfest.com

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Web Site: http://www.trollfest.com

MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/trollfest

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/trollfestofficial

ReverbNation: http://www.reverbnation.com/trollfest
SoundCloud: http://soundcloud.com/trollfest
WebShop: http://trollfest.bigcartel.com/

Band Contact: trollfest_@hotmail.com

Management: patriciathomas@btinternet.com

Since Planking is fast becoming the most cult sport since, er… since, hmm… since the last cult sport, we thought that we would publish the TrollfesT Guide to Planking.

The following moves require skill and precision, and are performed by the super fit, athletic members of TrollfesT, so please ensure you do not try this on your own, at home, without supervision. OK, maybe not super fit.  Maybe not even very athletic but anyway…

1) “THE NOVICE” 

As its name suggests, this is the perfect move for the novice.  The bench supports your entire body, and if you feel that keeping your legs straight  is too strenuous you can start with your knees bent, and progress to straightening your legs once you have gained confidence.  It is essential when performing this move, that someone with considerable strength holds the plank (as Trollmannen and Dr. Leif Kjønnsfleis are demonstrating) to avoid the danger of it tipping over .  Note how heavy boots are being used in this shot.  This makes holding the positioning even more difficult and is guaranteed to impress those amongst your audience with Shoe Fetishes.

2) “THE CHAIR” 

Practitioners of Planking often overlook this move, and move straight on to the next one, but this is ideal to allow you to build more confidence in balancing both your legs and the top part of your torso.  And your head of course, because your head is attached to the upper part of your torso.  Chairs usually have a dip in them (especially if they have been used by  heavy Trolls), and this gives you a little more stability than a straight surface.  Having someone’s foot close by (as you can see in the foreground of the shot) is handy in case you start to roll off, because then they can nudge you back on with their toe.  You can of course grip the leg of the chair, but someone is bound to notice and call you a wuss.

3) “THE CROSSWISE PLANK”

Some say this is the ultimate position in Planking (but you haven’t seen our next one yet).  We have to admit that this is very difficult, as only a narrow portion of the body is supported, and it definitely helps to be built like that guy who plays Steve McGarrett on Hawaii Five-O.  Nevertheless,  as TrollBANK is demonstrating, you don’t need washboard abs to perform it successfully.  You might like to ensure that your dangly bits are positioned comfortably to avoid them being crushed.

4) “THE COUCH POTATO”

Rarely practised by Plankers, the Couch Potato looks deceptively simple, but in fact it requires precision positioning of the beer belly so that it falls either side of the edge of the settee, otherwise there will be a tendency to wobble and result in tipping over.  It is the danger of tipping over that makes this move so dangerous, as it can result in the squashing, and consequent injury, either by crushing or suffocation, of the lower planker.  As you can see, Mr Seidel has positioned his beer belly to perfection.

Well that concludes our Guide to Planking.  We hope you haven’t taken it too seriously, and if you are trying this out at home – be safe.  To finish off, we have included our player so that you can enjoy some music while you Plank.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Web Site: http://www.trollfest.com
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/trollfest
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/trollfestofficial
ReverbNation: http://www.reverbnation.com/trollfest
Band Contact: trollfest_@hotmail.com
Management: patriciathomas@btinternet.com

TROLLFEST has been confirmed to join the Heidenfest European Tour 2011, along with FINNTROLL,  ARKONA,  ALESTORM and Special Guests

The tour will take place from the 30th September to the 23rd October, and full details will be released on the 18th April on the new Heidenfest website at http://www.heidenfest.eu

The new TROLLFEST album, “En Kvest For Den Hellige Gral”, is due for release on NoiseArt Records on the 22nd April, and the band is confirmed for the following live dates:

20 May – Rage of Destruction Festival, Peer (BE)
27 May – Metalfest, Dessau (DE)
28 May – Metalfest, Mining Am Inn (AT)
29 May – Metalfest, Pratteln (CH)
11 – 17 July (exact date TBA) Metalcamp, Tolim (SL)
30 Sept – 23 Oct – Heidenfest European Tour 2011

