Drottnar

Drottnar
Drottnar live at Elements of Rock 08 (CH)
Background information
Origin	Fredrikstad, Norway
Genres	Unblack metal,[1][2] death/doom,[3] Viking metal[1][3]
Years active	1996 – Present
Labels	Endtime Productions (2006 - Present) Momentum Scandinavia (2003) Plankton Records (2000)
Associated acts	Horde
Website	drottnar.com
Members
Sven-Erik Lind Karl Fredrik Lind Bengt Olsson Håvar Wormdahl Glenn-David Lind
Past members
Bjarne Peder Lind

Drottnar is a Christian extreme metal band from Fredrikstad, Norway. They formed in 1996. Drottnar has played at notable festivals such as Sweden's Endtime Fest,^[4] Norway's Nordic Fest,^[5] Switzerland's Elements of Rock,^[6] Finland's Immortal Metal Fest^[7] and United Kingdom's Destruction Fest^[8] and they frequently play concerts throughout Europe.

The band has released two albums, Spiritual Battle (2000) and Welterwerk (2006), and an EP titled Anamorphosis (2003). The first album was released on UK label Plankton Records. They are currently signed to Swedish label Endtime Productions (Extol, Antestor, Crimson Moonlight).^[9][10]

Drottnar is the plural (sing. Drottinn, Norwegian "Drott") of an Icelandic word for master, ruler or king. Originally adopting a Viking image,^[11] the band is currently known for their peculiar political thematics and live shows where they use military uniforms reminiscent of the Russian style.^[12]

History

The band was originally formed under the name Vitality in 1996 by four Lind siblings^[13]: vocalist Sven-Erik Lind, guitarist-keyboardist Karl Fredrik Lind, drummer Glenn-David Lind, and bassist Bjarne Peder Lind. They recorded their first two demos at X-Ray Studios. The first one, titled Doom of Antichrist, was released in May 1996.

In 1998 the name was changed to Drottnar and a demo titled A White Realm was recorded in September.

In 2000 the band released their demos together as an album titled Spiritual Battle. It was published by UK based label Plankton Records. The demos were remastered for the album, and Spiritual Battle was well-received by Cross Rhythms Magazine.^[3]

A year later, Drottnar entered the studio of Black Woods Productions and recorded a song called "Trellebaand Maa Briste" for the Swedish label Endtime Productions' compilation album In the Shadow of Death.

The band changed its image a bit and used more militant elements such as gas masks as part of its live shows. In 2003, Drottnar recorded an EP titled Anamorphosis on the Norwegian label Momentum Scandinavia. The EP was limited to 850 pieces, and contains an intro and three songs with violins on the intro and other parts. Bass player Bjarne Peder Lind left the band before the album was recorded. Drottnar was joined by guitarist Bengt Olsson and bassist Håvar Wormdahl.

Vocalist Sven-Erik Lind wearing a military uniform.

In 2005 the band was signed to Endtime Productions, and entered Subsonic Studios to record new material. Some elements such as trumpet were recorded in Ostrava, Czech Republic by Jan-Espen S. Schildmann. In April 2006 the band released an album titled Welterwerk.^[14] A 7 inch vinyl single titled Ad Hoc Revolt was also released for promotional purposes. Welterwerk is by far Drottnar's most acclaimed release.^[14] Around the time of the album's release, the band began using early 20th century military regalia as part of their image, mocking Nazi and Communist regimes.^[2]

Drottnar has performed with bands such as Grimfist and Extol. The band played a short tour in the U.S. in summer 2008, performing at the Cornerstone Festival.

On January 12, 2009, the band announced on their MySpace blog that Welterwerk has been a success, and they started recording a new album. On January 26, 2010 the band launched a new website and announced that the album is fully recorded and they are currently mixing it. The band promises that "We will deliver you state-of-the-art bunker metal heard nowhere else. You will not be disappointed!" On August 9, 2010, the band announced that the album is mixed and is proceeding to master the record.^[15]

Lyrics and themes

In the beginning the band's lyrics dealt with Christianity with a brutal and extreme approach; the lyrics on the album Spiritual Battle were inspired by the Book of Revelation and dealt mostly with the battle ravaging the spiritual world. The band members have said "The Norwegian black metal scene does not influence our lyrics, but the lyrics are still written in a black metal way, fitting our music well." Currently the lyrics incorporate politics and philosophy, for example Latin phrases such as "ad hoc" or "sine qua non".^[13]

Megaphone is a recognizable element of Drottnar's live shows.

Drottnar's early live shows incorporated flashing strobes, thick smoke and cold or dark light show. They also used white candles on stage, "creating a bit mystic and emotional effect."^[16]

Currently Drottnar has had a special feature for several years, the use of Czech or "Soviet" style elements: the song titles and lyrics contain Soviet-sounding words and metaphors, some songs contain samples of radio play or radio communication elements involved in the 20th century,^[14] and at concerts all band members use Soviet or "DDR" type uniforms,^[12] "mocking notorious Nazi and Communist regimes".^[2] They still use stroboflashes at their concerts. The vocalist Sven-Erik Lind typically uses effects such as megaphones to create a militant atmosphere.

