Vardøger (band)
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Vardøger was a
Christian A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...
extreme metal Extreme metal is a loosely defined umbrella term for a number of related heavy metal music subgenres that have developed since the early 1980s. It has been defined as a "cluster of metal subgenres characterized by sonic, verbal, and visual tran ...
band from
Hamar Hamar is a List of cities in Norway, town in Hamar Municipality in Innlandet Counties of Norway, county, Norway. Hamar is the administrative centre of Hamar Municipality. It is located in the Districts of Norway, traditional region of Hedmarken. ...
, Norway. Formed in 1994 under the name Hidden Paradise, the members of the band at the time were all involved in other musical projects and so treated Hidden Paradise as a side project. Several songs were written between 1995 and 1997, almost enough for an entire album, and the band changed its name to Vardøger, but the group disbanded before an album could be released. In 2000, the band contributed the
symphonic black metal Symphonic black metal is a subgenre of black metal that emerged in the 1990s and incorporates symphonic and orchestral elements. History One of the earliest forerunners in what would come to be the sound of symphonic metal was Celtic Frost ...
song "Footprints of Thunder" to the
compilation album A compilation album comprises Album#Tracks, tracks, which may be previously released or unreleased, usually from several separate recordings by either one Performing arts#Performers, performer or by several performers. If the recordings are from ...
''In the Shadow of Death: A Scandinavian Extreme Music Compilation.'' The song was covered in 2019 by Irgalom on their ''Meditate I'' album. Vardøger reformed and eventually released an EP, ''
Whitefrozen ''Whitefrozen'' is the 2003 debut Extended play, EP by the Norwegian Unblack metal, unblack and Viking metal band Vardøger (band), Vardøger. Vardøger formed in 1994, under the name Hidden Paradise, as a side project of its constituent musicians ...
'', in 2003 through Endtime Productions. The recording was received well by critics and is considered a classic. The style on that album was described as
unblack metal Unblack metal (also known as Christian black metal or White metal) is a religious philosophy and subgenre within black metal, inheriting several characteristics of it, such as the melody, the lyrics and the aesthetics (corpse paint), whose artis ...
,
black metal Black metal is an extreme metal, extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include Tempo#Beats per minute, fast tempos, a Screaming (music)#Black metal, shrieking vocal style, heavily distorted Electric guitar, guitars played with tr ...
mixed with
folk music Folk music is a music genre that includes #Traditional folk music, traditional folk music and the Contemporary folk music, contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be ca ...
, black and
folk metal Folk metal is a fusion genre of heavy metal music and traditional folk music that developed in Europe during the 1990s. It is characterised by the widespread use of folk instruments and, to a lesser extent, traditional singing styles (for example ...
,
atmospheric 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 emphas ...
, and
Viking metal Viking metal is a subgenre of heavy metal music characterized by a lyrical and thematic focus on Norse mythology, Norse religion, Norse paganism, and the Viking Age. Viking metal is quite diverse as a musical style, to the point where some consi ...
. The band was compared to
Amorphis Amorphis is a Finnish progressive metal band founded by Jan Rechberger, Tomi Koivusaari, and Esa Holopainen in 1990. Initially, the band was a death metal act, but on later albums they evolved into playing other genres, including progressive meta ...
and
Schaliach Schaliach was a Christian metal band formed by Peter Dalbakk and Ole Børud from Hamar, Norway. Dalbakk served as the band's vocalist, while Børud handled all the instrumentation. In 1995, the duo released a 3-song demo. The following year, they ...
, the latter project being the primary focus of Vardøger member Peter Dalbakk, as well as
Antestor Antestor () is a Norwegian Christian metal, Christian extreme metal band formed in 1990 in Jessheim. Credited for starting the northern European Unblack metal, Christian black metal scene,Bryzak, Michael. Liner notes of ''The Defeat of Satan'' a ...
and Pospolite Ruszenie. The same year, the band played at Nordic Fest in
Oslo Oslo ( or ; ) 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 of 1,064,235 in 2022 ...
, Norway. In 2006, Vardøger was disbanded due to lack of interest from the musicians. although the band did play again at Endtime Festival in 2007. The band reformed the next year and began song-writing. A major lineup change occurred in 2010, and the band started recording full-length album, ''
Ghost Notes ''Ghost Notes'' is the fifth full-length studio album by American rock band Veruca Salt, released on July 10, 2015, through El Camino Records. It is the first to feature the band's original lineup since their second album, ''Eight Arms to Hold Y ...
'', which was released in 2015 through Starbreather Productions. Though the band is known for playing black metal, on this release it expanded its sound to
progressive metal Progressive metal (often shortened to prog metal) is a broad fusion music genre melding heavy metal music, heavy metal and progressive rock, combining the loud "aggression" and amplified electric guitar, guitar-driven sound of the former with t ...
,
extreme metal Extreme metal is a loosely defined umbrella term for a number of related heavy metal music subgenres that have developed since the early 1980s. It has been defined as a "cluster of metal subgenres characterized by sonic, verbal, and visual tran ...
, and
melodic death metal Melodic death metal (also referred to as melodeath) is a subgenre of death metal that employs highly melodic guitar riffs, often borrowing from traditional heavy metal (including New Wave of British Heavy Metal). The genre features the heavines ...
. ''Ghost Notes'' was compared to the output of
Kekal Kekal is an Indonesian extreme metal band formed in 1995 in Jakarta. According to AllMusic, Kekal was one of the first heavy metal bands from Indonesia to make international inroads, and, according to sociologist of heavy metal, Keith Kahn-Harr ...
,
Extol Extol is an extreme metal band from Bekkestua, Norway, that was formed in 1993. The band is known for playing a variety of different styles of heavy metal music, metal which include progressive metal, Christian death metal, black metal and thra ...
,
Gojira is the original Japanese name for Godzilla, a giant monster at the center of a media franchise. It may also refer to: Films *Godzilla (franchise), ''Godzilla'' franchise, known as in Japan **Godzilla (1954 film), ''Godzilla'' (1954 film), relea ...
, and
Opeth Opeth is a Swedish progressive metal band from Stockholm, formed in 1990. The band incorporates folk music, folk, blues, classical music, classical, and jazz elements into its usually lengthy compositions, as well as strong influences from deat ...
. In 2018, Vardøger announced that it would once again disband.


