Posts Tagged ‘Psych Rock’

As work on VESTINDIEN’s sophomore full-length album “Verdande” nears completion, Dark Essence Records has managed to give fans of the band an early Christmas present by releasing one of the finished tracks as a single. 

Almost three years on from the release of VESTINDIEN’s 2020 debut full-length “Null”, the new single, titled “Forbi Stillheten”, bridges the gap from where the band were then, to where they are today. 

“Null” served to introduce fans to VESTINDIEN’s unique approach to a dark, harsh and sinister old-school metal sound, and whilst “Forbi Stillheten”  is still very much rooted in metal, this time it also references 60s psych and 70s prog.

Described by the band as  “A hymn to the people who see the world as something they belong to, rather than something that belongs to them”,  “Forbi Stillheten” can be streamed or downloaded from a variety of services at:

https://link.darkessencerecords.no/Vestindien_ForbiStillheten

Formed in 2009 and named after the last known brothel (now a museum) in Bergen, VESTINDIEN  had a reputation as an up-and-coming hardcore band with a heavy metal twist, and a solid following eager to witness VESTINDIEN’s frenetic live shows.  But one year after the release of their 2011 EP “We are the Lords of Hellfire”, the band inexplicably called it a day.

Several years later VESTINDIEN re-emerged with a more introverted, and less hardcore and aggressive, approach to their music.  Hints of the band’s hardcore roots were still discernible, but VESTINDIEN’s sound had manifested itself into a dark shroud that conjured up the essence of black metal, punk and old school rock’n’roll. As a result “Null”  was filled with songs that were dark, desperate and desolate, but also packed hard punches of energy and groove.

Details of the new album itself are still being kept under wraps, but we can reveal that “Verdande” was written in a basement in Bergen, as well as  on a secluded island in the Barents Sea.  The latter’s location out in the open sea, has literally, and figuratively, given VESTINDIEN more air and space do develop their music, without sacrificing any of those claustrophobic and chaotic roots from the underground.

VESTINDIEN’s lineup is comprised of Slettsnok on vocals,  guitars and synth, Fader War and Henrik Paulsen on guitars, Karl Johan Johannessen on drums, Petter Beyer on synth and Pål Eirik Veseth on bass, and more information about the band can be found on their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Vestindien/

Additional Information
VESTINDIEN
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Vestindien/
Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/vestindien/
Band contact and booking:  book.vestindien@gmail.com
DARK ESSENCE RECORDS
Dark Essence contact: post@karismarecords.no
Dark Essence Records: www.darkessencerecords.no
Dark Essence on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/darkessencerecords
Dark Essence Records Bandcamp:  http://karismarecords.bandcamp.com/
Dark Essence Records YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/DarkEssenceRecords
Dark Essence Records Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darkessencerecords/
Dark Essence Records Twitter: https://twitter.com/DarkEssenceRec
Dark Essence SoundCloud: http://soundcloud.com/dark-essence-records
Dark Essence Records Webshop: https://www.darkessencerecords.no
Dark Essence Records North American Webshop:  https://darkessence.indiemerch.com
Dark Essence Records Australian Webshop:  https://www.heavymetalmerchant.com/bands/d/dark-essence-records/

Himmellegeme PR1

With their debut full-length album “Myth of Earth”, having hit the streets on Karisma Records just over a month ago, Psychedelic Rockers HIMMELLEGEME have released a video of the opening track “Natteravn”.  The video, by the Oslo-based cinematographer  Leander Håvik, can be seen below and at https://youtu.be/JVyIGFFbPQs


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Harnessing influences from both Blues and Atmospheric Prog Rock, HIMMELLEGEME have produced an incredibly mature debut album with an otherworldliness to it that makes “Myth of Earth” timeless.   The band’s use of heavy riffs, combined with chilling melodies and melancholic lyrics, creates a haunting atmosphere that permeates an album which depicts past events, not only in the lives of the band members themselves, but also in the lives of others

Himmelgemme PR2

HIMMELLEMEME’s lineup of Aleksander Vormestrand on guitars and vocals, Hein Alexander Olson on lead guitar, Lauritz Isaksen on keyboards, Erik Alfredsen on bass, and Thord Nordli on drums, spent the past year exploring new sounds and putting the finishing touches to their new material, which was recorded during the fall and winter of 2016 at the Broen Studios in Bergen, and produced by Anders Bjelland (ELECTRIC EYE / HYPERTEXT).

