Olve Eikemo

Abbath Doom Occulta
Abbath performing at Wacken Open Air in 2007.
Background information
Birth name	Olve Eikemo
Also known as	Abbath
Born	27 June 1973 (1973-06-27) (age 38)
Origin	Newcastle
Genres	Black metal, heavy metal, Viking metal, death metal, blackened death metal, thrash metal
Occupations	Musician, songwriter
Instruments	Vocals, guitars, bass, drums, keyboards
Years active	1988–present
Associated acts	Immortal, I, Old Funeral

Olve Eikemo (born 27 June 1973, Bergen, Norway), better known by his stage name Abbath Doom Occulta, is a Norwegian composer, vocalist, guitarist, bassist, keyboardist, drummer, and one of the founding members of the black metal band Immortal. Before he founded Immortal, Abbath played in a band called Old Funeral, with future Immortal member Demonaz and Varg Vikernes of Burzum fame (though they were not all in the band at the same time). While working with Old Funeral, he also joined Demonaz's band Amputation which later became Immortal. He also plays bass in Demonaz's newly started project Demonaz.

Although he is primarily a guitarist, he is also proficient as a drummer, using techniques such as blast beats and double bass (as heard on the Immortal albums Pure Holocaust and Battles In The North) which are highly present in black metal.

Early life

Eikemo grew up in Lysefjorden in Os just outside Bergen in Norway.^[1] As a young boy he was a great fan of the band Kiss.^[1] He started his musical career with the band Old Funeral.^[1]

Projects

Immortal

Immortal's history begins in 1989 as death metal band Amputation. At various times throughout Immortal's existence, Abbath was lead vocalist, bassist, guitarist, keyboardist, drummer, and lyricist, mainly due to the inconsistent line-ups they were able to put together. For a long period of time, however, Abbath served the band as vocalist, bassist and (studio) drummer while Demonaz played lead guitar. It was not until Horgh arrived that Immortal was able to secure a steady line-up, but problems continued. After the release of Blizzard Beasts in 1997, Demonaz was diagnosed with acute tendinitis, and was consequently forced to quit as guitarist, but remained as lyricist and band manager. They released At the Heart of Winter in 1999, this time with Abbath handling guitar and bass, with Horgh still on drums. This album marks a large shift in sound and style for the music of Immortal. In 2000 they released Damned in Black, with Iscariah on bass. Sons of Northern Darkness was released in 2002, with the same lineup.

Soon after the release of Sons of Northern Darkness, Immortal ceased to exist. The break-up was not caused by tensions or problems, but was rather a mutual one between all members, who claimed to do this for personal reasons.

In early June 2006, it was announced through a German Rock Hard magazine, that Abbath and Horgh would reunite as Immortal. They have begun practicing old material. In regard to when Immortal would start playing live again, Abbath is quoted saying:

“	I didn't really want to say it, but I don't give a shit. We will come back, stronger than ever. I've met with Horgh for the first time in over a year. He's built his new house here, right around the corner. In the next few days we will begin to rehearse our old 'Blizzard Beasts' classics. I'm already really hot on the idea. Immortal are timeless frost. One year more or less doesn't make a difference. We have all the time in the world.	”
—Abbath, Rock Hard

They have begun to tour again, recently playing shows at the Wacken festival in Germany, and touring for the first time in Australia and New Zealand in March, 2008. The new Immortal album All Shall Fall was released in September 2009 in Europe with a US release following a month later.

I

I live at Hole In The Sky 2006

In 2006, Abbath started a new band called simply, "I". Abbath is the frontman and guitarist of "I" and is joined by former Immortal drummer Armagedda on drums, Gorgoroth bassist King ov Hell on bass, Enslaved guitarist Arve Isdal on guitars, and former Immortal guitarist Demonaz writing lyrics. The debut album called Between Two Worlds was released in 2006.

Bömbers

Bömbers is a Motörhead tribute band formed in 1996. Abbath provides the vocals and bass, Tore (ex-Old Funeral) is on Guitars, and Pez (Punishment Park) is on Drums. During the Inferno Metal Festival 2007, Abbath joined the German thrash metal-band Sodom on stage and performed a Motörhead-cover of "Ace of Spades".

Equipment

• ESP LTD V-401DX (with Seymour Duncan pickups)
• ESP LTD DV8-R (modified to accept a Floyd Rose tremolo system)
• GHL Jackson Randy Rhoads copy

He was also seen playing a Schecter Gary Holt V-1, although it is unconfirmed if Abbath was the owner the guitar.

In an issue of Guitar World which features an interview with him, it is mentioned that he has an endorsement deal with ESP.

Abbath uses Marshall amps.

Cultural references

The character Lars Ümlaüt, from the Guitar Hero Series features much of the same clothing Abbath wears, and identical corpse paint. The reference is more apparent in Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, as Ümlaüt's hair is jet black (rather than blond) just like Abbath.

Abbath, along with Horgh, has become a minor internet meme after various promotional pictures became the subject of countless Photoshops and macros due to their over-the-top appearance.

Jester King Brewery in Austin, TX has a character similar to Abbath on the label of their Imperial Stout.

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} http://www.bt.no/kultur/musikk/M%C3%B6rk-lengsel-i-Lysefjorden--574077.html

External links

Official websites:

• Official Immortal Website
• Official "I" Website
• Bömbers' Official Website

Unofficial websites:

• Immortal Fan Website
• "I" Fan Website

New title	Vocalist for Old Funeral Bassist for Old Funeral 1988–1992	Disbanded
	Vocalist for Immortal since 1990	Incumbent
	Bassist for Immortal 1990–1997	Succeeded by Ares
Preceded by Kolgrim	Drummer for Immortal 1993–1996	Succeeded by Horgh
Preceded by Demonaz Doom Occulta	Guitarist for Immortal since 1997	Incumbent
New title	Vocalist for I Guitarist for I since 2006

Persondata
Name	Eikemo%2C Olve
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	27 June 1973
Place of birth
Date of death
Place of death