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Årabrot
Årabrot,Hellfest 2019.
Background information
Also known as	Arabrot
Origin	Haugesund, Norway
Genres	Noise-rock,sludge metal,doom metal,post-punk,
Years active	2001–present
Labels	Fysisk Format
Members	Kjetil Nernes
Past members	Vidar Evensen (2001-2013) Kristian Kallevik (2001-2003) Jon Øvstedal (2001-2010)
Website	www.arabrot.com

Årabrot is a Norwegian noise-rock band established in 2001, originally fromHaugesund, but with a current creative base inDjura and the Oslo-based record labelFysisk Format.^[1]

The band is named after a garbage dump in Haugesund, Norway. Etymologically, the name may refer to the place where the rivers or currents meet.

Since starting out in 2001, Årabrot's main core has been Kjetil Nernes (songwriter, guitar and vocals), Vidar Evensen (drums and visuals) and Jon Øvstedal (bass), and in recent years noise artist Stian Skagen (electronics) has been a regular on-and-off member of the band. They have also collaborated with producers such asBilly Anderson (Melvins,Neurosis),Emil Nikolaisen (Serena-Maneesh, Maribel) andSteve Albini (Nirvana,Big Black,High on Fire). Their first three albums were released onNorway Rat Records before they signed to their current homeFysisk Format with theI Rove EP.^[1]

In 2009 they were nominated in the metal category of the Norwegian awardSpellemannprisen for the releaseThe Brother Seed, which was produced by well-known musician and producer Steve Albini. In the years following this album, Arabrot spent time playing at unorthodox venues. For instance, they did live scores at silent film showings ("Faust" from 1926 inTrondheim, "Häxan" from 1922 atØyafestivalen, "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" from 1920 and "Die Nibelungen" from 1924 at Verdensteatret inTromsø) and did commissioned work for theHenie Onstad Kunstsenter.^[2]

Amidst these activities, Arabrot produced the exploratory EPsAbsoluteNegativism,I Rove andMæsscr, two albums under the Nernes Skagen moniker, as well as two full-length albums: The Billy Anderson-produced double albumREVENGE andSolar Anus, again featuring Steve Albini as a producer.^[2] ForSolar Anus, they were nominated and subsequently wonSpellemannprisen in the metal category. This album saw wide international praise, and was described byDrowned in Sound as "...ferocious, funny, colossal, guttural, hopeful and terrifying. It’s a tidal wave of noise from few hands. Like its title, it’s a contradiction, a dichotomy, a triumph. It shouldn’t work, but it does, infinitely well. It’s art from the lowest of sods. It’s a fucking triumph."

The Norwegian movie directorFredrik S. Hana made a music video to the track"Solaranus" which was premiered onThe Quietus February 20, 2012.

Årabrot's 2012 EPMæsscr was produced bySerena Maneesh's Emil Nikolaisen and contains covers ofDeath in June andLee Hazlewood, as well as two new tracks. The release was premiered byThe Quietus on August 14, 2012.

In 2013, original member Vidar Evensen left the band. The band changed their name to the current Arabrot, and released their self-titled sixth album in August 2013 to 8/10's inNME,Rock Sound,Metal Hammer andTerrorizer. The artwork was done by Johannes Høie.^[2]

Årabrot has a side project calledNernes Skagen, consisting of Årabrot-singer Kjetil Nernes andconcept.virus and Årabrot-collaborator Stian Skagen. The duo has released two albums onFysisk Format, Ad Undas (2009) and Confession (2011).^[3]The band says that they completed a nine-day tour after vocalist Nernes blew his lung the first show, and that Nernes’ riff arm has steel implants after being manhandled by police and dog.

Arabrot's lyricism includes macabre renditions of classic works likethe Bible andDante's Inferno and philosophical themes derived from the historicalavant-garde. The band also draw inspiration from the existentialism ofAlbert Camus andJean-Paul Sartre; the surrealism ofGeorges Bataille andComte de Lautréamont; the eroticism ofHenry Miller andMarquis de Sade; the romantic writings ofSamuel Taylor Coleridge,Edgar Allan Poe andThomas de Quincey; mystic thinkers such asAleister Crowley andJorge Luis Borges, oppositionals likeFederico García Lorca and the Norwegian contrarianJens Bjørneboe.^[2]

Musically, the band citeDeath in June,Melvins,Lee Hazlewood,The Birthday Party andSwans as their main sources of inspiration.

• K:N (Kjetil Nernes): guitar, vocals (2001-)

• Sofus K (Kristian Kallevik): bass (2001-2003)
• Deadly Nightshade (Jon Øvstedal): bass, keyboard, guitar (2001-2010)
• Marakel (Vidar Evensen): percussion (2001-2013)
• Magnus Nymo: drums

• Johannes Høie: illustration and artwork (2013-)
• Emil Nikolaisen (fromSerena Maneesh): bass live (2010-)
• Karin Park: piano, backing vocals (2013-)
• Magnus Nymo (from FORK, REDD): bass live (2011-)
• Åse Bredeli Røyset (from Deathcrush): bass live (2011)
• Concept.virus (Stian Skagen): electronics (2009-)

• Årabrot homepage
• Årabrot on Fysisk Format
• Fysisk Format

• Norwegian alternative rock groups
• Sludge metal musical groups
• Noise rock groups
• Norwegian electronic music groups
• Norwegian heavy metal musical groups
• Norwegian doom metal musical groups
• Spellemannprisen winners
• Musical groups established in 2001
• 2001 establishments in Norway
• Musical groups from Oslo
• Musical groups from Haugesund

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