Spiral Architect
Formed: 1993
From:
Oslo,
Norway
Last Known Status: Active
Latest Spiral Architect News
Below is our complete Spiral Architect news coverage, including columns and articles pertaining to the band. Some articles listed may be indirectly related, such as side projects of the band members, etc.
Note: We began associating news directly with bands in late 2003. Therefore, earlier band news may not be listed on this page.
Asgeir Mickelson Departs Sarke
Asgeir Mickelson has announced via a brief statement on his official Facebook page and on the Sarke page that he has parted ways with the Norwegian band.
This news has led some fans to wonder if this means a return to Spiral Architect (check out the FB comments below). Mickelson has also slowly been working on his all-star project God Of Atheists, which features appearances by ICS Vortex, Ihshan, Trym, and Carl August Tidemann.
Ihsahn Reveals New Album Details
Candlelight Records/Mnemosyne Productions today confirmed that Ihsahn's new album "After" will be released on January 25th in Europe and January 26th in the US. Recorded during the first half of 2009, "After" completes the musician’s planned trilogy of initial recordings. The album also includes appearances by drummer Asgeir Mickelson (Spiral Architect), bassist Lars K. Norberg (Spiral Architect), & saxophonist Jorgen Munkeby (Shining).
"This is my first album written with 8-string guitars as basis which has been both challenging and inspiring,” commented Ihsahn. “I also decided early on that I wanted to mix this album with Jens Bogren (Opeth, Katatonia) and recorded the album with that in mind. Asgeir and Lars have again delivered superb performances. I've always wanted to implement the saxophone in my music; Jorgen’s contributions truly added a silver lining to the album."
"After" was recorded at Ihsahn's own Symphonique Studio, with additional work at Toproom Studio (co-engineered by Borge Finstad). “I have felt more confident and more at ease with the material,” relays Ihsahn. “In letting the songs themselves lead the way I just followed the natural impulses." Early discussions in regards to "After" are indicating more live activities but where and when currently remains a secret.
The track listing for "After" is as follows:
1. The Barren Lands
2. A Grave Inversed
3. After
4. Frozen Lakes on Mars
5. Undercurrent
6. Austere
7. Heavens Black Sea
8. On the Shores
Sarke, Tom Gabriel Warrior Join Forces At Wacken
Norway's Sarke, featuring Nocturno Culto (Darkthrone) and Sarke (Tulus, Khold), will be joined by legendary Tom Gabriel Warrior (Triptykon, ex-Celtic Frost and Hellhammer) for their performance on this year's Wacken Open Air. Together, they will perform the Celtic Frost classic "Dethroned Emperor."
The Sarke band comments: "We are all massive fans of Tom and his music, and we are honored to share the stage with him at Wacken!"
Tom Gabriel Warrior adds: "It's an honor and a privilege to be invited to appear onstage with Sarke, a group whose line-up doesn't only contain personal friends but also musicians I respect deeply. We shall make our appearance at Wacken a truly special event!"
Since the recording of their debut album, "Vorunah," Sarke has grown to become a real band, and the live line-up is now officially part of the band. Sarke's line-up is completed with Asgeir Mickelson (Spiral Architect, Thornbound, ex-Borknagar), Cyrus (Susperia) and Anders Hunstad (El Caco, Autopulver, Morten Abel). The band is already working on new material, and a new album is expected in 2010.
OpEd
Too Much Is Never Enough: Technical Metal in 2009
Earlier in the year Metal Underground presented its annual “Best Of” awards and with his finger always on the pulse, deathbringer mentioned a new dominance in metal leading us into 2009. Maybe you’ve noticed the extra acoustic interludes, the blazing shred solos, the disjointed poly-rhythms or maybe you haven’t - but either way a cloud of progressive influence has undoubtedly emerged over the metal scene. Not just in our minds here at MU, but in the minds of fans Opeth, Cynic, Meshuggah, Nachtmystium and Ihsahn stood out with impressive 2008 releases. Even more excitement and interest has been generated by collaborations between Ihsahn and Opeth, and 2009 hasn’t let up with Mastodon’s progressive opus “Crack The Skye” and Obscura’s “Cosmogenesis” leading the charge.
So what magic is at work here aside from great prog-metal releases? Larger bands such as the explosive power metal act DragonForce and progressive groovers Mastodon have played a large part in the uprising of the pursuit of extreme talent for more mainstream metal fans - opening legions of otherwise clueless greenhorns to the bar of instrumental ability. Old hands such as Deicide, Cannibal Corpse and numerous thrash acts have also not been untouched by the progressive aura and have regained the thirst for pushing technical boundaries - a truly founding ideal of metal if ever there was one. Another force at play here is the power the internet has had in exposing technical freak shows like Necrophagist as well as many young tech-metal heads being introduced to metal and fostered through 90s progressive acts such as Tool or Dream Theater. Not enough for you? Let’s take a little trip back in time then. More...
