Svartsot
Encyclopedia
Svartsot is a Danish folk metal
band formed in 2005 in Randers
. Svartsot blend death
and black metal
with contemporary metal-styles and Nordic folk music
.
In 2010, the band released a new album, Mulmets Viser
, through Napalm Records. Despite Cristoffer J.S. Frederiksen being the only remaining member of the previous lineup, his position as the band's guitarist, composer and lyricist ensured that the band retained its musical identity. Mulmets Viser garnered a fairly positive critical response, although several critics pointed out that the band's strict adherence to their particular formula resulted in the album gradually losing listeners' attention as it progressed.
Folk metal
Folk metal is a sub-genre of heavy metal music that developed in Europe during the 1990s. As the name suggests, the genre is a fusion of heavy metal with traditional folk music...
band formed in 2005 in Randers
Randers
Randers is a city in Randers municipality on the Jutland peninsula in central Denmark. It is Denmark's sixth-largest city, with a population of 60,656 . Randers city is the main town of the municipality and the site of its municipal council.-Overview:Randers municipality has 94,750 inhabitants...
. Svartsot blend death
Death metal
Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It typically employs heavily distorted guitars, tremolo picking, deep growling vocals, blast beat drumming, minor keys or atonality, and complex song structures with multiple tempo changes....
and black metal
Black metal
Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, shrieked vocals, highly distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, blast beat drumming, raw recording, and unconventional song structure....
with contemporary metal-styles and Nordic folk music
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
.
History
On December 17, 2008, Michael Lundquist Andersen, Niels Thøgersen, Claus B. Gnudtzmann and Martin Kielland-Brandt announced they had left the band because of different opinions on how to run a band and how the music should sound. The band's whistler, Stewart Lewis, is currently on a hiatus due to the continuing state of his wife’s ill health. On February 22, 2009, Svartsot had announced their new band lineup is complete. Stewart Lewis was replaced for live shows, but is still considered a member of the band.In 2010, the band released a new album, Mulmets Viser
Mulmets Viser
-Track listing:#"Æthelred" - 3:32#"Lokkevisen" - 3:44#"Havfruens Kvad" - 4:05#"Højen på Glødende Pæle" - 3:58#"På Odden af Hans Hedenske Sværd" - 5:07#"Laster og Tarv" - 3:38#"Den Svarte Sot" - 6:16#"Kromandens Datter" - 3:55#"Grendel" - 2:52#"Jagten" - 4:29...
, through Napalm Records. Despite Cristoffer J.S. Frederiksen being the only remaining member of the previous lineup, his position as the band's guitarist, composer and lyricist ensured that the band retained its musical identity. Mulmets Viser garnered a fairly positive critical response, although several critics pointed out that the band's strict adherence to their particular formula resulted in the album gradually losing listeners' attention as it progressed.
Band members
- Thor Bager - Vocals
- Cristoffer J.S. Frederiksen - lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
, mandolinMandolinA mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
, acoustic guitarSteel-string acoustic guitarA steel-string acoustic guitar is a modern form of guitar descended from the classical guitar, but strung with steel strings for a brighter, louder sound... - James Atkin - BassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Danni Jelsgaard - Drums
- Hans-Jørgen Martinus Hansen - Irish whistlesTin whistleThe tin whistle, also called the penny whistle, English Flageolet, Scottish penny whistle, Tin Flageolet, Irish whistle and Clarke London Flageolet is a simple six-holed woodwind instrument. It is an end blown fipple flute, putting it in the same category as the recorder, American Indian flute, and...
, mandolinMandolinA mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
, AccordionAccordionThe accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist....
, bodhranBodhránThe bodhrán is an Irish frame drum ranging from 25 to 65 cm in diameter, with most drums measuring 35 to 45 cm . The sides of the drum are 9 to 20 cm deep. A goatskin head is tacked to one side...
and other instruments - Stewart C. Lewis - Irish whistlesTin whistleThe tin whistle, also called the penny whistle, English Flageolet, Scottish penny whistle, Tin Flageolet, Irish whistle and Clarke London Flageolet is a simple six-holed woodwind instrument. It is an end blown fipple flute, putting it in the same category as the recorder, American Indian flute, and...
, bodhranBodhránThe bodhrán is an Irish frame drum ranging from 25 to 65 cm in diameter, with most drums measuring 35 to 45 cm . The sides of the drum are 9 to 20 cm deep. A goatskin head is tacked to one side...
, axes & other instruments- (On hiatus due to his wife's ill health)
Former members
- Michael Lundquist Andersen - guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
- Niels Thøgersen - drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
- Claus B. Gnudtzmann - vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
- Martin Kielland-Brandt - bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Cliff Nemanim - Rhythm guitars
- Marcello Freitas - drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
- Henrik S. Christensen - bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
Studio albums
- Ravnenes SagaRavnenes SagaRavnenes Saga is the debut album from the Danish folk/Viking metal band Svartsot.-Track listing:#"Gravøllet" – 4:36#"Tvende Ravne" – 4:14#"Nidvisen" – 4:34#"Jotunheimsfærden" – 4:03#"Bersærkergang" – 4:42#"Hedens Døtre" – 4:13#"Festen" – 3:14...
(2007) - Mulmets ViserMulmets Viser-Track listing:#"Æthelred" - 3:32#"Lokkevisen" - 3:44#"Havfruens Kvad" - 4:05#"Højen på Glødende Pæle" - 3:58#"På Odden af Hans Hedenske Sværd" - 5:07#"Laster og Tarv" - 3:38#"Den Svarte Sot" - 6:16#"Kromandens Datter" - 3:55#"Grendel" - 2:52#"Jagten" - 4:29...
(2010) - Maledictus ErisMaledictus ErisMaledictus Eris is the third album from the Danish folk/Viking metal band Svartsot.-Track listing:#"Staden..." - 0:48#"Gud Giv Det Varer Ved!" - 4:26#"Dødedansen" - 4:59#"Farsoten Kom" - 4:32#"Holdt Ned af en Tjørn" - 4:26...
(2011)