Lengsel

Infobox Musical artist
Name = Lengsel


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Origin = Norway
Genre = Progressive metal (now), Black metal (early)
Years_active = 1995 - Present
Label = Endtime Productions
Solid State Records
Whirlwind Records
Associated_acts = Extol
URL = [http://www.myspace.com/lengsel Lengsel on MySpace]
Current_members = Tor Magne S. Glidje
Ole Halvard Sveen
John Robert Mjåland
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Lengsel is a progressive black metal band that formed in 1995 in Norway. They released one album, called "Solace", on Endtime Productions in 2000, which was subsequently licensed to Solid State Records for an American release. The second album "The Kiss, The Hope" was released on 2007. Their name means "longing" in Norwegian; the idea of longing for home is a prominent theme on their debut release.

History

The group was formed in 1995. They released a selftitled demo in 1997. Shortly after releasing the well-received debut album "Solace" in 2000 on 3 labels, the band members took a break from Lengel and with the same line-up, formed the band "Ganglion", and quickly departed from their black metal roots to a more rock oriented style, alienating many of their old fans in the process but creating a new fan base at the same time.

In 1999, guitarist Tor Glidje joined the band Extol on bass.cite book |last=Powell |first=Mark Allan |title=Encyclopedia of Contemporary Christian Music |year=2002 |publisher=Hendrickson Publishers |location=Peabody, Massachusetts |isbn=1-56563-679-1 |edition=First printing |pages=523] The following year, Glidje switched over to guitar for Extol at the departure of another member and John Mjåland joined the band on bass. When the guitarist returned, Glidje left Extol, but Mjåland stayed as bassist. In 2004, both of Extol's guitarists left the band and were replaced by Glidje and Ole Sveen, effectively merging both members and music of Ganglion with Extol. Several Ganglion songs, recorded under the Ganglion moniker, were incorporated into the Extol repertoire. Thus, all three members of Lengsel/Ganglion are current members of Extol. The remaining members of Extol also played in Ganglion at one point or another, so the merge was very logical.

In 2006, while Extol was on break, a resurrected Lengsel recorded their second full-length album, entitled "The Kiss, The Hope", and released it on the independent German label Whirlwind Records. It features more of a sludge/hardcore feel than the attitude rock of Ganglion, and has very little in common with "Solace".

Band members:

*Tor Magne S. Glidje - guitars, vocals
*Ole Halvard Sveen - drums, acoustic guitars, keyboards, vocals
*John Robert Mjåland - bass

Discography

*"Solace" (2000)
*"The Kiss, The Hope" (2006)

Other Releases

*Lengsel (1997)

References

External links

* [http://www.myspace.com/lengsel Lengsels Official MySpace Page]