Borknagar Bassist Joins Thornbound
Norwegian bassist Erik Tiwaz (a.k.a. Tyr; BORKNAGAR, EMPEROR, SATYRICON) sent the following update to blabbermouth.net:
"Just got recruited for the bassist position in THORNBOUND a couple of months ago, along with drummer Asgeir Mickelson [SPIRAL ARCHITECT, BORKNAGAR]. THORNBOUND had just released a three-track demo before Asgeir and I joined. This isn't just another studio band thankfully, but a band with the ambitions and dedication that a proper metal band SHOULD have, a band that rehearse regularly and do actual TOURS instead of the odd job here and there.
"Professionally speaking, death metal is a new scene for me, as I have usually just tended to the blacker side of metal in my carreer. Of course I have been a fan of death metal bands for many years, I just haven't been in one before.
"We're currently working on a full length album, which will be recorded by next summer in Asgeir Mickelson's MultiMono Studio."
Scariot Change Album Name
SCARIOT, the Norwegian metal band led by Død (a.k.a. Daniel Olaisen; BLOOD RED THRONE), had changed the projected title of its recently completed new album to "Momentum Shift" from the previously announced "The Grand Design". In addition, the group has announced that it has inked a deal with FaceFront Records to release the CD sometime in the fall.
"Momentum Shift" was mixed at Top Room studios in Norway. Drumming duties on the album were handled by Asgeir Mickelson (SPIRAL ARCHITECT, BORKNAGAR) while the bass tracks were laid down by Steve DiGiorgio (TESTAMENT, SADUS, DEATH).
SCARIOT's last studio album, "Strange to Numbers", was released in 2003.
Emperor Frontman On Solo Album
EMPEROR frontman Ihsahn has set "The Adversary" as the title of his upcoming solo album, tentatively due next year via a collaboration between Mnemosyne Productions and Candlelight Records worldwide. Owned/operated by partners Ihsahn and Ihriel since 2003, Mnemosyne Productions was established as an outlet for duo's musical collaborations as well a place for new talent and innovative artists. Final stages of album recording are currently underway at Symphonique Studios in Norway with the final mix planned for early 2006. A video is planned for the song "Invocation", though specific details as to director and concept are still in development.
"The music is a continuation of my work within the metal genre," said Ihsahn. "It incorporates influential elements from all periods/stages of my background since I first picked up the guitar 20 years ago. Powerful, epic, extreme and straight from the heart."
All music and lyrics for "The Adversary" have been written and performed by Ihsahn with exception of drums, performed by Asgeir Mickelson (BORKNAGAR, SPIRAL ARCHITECT). "He has been the perfect drummer for this album," noted Ihsahn. "He has really brought to live the patterns I programmed in pre-production.
In a recent interview with Britain's Terrorizer magazine, Ihsahn elaborated on what the fans can expect to hear on the upcoming CD:
"When I'm doing an Ihsahn solo album, I have to build on my musical upbringing, and the majority of that is metal with a progressive and experimental leaning," he told Terrorizer. "With PECCATUM we've tried out as much as we could both musically and artistically, but with this I wanted to do a metal album. I allowed myself to work with two guitar tracks, piano and programmed drums while I made this album. Actually, I worked without these limitations and the material went everywhere. Then, early in 2005, I wrote the basics in a couple of months after I made some restrictions for myself. But musically I've tried to sum up my experiences with metal music on this album, and it sounds the way I see the metal genre in 2006. . . I can tell you that I'm extremely satisfied with all the songs on this album, and there will be no fillers on it. Lyrically, it's a very angry album and everyone gets a slap in the face."
Twisted Into Form Sign With Sensory Records
TWISTED INTO FORM, the Norwegian band featuring Kaj Gornitzka (guitar, ex-SPIRAL ARCHITECT), Erik Aadland (bass), David Husvik (drums, EXTOL) and Leif J. Knashaug (vocals, ex-SPIRAL ARCHITECT session), have inked a deal with Sensory Records for the release of their debut album, "Then Comes Affliction to Awaken the Dreamer". The CD was recorded between January 2004 and October 2005 at Top Room Studio (MAYHEM, BORKNAGAR, EXTOL, etc) and Multimono Studio with producer Asgeir Mickelson (BORKNAGAR, SPIRAL ARCHITECT) and is being described in a press release as a collection of "intense, complex and emotive pieces of music that defy categorization." Mixing duties will be handled by noted producer Neil Kernon (SPIRAL ARCHITECT, NEVERMORE, QUEENSRŸCHE, CANNIBAL CORPSE). You can download an MP3 of the song "Torrents" at this location.
Headline News
Satyricon Members Arrested, Tour Scrapped
Guitarists for Norwegian black metal band Satyricon have been arrested in Toronto, Canada for allegedly drugging and raping a woman following a show at Fun Haus in Toronto earlier this week. The Toronto woman claims that she was with Satyricon's A.O. Gronbech and Steinar Gundersen (also of Spiral Architect) in their tourbus, but eventually woke up somewhere else and had been sexually assaulted. The guitarists are currently being detained and DNA samples have been taken. The Norwegian embassy was told of the arrest and has been working with Canadian officials on behalf of those charged. If convicted, the two could each face up to ten years in prison. Needless to say, the group's remaining tour dates with 3 Inches Of Blood were subsequently cancelled. If you're fluent in Norwegian, you can view more details here.