Band Details

From the Promoter

THE DECIBEL MAGAZINE TOUR

Seventh Annual Decibel Magazine Tour Lineup + Dates Announced
Enslaved, Wolves in the Throne Room, Myrkur and Khemmis unite for metal media leader’s latest North American campaign this February

Since its launch in 2012, the annual Decibel Magazine Tour’s ambitious curation has unified artists from around the extreme universe who would otherwise never have the opportunity to tour North America together. The lineup for the 2018 Decibel Magazine Tour continues that proud tradition, as Norwegian progressive metal legends Enslaved join forces with Pacific Northwest black metal heroes Wolves in the Throne Room, Danish post-black siren Myrkur and doomed rock ‘n’ crushers Khemmis (with regional openers in select markets to be announced next year).

“I have always wanted Enslaved to be part of the Decibel Tour concept,” says Enslaved guitarist and co-founder Ivar Bjørnson. “Not only is Decibel an institution, and defender of the last line of resistance for the printed metal mag in North America (for a band started in 1991, printed magazines are no small matter), but the Decibel Tour has also become an institution and an icon for metal that we admire here on the other side of the pond. So, to be asked to headline, and to perform with these other very fine artists, is a great honor and a great pleasure. Be there or be trapezoid!”

Of 2018’s four featured acts, three have released new LPs in late 2017 to coincide with the Decibel Tour: Enslaved, with their fourteenth full-length album, E; Wolves in the Throne Room, with sixth record Thrice Woven; and Myrkur, with sophomore release Mareridt. The former have already been honored with a pair of authoritative Hall of Fame features (on 1994’s landmark Frost and 2003 groundbreaker Below the Lights). Wolves in the Throne and Myrkur each graced Decibel’s cover in 2017, while in 2016, Khemmis took home Decibel’s Album of the Year honor for their Hunted release. Additionally, Enslaved, Myrkur and Khemmis have each recorded and released exclusive tracks via the Decibel Flexi Series, and the 2018 headliners will return with their second flexi contribution, which will appear in the annual Decibel Tour issue of the magazine that hits stands February 2018

ENSLAVED

Enslaved was formed in 1991 by Ivar Bjørnson and Grutle Kjellson, and did their first demo “Yggdrasill” in the summer of 1992, while the legendary mini-album “Hordanes Land” was released the year after in 1993. Enslaved’s debut “Vikingligr Veldi” came in the spring of 1994, while the successful second album “Frost” was released already winter 1994. In many ways “Eld” (’97) marked the opening of a horizon-widening era for the band, with a small detour on “Blodhemn” the following year: Enslaved’s most furious and black-edged effort to date. “Mardraum (Beyond the Within)” was released in 2000; taking on an experimental and innovative approach for Extreme Metal. The band followed up with “Monumension” in 2001; receiving more (pleasantly) surprising positive response to their “no rules” approach to Extreme Metal. Many see an important milestone being “Below the Lights” (’03) - where the progressive yet darker Enslaved emerged. A new line-up was put together after the recording of “Below the Lights”, marking the opening of a new, shimmering chapter.

The new line-up released the album “Isa” in late 2004, and the album put Enslaved at the very forefront of contemporary Extreme Metal; both as a recording and live artist – proving the latter with the release of acclaimed live-DVD “Return to Yggdrasill”. “Ruun” was released in 2006, and received numerous great reviews from fans, magazines and websites worldwide. Early 2007 Enslaved sat out on their first full tour through USA and Canada since the late 90s; following up with treks all over Europe and more North America. Back in the studio the band conjured up “Vertebrae” (’08) together with mixer Joe Baresi – an album that spread across the globe like fire with extensive promotion and extensive touring. More inspired than ever the band worked on a new album throughout 2009, and started recording during the first weeks of 2010. The band’s first co-operation with mixer Jens Bogren; “Axioma Ethica Odini” received Enslaved’s 4th consecutive Norwegian Grammy in the Metal category (“Isa”, “Ruun” and “Vertebrae” receiving the three previous awards).

