TrollfesT

TrollfesT are a Norwegian metal band formed in Oslo in 2004. Their line-up includes musicians with experience in Urgehal, Pantheon I, Untime, Melch, Hallucinations, Powersword and Sarkom, and the band uses instruments including accordion, banjo and saxophone. Their music is often described as “True Norwegian Balkan Metal”, combining extreme metal with local folk influences and elements drawn from a wider range of styles.

History

The band begins as a response to the party music available to its members, with the project taking shape after a period of heavy alcohol consumption. After putting up a website and recording six songs, they attract interest from the German label Solistium and agree to a record deal. Their first album, Willkommen Folk tell Drekka Fest!!, appears in 2005, followed by Brakebein in 2006. Brakebein is issued in two versions, one including a cartoon about Brakebein’s voyage and the other including the lyrics.

During the early years the band does not play live, but the first years of recorded activity make them a sought-after festival act. Their first live appearance takes place in 2007, when they headline the Ninth Barther Metal Open Air Festival. They also headline and appear at festivals and concerts across Europe during 2007 and 2008, including Ragnarök and Riedfest.

Recordings and label activity

Villanden, the third studio album, is released in January 2009 and brings wider attention through online networks such as YouTube, MySpace and Facebook. In 2011 the band signs with NoiseArt Records for En Kvest For Den Hellige Gral and with Rock The Nation for worldwide booking. Brumlebassen, described as the band’s fifth full-length album, follows in 2012.

Style

TrollfesT’s sound blends extreme metal with Balkan music and folk influences, and the band’s material is associated with themes of alcohol, joy and performance energy. Their approach draws on both studio work and live performance, and their use of unconventional instrumentation contributes to a distinctive profile within folk and black metal-related scenes.