In November 2006, the Drottnar members played as session musicians for the one-man unblack metal pioneer group Horde at Nordic Fest. The members covered their faces in order to not be recognized and to maintain the "myth" of Horde.

Musical style

Drottnar's general style has been described as unblack metal,^[1][2] death/doom,^[3] and Viking metal.^[1][3] On the Spiritual Battle, the band was compared to Groms, Extol, and Antestor, and Sven-Erik used a vocal style ranging from growling to a more high-pitched style.^[3] With the release of Welterwerk, Drottnar broadened their style, "aiming somewhere between Atheist, Extol, and the most complex Mayhem material and almost hitting the mark."^[2]

Discography

• Doom of Antichrist (demo) (1997)
• A White Realm (promo) (1998)
• Spiritual Battle (compilation) (2000)
• Anamorphosis EP (2003)
• Ad Hoc Revolt 7" EP (2006)
• Welterwerk (2006)
• TBA (2011)

Members

Drottnar live in 2008.

Current lineup

• Sven-Erik Lind – vocals
• Karl Fredrik Lind – guitar
• Bengt Olsson – guitar
• Håvar Wormdahl – bass guitar
• Glenn-David Lind – drums

Former members

• Bjarne Peder Lind – bass guitar

Notes

1. ^ ^{a b c d} Sharpe-Young, Garry. "Drottnar". MusicMight. http://www.musicmight.com/artist/norway/fredrikstad/drottnar. Retrieved 2010-12-09. 
2. ^ ^{a b c d e} Wagner, Wilson, pg.276-277.
3. ^ ^{a b c d e f} Cranson, David (February 2001). "Drottnar - Spiritual Battle". Cross Rhythms (61). http://www.crossrhythms.co.uk/products/Drottnar/Spiritual_Battle/2957/. Retrieved 2007-11-20. 
4. ^ "Extol, Crimson Moonlight, Veni Domine Confirmed For Sweden's Eendtime Festival - Jan. 10, 2007". Blabbermouth. http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=65063. Retrieved 2007-11-21. 
5. ^ "Nordic Fest 2005". Nordic Fest. http://www.nordicfest.no/nf05/. Retrieved 2007-11-21. 
6. ^ "Veni Domine Confirmed For Switzerland's Elements of Rock Festival - Dec. 13, 2003". Blabbermouth. http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=17386. Retrieved 2007-11-21. "Other bands scheduled to appear at the three-day event are Jim LaVerde and the Sanctuary Worhsip Team (USA), Immortal Souls (Fin), Seventh Avenue (Ger), Drottnar (Nor), Slechtvalk (Neth), Crushead (Ger), Sacrificium (Ger), Arson (Ger), Exaudi (Ger), Demoniciduth (Swi) and Disobedience (Swi)." 
7. ^ "Immortal Metal Fest 2006 (Drottnar was the headliner)". Immortal Metal Fest. http://www.immortalmetalfest.net/?i=81. Retrieved 2007-11-21. 
8. ^ "Destruction Fest 2006". Destruction Fest. http://destructionfest.fil-systems.co.uk/main.php. Retrieved 2007-11-21. 
9. ^ "Drottnar" (in German). Metal.de. 2004-08-20. http://www.metal.de/cdreviews.php4?was=review&id=4533. Retrieved 2007-11-20. 
10. ^ Skjæringrud, Morgan (2003-09-20). "Drottnar" (in Norwegian). Musikkavisen. http://www.musikkavisen.no/sak/000765.asp. Retrieved 2007-11-20. 
11. ^ Sharpe-Young, Garry. "Vitality". MusicMight. http://www.musicmight.com/artist/norway/vitality. Retrieved 2010-12-09. 
12. ^ ^{a b} Lockert, Morten (2007-05-26). "Grimfist + Drottnar (Oslo 26.05.07)" (in Norwegian). Heavymetal.no. http://heavymetal.no/show.article.asp?artid=6395&menuid=14. Retrieved 2007-11-20. 
13. ^ ^{a b} Sharpe-Young 2001, "Drottnar", p. 133. Quote="Although just as vicious and chaotic as many pure Black Metal band, Drottnar are in fact ardent Christians. The band employs strong use of mythical imagery from the books of revelation to achieve their aim."
14. ^ ^{a b c} Haustein, Christoph (2007-05-26). "Drottnar - Welterwerk" (in Norwegian). Heavymetal.no. Crossover AGM. http://www.crossover-agm.de/cdDrottnar06.htm. Retrieved 2007-11-20. 
15. ^ Update from the Bunker blogs.myspace.com. 2010-08-09. Retrieved on 2010-08-24.
16. ^ "Drottnar". Info-Black.com - The Ultimate Black Metal Informative Site. http://whenall.tripod.com/drottnar.htm. Retrieved 2007-11-20. 

References

• Sharpe-Young, Garry (2001). Rockdetector: A-Z of Black Metal (First printing ed.). London Great Britain: Cherry Red Books. ISBN 1-90144730. 

• Mean Deviation: Four Decades of Progressive Heavy Metal. Bazillion Points Books. 2010. ISBN 0979616336. http://books.google.com/books?id=8ZwZcZ2X5ToC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false. 

External links

• Official website
• Drottnar at MySpace