Discography


Studio albums

* ''
Ghost Notes ''Ghost Notes'' is the fifth full-length studio album by American rock band Veruca Salt, released on July 10, 2015, through El Camino Records. It is the first to feature the band's original lineup since their second album, ''Eight Arms to Hold Y ...
'' (2015)


Extended plays

* ''
Whitefrozen ''Whitefrozen'' is the 2003 debut Extended play, EP by the Norwegian Unblack metal, unblack and Viking metal band Vardøger (band), Vardøger. Vardøger formed in 1994, under the name Hidden Paradise, as a side project of its constituent musicians ...
'' (2003)


Compilation appearances

* ''In the Shadow of Death: A Scandinavian Extreme Music Compilation'' (2000) - Contributed "Footprints of Thunder" * ''Come Armageddon - Endtime Productions V Years (2 Disc)'' (2003) ** Disc 1: LP version contains "Footprints of Thunder", CD version contains "Silent Witness" ** Disc 2: Contains "Almighty";


Band members


Final Line-up

* Robert Bordevik – guitar (1994–1997, 2003–2006, 2007, 2008–2018), lead vocals (2017–2018) * Alexander Dalbakk – guitar (2010–2018) * Henning Ramseth – bass, keyboard (2010–2018) * Jo Henning Børven – drums (2003–2006, 2007, 2017–2018) * Jørn Øyhus – sung vocals (2017–2018) *
Knut Anders Sørum Knut Anders Sørum (born 12 April 1976) is a Norwegian singer from Østre Toten. He represented Norway at Eurovision Song Contest 2004 in Istanbul with the pop-ballad "High (Knut Anders Sørum song), High". He was also a vocalist and keyboard pla ...
– vocals, keyboard (1994–2006, 2007), vocals (2018)


Former Members

* Peter Dalbakk – lead vocals (1994–1997, 2003–2006, 2007, 2008–2017) * Tom Arne Fossheim – drums (1994–1997, 2003–2006, 2008–2010) * Johannes Baumann – drums (2010–2017) * Stian Aarebrot – guitar (1994–1997, 2003–2006, 2007, 2008–2010) * Magnus Westgaard – bass (2003–2006, 2007, 2008–2010) (also of Absurd²) * Johanne B. Bordevik – sung vocals (2010–2017) * Bedevaart – sung vocals (2017)


References

{{Reflist, 2 Norwegian unblack metal musical groups Christian extreme metal groups Musicians from Hamar Norwegian folk metal musical groups Norwegian viking metal musical groups Norwegian progressive metal musical groups Musical groups established in 1994 1994 establishments in Norway