Bokassa

Norwegian power trio Bokassa had already cultivated an intense domestic audience through their straightforward fusion of stoner metal and hardcore punk when Metallica selected them to support the headliners on a 2019 European stadium run. The group synchronized the arrival of their aggressive sophomore full-length, Crimson Riders, with that high-profile trek.

Operating out of Trondheim, vocalist and guitarist Jørn Kaarstad, bassist Bård Linga, and drummer Olav Dowkes issued their first EP, War on Everything, in October 2015. Their punk attitude combined with metal force quickly generated notice, further amplified by their intense stage performances. Following the 2016 7" Make Music Great Again, the band unveiled their first album, Divide & Conquer, in March 2017. Receiving broad acclaim within metal circles, the record reached Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich, who declared Bokassa his favorite new band during a Beats 1 broadcast. That public nod proved significant, leading Metallica in early 2019 to tap both Bokassa and Sweden’s Ghost for the European dates of the Worldwired tour that summer. The Norwegian trio aligned the release of Crimson Riders with those shows, capitalizing on the resulting visibility.