Sarke is a Norwegian

metal A metal (from Greek μέταλλον ''métallon'', "mine, quarry, metal") is a material that, when freshly prepared, polished, or fractured, shows a lustrous appearance, and conducts electricity and heat relatively well. Metals are typicall ...

band from

Oslo Oslo ( , , or ; sma, Oslove) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population ...

, formed in 2008. The band has released seven studio albums and is currently signed to Norwegian record label

Indie Recordings Indie is a short form of "independence" or "independent"; it may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Gaming * Independent video game development, video games created without financial backing from large companies * Indie game, any game (boa ...

History

Sarke formed in 2008 when Thomas "Sarke" Bergli (

Khold Khold is a Norwegian black metal band formed in Oslo in 2000 after the split-up of Tulus. The band plays mid-paced black metal. History Khold was formed in Oslo in 2000. A demo was recorded in late 2000, which caused Khold to be signed by ...

, Tulus) decided to make a solo album. In November 2008, Sarke recorded the tracks for the album with keyboardist

Anders Hunstad Anders Hunstad (born 3 February 1974) is a Norwegian musician and songwriter from Oslo. Discography * 1996 – Ravana "Common Daze" * 1999 – Prosessor Balthazar "Riot 99" * 2000 – Autopulver "Vapor Trails" * 2002 – Morris "Ingen ringere ...

, produced by Lars-Erik Westby. Ted "Nocturno Culto" Skjellum ( Darkthrone, ex-

Satyricon The ''Satyricon'', ''Satyricon'' ''liber'' (''The Book of Satyrlike Adventures''), or ''Satyrica'', is a Latin work of fiction believed to have been written by Gaius Petronius, though the manuscript tradition identifies the author as Titus Petr ...

) joined Sarke and provided vocals for the debut album, titled ''Vorunah'', released on 6 April 2009 via

. In 2009, drummer

Asgeir Mickelson Asgeir Mickelson (born 30 September 1969) is a Norwegian musician, artist, photographer and music reviewer. Although primarily known as a drummer, he is also a skilled guitarist and bassist. Biography He has stated on his official message boar ...

and guitarist Terje "Cyrus" Andersen joined the band as live members. In 2010,

Steinar Gundersen Steinar Gundersen (born 16 September 1970) is a guitarist from the small village of Oklungen, Norway. He plays live with the black metal band Satyricon as well as also having played lead guitar in the progressive metal band Spiral Architect. Gu ...

joined Sarke as their second guitar player. In 2009 and 2010, the band played at several festivals such as

Wacken Open Air Wacken Open Air (, abbreviated as W:O:A) is a rock music festival, held annually since 1990 on the first weekend of August in the village of Wacken in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. Almost all styles and subgenres of hard rock and metal are ...

(with the guest appearance of

Thomas Gabriel Fischer Thomas Gabriel Fischer (born 19 July 1963), also known by his stage names of Tom G. Warrior and Satanic Slaughter, is a Swiss metal musician. He led the groups Hellhammer and Celtic Frost, and today is the frontman of the band Triptykon. Caree ...

Inferno Festival Inferno Metal Festival is an annual extreme metal festival that takes place every year during Easter in Oslo, Norway. The festival was founded by Borknagar guitarist Jens F. Ryland in cooperation with Radar Booking in 2001 and takes place at Rock ...

, Hole in the Sky, Party.San Open Air, Brutal Assault and

Ragnarök Festival Ragnarök Festival is a pagan metal festival held annually in Germany since 2004 founded by Ivo Raab. It started out as a small, one-night festival with only regional bands in the town hall of Hollfeld. In 2005 it was decided to go for a festiv ...

. After the festivals, Mickelson, Cyrus and Gundersen became full-time members of the band. On 15 April 2011, Sarke released a new album, ''Oldarhian'', via Indie Recordings. On 20 September 2013, the band released their third studio album, titled ''Aruagint'', via Indie Recordings.

Musical style and influences

Sarke's sound can be described as a blend of

black metal Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, a shrieking vocal style, heavily distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, raw (lo-fi) recording, unconventional song structures, and an emp ...

and

thrash metal Thrash metal (or simply thrash) is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music characterized by its overall aggression and often fast tempo.Kahn-Harris, Keith, ''Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge'', pp. 2–3, 9. Oxford: Berg, 2007, . ...

, that incorporates doom metal, death metal and

punk Punk or punks may refer to: Genres, subculture, and related aspects * Punk rock, a music genre originating in the 1970s associated with various subgenres * Punk subculture, a subculture associated with punk rock, or aspects of the subculture s ...

elements. According to the band, they are influenced by '70s

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...

, '80s

speed metal Speed metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music that originated in the late 1970s from new wave of British heavy metal (NWOBHM) roots.K. Kahn-Harris, ''Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge'' (Berg Publishers, 2007), , p. 31. It ...

and '90s black metal. They are inspired by bands like Mayhem, Slayer, Darkthrone, Celtic Frost,

Black Sabbath Black Sabbath were an English rock music, rock band formed in Birmingham in 1968 by guitarist Tony Iommi, drummer Bill Ward (musician), Bill Ward, bassist Geezer Butler and vocalist Ozzy Osbourne. They are often cited as pioneers of heavy met ...

, Candlemass,

Death Death is the irreversible cessation of all biological functions that sustain an organism. For organisms with a brain, death can also be defined as the irreversible cessation of functioning of the whole brain, including brainstem, and brain ...

Motörhead Motörhead () were an English rock band formed in London in 1975 by Lemmy (lead vocals, bass), Larry Wallis (guitar) and Lucas Fox (drums). Lemmy was also the primary songwriter and only constant member. The band are often considered a precu ...

and

Kreator Kreator is a German thrash metal band from Essen, formed in 1982. Their current lineup consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Miland "Mille" Petrozza, drummer Jürgen "Ventor" Reil, lead guitarist Sami Yli-Sirniö, and bassist Frédé ...

Members

;Current members * Sarke – drums, guitar (2008–2011); bass (2008–present) *

Nocturno Culto Ted Skjellum (born 4 March 1972), also known by the stage name Nocturno Culto, is a Norwegian musician best known as the vocalist, lead guitarist, and partial bassist (shared with Fenriz) of the influential black metal band Darkthrone. He has bee ...

– lead vocals (2008–present) *

– keyboards (2008–present) * Terje Kråbøl – drums (2011–present) *

– guitar (2011–present) ;Former members *

Cyrus Cyrus ( Persian: کوروش) is a male given name. It is the given name of a number of Persian kings. Most notably it refers to Cyrus the Great ( BC). Cyrus is also the name of Cyrus I of Anshan ( BC), King of Persia and the grandfather of Cyrus ...

– guitar (2011–2013) ;Session members * Asgeir Mickelson – drums (2009–2011) * Cyrus – guitar (2009–2011) * Steinar Gundersen – guitar (2010–2011)

Discography

* '' Vorunah'' (2009) * '' Oldarhian'' (2011) * '' Aruagint'' (2013) * ''Bogefod'' (2016) * ''Viige Urh'' (2017) * ''Gastwerso'' (2019) * ''Allsighr'' (2021)

References

External links

Official Facebook page
{{Authority control Norwegian black metal musical groups Norwegian thrash metal musical groups Musical groups established in 2008 Musical groups from Oslo