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Gaahls Wyrd

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Gaahls Wyrd
Background information
OriginBergen, Norway
GenresBlack metal
Years active2015–present
LabelsSeason of Mist
MembersGaahl
Lust Kilman
Eld
Spektre
Past membersBaard Kolstad
Sir

Gaahls Wyrd is a Norwegian black metal band based in Bergen, formed in 2015 by former Gorgoroth and God Seed vocalist Gaahl.[1]

History

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In September 2015 (one month after God Seed's final show), Gaahl announced his new band, Gaahls Wyrd, who played their first live show at the Blekkmetal Festival in Norway on 13 November 2015.[1]

In regards to forming the new band, Gaahl stated:

I'm very pleased with what me and Tom have done together. We've created a lot of good songs, but I think the difference between us is probably the reason why I've started this new band. I've made a lot of my favourite songs that I've created in God Seed and I've brought with me one of these characters from that band.[1]

Since their formation, Gaahls Wyrd has been consistently touring; their repertoire consists of selected songs from Gaahl's past projects, including tracks from Incipit Satan, Twilight of the Idols, and Ad Majorem Sathanas Gloriam by Gorgoroth, God Seed's debut album, and assorted tracks by Trelldom. They have also had a variety of guest performers on their shows.

In 2016, they released footage of their debut performance.[2]

In 2017, drummer Baard Kolstad left the band and was replaced by Kevin Kvåle aka "Spektre". Guitarist Stian "Sir" Kårstad also left the following year and was replaced by Ole Hartvigsen of Kampfar for live performances. Both members quit the band for undisclosed reasons.

On 1 December 2017, the band independently released a 12" hand-numbered EP titled Bergen Nov '15 and included six live tracks that were performed and recorded during their live debut in 2015; it featured Kvitrafn on vocals and playing the hurdy-gurdy as a guest for the first track. It was exclusively sold on the Vardøger European Tour 2017 with Auðn and The Great Old Ones and was limited to 1,000 copies. On 4 May 2018, it was reissued and made widely available in CD format through Season of Mist. In September that same year the band also announced their signing to Season of Mist to release their debut album.[3][4]

The band announced a two month long European tour with Swedish band Tribulation and American bands Uada and Idle Hands called "Northern Ghosts Tour" that started on 21 February 2019, and ended on 10 March.[4][5]

The band's promotional single "Ghosts Invited" was released online on 7 February and revealed that the name of their debut album will be GastiR – Ghosts Invited and is going to be released on 31 May 2019; the album was recorded throughout 2018 at Solslottet Studios in Norway with Iver Sandøy of Enslaved, though most of the music was written and demoed by Lust Kilman and Eld as early as 2016.[6][7][8][9][10] The second promotional single "From the Spear" was released on 13 March.[11] On 16 April, the band released their first music video for the song "Carving the Voices" which was directed, shot and edited by Troll Toftenes.[12][13] GastiR – Ghosts Invited was released on digital platforms on 24 May 2019, and physical media the following week. The band has also continued performing live and will be featured in several festivals. The band also revealed that Blasphemer of Aura Noir and VLTIMAS fame had joined the band as a second live guitarist since Ole Hartvigsen had to return to Kampfar for their live performances in support of their new album. Eriksen would later depart to focus on his bands, and was replaced by Andreas Fosse Salbu as live guitarist.

In December 2019, GastiR – Ghosts Invited was rated the third best metal album of the year by the American magazine Rolling Stone,[14] and on 7 February 2020, it was nominated for Best Metal Album in the Norwegian music award Spellemannsprisen.[15] Due to the outbreak of COVID-19 and the following national lockdown during spring of 2020, the Spellemannsprisen award show was cancelled until further notice.[16] A few months later, it was announced that Gaahls Wyrd had won the Spellemann Award for Best Metal Album of 2019.

Band members

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Current members
  • Gaahl (Kristian Espedal) – vocals (2015–present)
  • Lust Kilman (Ole Walaunet) – guitar (2015–present)
  • Eld (Frode Kilvik) – bass (2015–present)
  • Spektre (Kevin Kvåle) – drums (2017–present)
Former members
  • Baard Kolstad – drums (2015–2017)
  • Sir (Stian Kårstad) – guitar (2015–2018)
Live members
  • Andreas Fosse Salbu – guitars (2019–present)
  • Ole Hartvigsen – guitars (2018–2019)
  • Blasphemer – guitars (2019)

Discography

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Studio albums

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  • GastiR – Ghosts Invited (2019)[17]

Live albums

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  • Bergen Nov '15 (2017)

EPs

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  • The Humming Mountain (2021)[18]

Singles

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  • "Ghosts Invited" (2019)[19]
  • "From the Spear" (2019)
  • "Carving the Voices" (2019)

References

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  1. ^ a b c Selzer, Jonathan (29 September 2015). "Exclusive: Gaahl announces his new band and debut show". Metal Hammer. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
  2. ^ "Gaahls Wyrd reveal a new show and exclusive footage from their live debut". 5 April 2016.
  3. ^ "GAAHLS WYRD – New Signing – September 18, 2018".
  4. ^ a b "Former GORGOROTH Frontman's GAAHLS WYRD to Release Debut Album". 19 September 2018.
  5. ^ "Gaahls Wyrd – Sign with Season of Mist, New Album Coming in 2019".
  6. ^ "GAAHLS WYRD: Dritter Song vom "GastiR – Ghosts Invited"-Album". 26 April 2019.
  7. ^ "Gaahls Wyrd dévoile "Ghosts Invited"".
  8. ^ "Former GORGOROTH Frontman's GAAHLS WYRD to Release 'GastiR – Ghosts Invited' Album in May". 7 February 2019.
  9. ^ "Gaahls Wyrd Set May Release for New Album, Debut "Ghosts Invited"". 7 February 2019.
  10. ^ "GAAHLS WYRD (Ex-GORGOROTH) Drops Unsettling, Blackened New Song "Ghosts Invited"". 8 February 2019.
  11. ^ "Ex-Gorgoroth Vocalist Gaahl Reveals New Song 'From the Spear'". Loudwire. 13 March 2019.
  12. ^ "Former GORGOROTH Frontman's GAAHLS WYRD: 'Carving the Voices' Video". 16 April 2019.
  13. ^ "Exclusive: Gaahls Wyrd unveil a striking new video". 16 April 2019.
  14. ^ "Rolling Stone Magazine : The 10 Best Metal Albums of 2019". Rolling Stone. 11 December 2019. Retrieved 1 April 2020.
  15. ^ "Bergens Tidene : Announcing the nominees for Spellemannsprisen 2019". 7 February 2020. Retrieved 1 April 2020.
  16. ^ "Spellemann.no : Spellemann 2019 er avlyst". 12 March 2020. Retrieved 1 April 2020.
  17. ^ "GASTIR GHOSTS INVITED". Season of Mist.
  18. ^ "Gaahls WYRD Streams New Mini-Album in Full Ahead of Release". Metalheads Forever Magazine. 5 November 2021. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
  19. ^ "Gaahls Wyrd release new song 'Ghosts Invited'". Distorted Sound Magazine. 7 February 2019. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
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