Enslaved have been touring in Norway, Europe and North America since; and released two highly exclusive EPs during 2011: a give-away 10” (“The Sleeping Gods”), and a very limited 7” (“Thorn”). Never ones for resting, Enslaved worked intensely with an album throughout all of this – and in 2012 they inked a worldwide deal with leading label Nuclear Blast Records. This all resulted in Enslaved’s groundbreaking 2012-album “Riitiir”. As with the two previous albums, the team of producers once again came from within the band: Bjørnson, Larsen and Grutle – now strengthened through the addition of Iver Sandøy. The latter facilitated the recordings in Bergen’s Duper and Solslottet Studios, while large parts of the recording once again was done in the band members’ own studios in Bergen; securing a unique sound closer than ever to the natural and trademark sound from Enslaved’s instruments and amplification. The mix and mastering was handled by respectively Jens Bogren and Tony Lindgren; both from Fascination Street Studios. One of Enslaved’s trademarks has been the magnificent paintings that adorn the covers, and “Riitiir” is no exception. Norwegian artist Truls Espedal, who has worked with the band since 2001, has outdone himself – the artwork for “Riitiir” found the way to many of 2012 top-lists; along with the album itself.

2013 became a year of expansion for Enslaved, with North American and European tours, and of course more festival appearances around the world. It also became the year when Enslaved finally made its way down under to Australia, a highly memorable and successful endeavor. Upon returning at the end of the year, songwriting once again commenced and 2014 were set to be the year when Enslaved took yet another step up, out, forward and whatever directions there are. The year started with supporting Swedish brother-in-beards Amon Amarth. Then the summer and autumn two highly public commissioned pieces in Norway, and recording a new album. As 2014 draws to an end, there are storms brewing: festivals are being booked en masse, the new album “In Times” will be out worldwide early March 2015, accompanied by a North American tour starting March 5th. Look out!

WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM

Wolves in the Throne Room is an American black metal band formed in 2003 in Olympia, Washington. The main members of Wolves in the Throne Room are brothers Aaron and Nathan Weaver.

MYRKUR

From the darkness of Scandinavia emerges MYRKUR. Hailing from Denmark, the one-woman project signed to renowned independent label Relapse Records in 2014 off the strength of just one EP, its eponymous debut (released September 2014). Envisioned and realized by classically-trained multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Amalie Bruun, MYRKUR combined the rawness of second-wave black metal bands like Ulver and Darkthrone with a natural, ethereal sonic beauty. MYRKURintroduced a wholly unique perspective on the genre of black metal, one that immediately put her on the map and caught the attention of listeners and publications worldwide.

Though the word "myrkur" means "darkness" in Icelandic, Bruun's music encompasses far more than just that one dimension of music: with its distinct sense of Nordic isolation, MYRKUR is a definitively brutal creation, yet also a delicate and feminine one. Choral and folk elements abound, lending the music a mystical, legendary quality and an untouchable equilibrium between dark and light. MYRKUR's influences range from nature to traditional Scandinavian folklore to Norse mythology and far beyond. Bruun elaborates, "I always dreamed about becoming a Huldra, an Elver girl, a Valkyrie, the goddess Freja. These powerful women in Norse Mythology have an element of beauty and mystique, but they are also deadly."

That power was more than evident on MYRKUR's EP, but fully came into its own on Bruun's first full-length M, released via Relapse in August 2015. Featuring production and guest appearances from renowned metal legends such as Krystoffer "Garm" Rygg (Ulver), Teloch (Mayhem/Nidingr) and Christopher Amott, M showcased Bruun's learned and mature perspective on black metal alongside her prodigious compositional and vocal talents. As Decibel Magazine put it in its 8/10 review, M is "a black metal record that respects tradition without drowning in it." Publications including NPR, Stereogum, Pitchfork, Spin and dozens of other outlets worldwide have shared this sentiment, hailing M and MYRKUR as the very thing they stand for - not a drastic reinvention, not an atavistic homage, but a unique, timeless, and true expression of black metal. Now with two acclaimed releases and several live performances (including one at Denmark's Roskilde Festival) under her belt, nobody but MYRKUR is in a better place to help Scandinavia reclaim its rightful throne as the global leader of extreme music.

MYRKUR is:
Amalie Bruun - all instruments & composition

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