Kvelertak

Kvelertak
Kvelertak performing in 2013
Background information
Origin	Stavanger, Norway
Genres	Black 'n' roll[1][2][3] hardcore punk[4] heavy metal[5] hard rock[6][7]
Years active	2007–present
Labels	Indie Recordings The End Roadrunner Sony Music Scandinavia
Website	kvelertak.com
Members	Erlend Hjelvik Vidar Landa Bjarte Lund Rolland Maciek Ofstad Marvin Nygaard Kjetil Gjermundrød

Kvelertak is a Norwegian heavy metal band from Stavanger, formed in 2007. The group comprises vocalist Erlend Hjelvik, guitarists Vidar Landa, Bjarte Lund Rolland and Maciek Ofstad, bassist Marvin Nygaard and drummer Kjetil Gjermundrød. Kvelertak have Norwegian lyrics and their main influences are rock and roll, black metal and punk rock.

The band's self-titled debut album was released in 2010 and sold more than 15,000 copies in Norway.^[8] The second album, Meir, was released in March 2013. The band's third studio album, titled Nattesferd, was released on May 13, 2016.

History

Vocalist Erlend Hjelvik

Kvelertak was formed in Stavanger, Norway in 2007. The band's name is the Norwegian for "stranglehold" or "chokehold".^[9] A demo, Westcoast Holocaust, was self-released that year.^[10][11] The band released their debut album, entitled Kvelertak, on June 21, 2010 via the Norwegian record label Indie Recordings,^[12] and on March 15 via The End Records in North America.^[13] The album was certified gold by IFPI in Norway for selling over 15,000 copies.^[8]

In March 2011, Kvelertak was presented with two Spellemannprisen Awards, a prestigious Norwegian music award similar to the American Grammy Award—for Best Newcomer and Best Rock Band.^[14] The Kvelertak song "Mjød" was used as the end music for the film The Troll Hunter.^[15]

The second album, entitled Meir, was released on March 25, 2013 (March 26 in the US) via Sony Music Scandinavia in Scandinavia, Roadrunner Records in the rest of the world, and by Indie Recordings on vinyl. Kvelertak has also attracted a following from renowned artists such as Metallica front man James Hetfield who, along with the Norwegian Crown Prince Haakon, watched the band perform in San Francisco. Hetfield also posted a video on his Instagram account of him watching the band and describing the front man Hjelvik as a "savage" frontman. ^[16]

The band's third studio album, titled Nattesferd, was released on May 13, 2016.^[17]

Honors

• 2010: Two times Spellemannprisen in the categories best Rock band and this years Newcomer, for the self-titled album Kvelertak

Discography

Studio albums

List of studio albums, with selected chart positions

Year	Album details	Peak chart positions
		NOR [18]	BEL (FL)	FIN [19]	GER	SWE	SWI	UK
2010	Kvelertak Released: June 21, 2010 Label: Indie Recordings Formats: CD, digital download	3	—	—	—	—	—	—
2013	Meir Released: March 25, 2013 Label: Sony Music Scandinavia, Roadrunner Records, Indie Recordings Formats: CD, digital download, vinyl	1	165	18	64	20	100	108
2016	Nattesferd Released: May 13, 2016 Label: Roadrunner Records, Indie Recordings Formats: CD, digital download	2 [20]	91	9 [21]	24	31	44	128
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that region.

EPs

• Gojira/Kvelertak Live (2013, split with Gojira)

Singles

• "Mjød" (2010)
• "Blodtørst" (2010)
• "Bruane Brenn" (2013)
• "Kvelertak" (2013)
• "1985" (2016)
• "Berserkr" (2016)

Demos

• Westcoast Holocaust (2007)^[22]

Band members

Current members

• Erlend Hjelvik – vocals
• Vidar Landa – guitar, piano
• Bjarte Lund Rolland – guitar
• Maciek Ofstad – guitar, vocals
• Marvin Nygaard – bass
• Kjetil Gjermundrød – drums

Past members

• Anders Mosness – guitar

References

1. Buchanan, John. D. "Kvelertak". Allmusic. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
2. Pham, Andrew (15 March 2015). "Kvelertak - Kvelertak". Exclaim!. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
3. Nelson, Michael (1 November 2013). "Kvelertak – "Snilepisk" Video". Stereogum. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
4. Walschots, Natalie Zina (26 March 2013). "Kvelertak - Meir". Exclaim!. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
5. Monger, Jason Christopher (March 25, 2013). "Meir - Kvelertak - Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards - Music". Allrovi. Retrieved September 29, 2013.
6. Smith, Nathan (22 November 2013). "Get Crushed By Kvelertak's Unclassifiable Heaviness". Houston Press. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
7. Barkan, Jonathan (25 January 2013). "Roadrunner Records Signs Norwegian Rock Band Kvelertak". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
8. "Kvelertak Receives Gold-Album Plaque From Dave Grohl". Blabbermouth.net. Roadrunner. July 1, 2011. Retrieved July 1, 2011.
9. Ramirez, Carlos (April 29, 2011). "Kvelertak Strangle the Crowd in 'Ordsmedar Av Rang' -- Video Premiere". Noisecreep. AOL Music. Retrieved April 29, 2011.
10. KVelertak: Eight Songs Available For Free Download - June 17, 2007. Blabbermouth.net.
11. Kvelertak Replaces Helldriver At Norway's Øyafestivalen - Aug. 4, 2007. Blabbermouth.net.
12. Blabbermouth (20 April 2011). "KVELERTAK: 'Ordsmedar Av Rang' Video Released". Retrieved 31 May 2016.
13. Kvelertak Interviewed In Berlin (Video) - May 29, 2011. Blabbermouth.net.
14. "Kvelertak Wins Two Spellemann Awards". Blabbermouth.net. Roadrunner Records. March 6, 2011. Retrieved March 6, 2011.
15. "Trollhunter". 29 October 2010. Retrieved 31 May 2016 – via IMDb.
16. "KVELERTAK Is Almost Done Writing Material For Next Album". Blabbermouth.net. November 29, 2015. Retrieved November 29, 2015.
17. Kvelertak To Release 'Nattesferd' Album In May; New Song '1985' Streaming. Blabbermouth.net. Published on March 8, 2016.
18. Hung, Steffen. "norwegiancharts.com - Discography Kvelertak". Retrieved 31 May 2016.
19. "FinnishCharts.com Kvelertak discography page". Finnishcharts.com. Retrieved 2013-04-05.
20. "VG-lista - Topp 40 Album uke 21, 2016". Retrieved 31 May 2016.
21. "Musiikkituottajat - Tilastot - Suomen virallinen lista - Albumit". Retrieved 31 May 2016.
22. Archaic Magazine interview of Kvelertak Archived October 5, 2011, at the Wayback Machine.

External links

• Official website
• Kvelertak on Facebook