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Web Site: http://www.trollfest.com
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/trollfest
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/trollfestofficial
ReverbNation: http://www.reverbnation.com/trollfest
Band Contact: trollfest_@hotmail.com
Management: patriciathomas@btinternet.com
Booking: mike@rockthenation.eu
NoiseArt: http://www.noiseart.cc

 

With the imminent release of their fourth full length album “En Kvest For Den Hellige Gral”, self-styled “True Norwegian Balkan Metallers” TROLLFEST have decided to celebrate the occasion by uploading a series of weekly videos on YouTube in the five week run up to the April 29 release of the album on NoiseArt Records.   The first week’s video is a Tour Diary shot during the band’s German tour with PANTHEON I and FINSTERFORST in December of last year and can be seen on TrollfesT’s YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/oivan.  A new video will follow every Friday, with the last one appearing on the 22nd April.

In addition, the band is inviting fans who have videos of themselves playing/performing TROLLFEST songs to post their videos on the band’s Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/trollfestofficial and the best video will be awarded some TROLLFEST prizes, with the winner being announced on the 30th April.  Commenting on the competition the band said: “We noticed quite a few videos of people playing TROLLFEST tracks appearing on YouTube and really enjoyed them, so we thought it would be a good idea to mark the release of ““En Kvest For Den Hellige Gral” with a little competition.  As a band we love the interaction with fans and the competitions we have are a way of us all having fun together”.  The winner will be announced on the 30th April.

Aside from signing with NoiseArt Records this year, TROLLFEST, whose line up is composed of members of bands such as URGEHAL, PANTHEON I, UNTIME, MELCH, SARKOM, HALLUCINATIONS and POWERSWORD, also signed a world-wide booking deal with Rock The Nation, which will see the band increasing its live appearances.  So far, the following live dates have been confirmed:

20 May – Rage of Destruction Festival, Peer (BE)
27 May – Metalfest, Dessau (DE)
28 May – Metalfest, Mining Am Inn (AT)
29 May – Metalfest, Pratteln (CH)
11 – 17 July (exact date TBA) Metalcamp, Tolim (SL)

Below you can see the new Tour Diary video from TROLLFEST’s German tour:

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Web Site: http://www.trollfest.com
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/trollfest
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/trollfestofficial
ReverbNation: http://www.reverbnation.com/trollfest
Band Contact: trollfest_@hotmail.com
Management: patriciathomas@btinternet.com
Booking: mike@rockthenation.eu
NoiseArt: http://www.noiseart.cc

If you’re going to METALCAMP this year, here is your chance to win an exclusive “Meet, Greet and Get Drunk with TROLLFEST” at METALCAMP 2011! All you have to do is post a comment and picture of yourself either in “drinking action” or TrollfesT theme (or both) on the METALCAMP 2011 Facebook wall at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Metalcamp/24778587010 and the two best entries will be picked by the band themselves and the winners will get to meet them.  Here is what the band has to say about the competition:

“Someone once said that “time is never wasted when you’re wasted all the time”. Whoever it was that said this must have been a very wise man, and we are very interested in testing this theory for ourselves, just to make sure he was right. However, we can’t do it alone, so we would like to ask for a bit of help from some of the Trolls who will be at MetalCamp.

If you think you would like to join TrollfesT in this (not very) scientific study, all you need to do is write a few lines saying why you think it should be you togther with a photo, and the winners will be invited to join us for a few, or maybe even more than a few drinks when we are at MetalCamp.  Just follow the instructions and it could be YOU!“

TROLLFEST

So remember, just post your photo and comment on the METALCAMP wall (not the TROLLFEST wall) at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Metalcamp/24778587010 and may the best Trolls win!

The new TROLLFEST album „En Kvest For Den Hellige Gral“ will be out April 22nd via NoiseArt Records

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Web Site: http://www.trollfest.com
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/trollfest
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/trollfestofficial
ReverbNation: http://www.reverbnation.com/trollfest
Band Contact: trollfest_@hotmail.com
Management: patriciathomas@btinternet.com