With artwork by Mina Nornes Westli, “Myth of Earth” is available in CD Digipak, Vinyl and Digital formats.   Tracklisting for “Myth of Earth is as follows:

1. Natteravn
2. Hjertedød
3. Myth of Earth
4. Breath in the air like it’s fire
5. Kyss mine blodige hender
6. Fish
7. Fallvind

Himmelgemme AlbumArt

HIMMELLEGEME are set to appear at the Close to the Rain Bergen Prog Fest – Christmas Edition along with fellow Karisma Records label-mates WOBBLER on the 16th December at The Garage in Bergen.

More information about HIMMELLEGEME can be found on the band’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/himmellegemeband/

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Facebook:   https://www.facebook.com/himmellegemeband/
Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/himmellegemeband/
Bandcamp:  https://himmellegeme.bandcamp.com
Band contact: himmellegeme.contact@gmail.com
Karisma Records: http://www.karismarecords.no/
Karisma Records Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/karismarecords
Karisma Records on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/c/KarismarecordsNor
Karisma on SoundCloud:  https://soundcloud.com/karisma-records
Karisma Records Webshop: https://www.karismarecords.no/webshop/
Karisma Records US Webshop:  http://karismarecords.aisamerch.com/
Karisma Records BandCamp: http://karismarecords.bandcamp.com/music
Karisma Records KlickTrack Store:  http://shop.klicktrack.com/karismadarkessencerecords

 

Himmellegeme PR1

With their second signing of 2017 Karisma Records have yet again mined that rich seam of bands that runs through the town of Bergen on Norway’s rainy west coast,  and, once again, they have hit paydirt in the shape of Psychedelic Rockers HIMMELLEGEME.

Formed two years ago, HIMMELLEGEME ‘s music is influenced by both Blues and Atmospheric Prog Rock, which together combine to create an otherworldly and timeless sound.  With their heavy-hitting riffs, chilling melodies and melancholic lyrics, written in both Norwegian and English, HIMMELLEGEME create music that depicts past events in their own lives, as well as in the lives of others.

HIMMELLEGEME’s lineup of Aleksander Vormestrand on guitars and vocals, Hein Alexander Olson on lead guitar, Lauritz Isaksen on keyboards, Erik Alfredsen on bass, and Thord Nordli on drums, have spent the past year exploring new sounds and putting the finishing touches on their new material.  Recorded during the fall and winter of 2016 at the Broen Studios in Bergen, HIMMELLEGEME ‘s as yet-untitled album is set for release during 2017, and, according to the band, fans can expect that ” With eyes closed and the mind transported to caverns of serenity”  they should be ready to “experience a slight conversion from everyday mentality, to a spacious state of inebriation… ”

Commenting on their  collaboration with Karisma Records HIMMELLEGEME had this to say:

“Himmellegeme is very excited about joining forces with Karisma Records and having them release our debut album! We think this will help set us on a steadier path for our future endeavours as a band.

We spent last year finishing the songs for the album, and entered Broen Studios with Anders Bjelland (ELECTRIC EYE / HYPERTEXT) in the late fall of 2016. He worked with us as our producer and sonic wizard. He also mixed and mastered the album. We came back in early January to listen to the final cut, and we were quite pleased with the result!

We would like to thank everyone who has supported us so far – thanks to Anders for putting up with our shit ’n shenanigans – and of course a big thanks to Karisma for helping us with our upcoming release”.

More information about HIMMELLEGEME can be found on the band’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/himmellegemeband/

Himmellegeme PR2

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Facebook:   https://www.facebook.com/himmellegemeband/
Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/himmellegemeband/
Band contact: himmellegeme.contact@gmail.com
Karisma Records: http://www.karismarecords.no/
Karisma Records Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/karismarecords
Karisma Records on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/c/KarismarecordsNor
Karisma on SoundCloud:  https://soundcloud.com/karisma-records
Karisma Records Webshop: http://karismarecords.bigcartel.com/
Karisma Records US Webshop:  http://karismarecords.aisamerch.com/
Karisma Records BandCamp: http://karismarecords.bandcamp.com/music
Karisma Records KlickTrack Store:  http://shop.klicktrack.com/karismadarkessencerecords