Biography
Originating from Hedmark, Norway, Dunderbeist assembled as a hard rock and metal collective that drew its lineup from prior outfits including Stonegard, Kite, and Krace. Their vigorous, forward-thinking fusion of arena rock hooks, stoner metal riffs, and elements drawn from folk, power, and nu-metal channels the spirit of Mastodon as filtered through Sabaton. Early on, the group’s broad sonic range, wry comedic bent, and dramatic presentation—including the use of elaborate masks—made them difficult to categorize, yet they expanded beyond strong local traction via their fourth full-length, the 2012 release Black Arts & Crooked Tails, which also marked their initial foray abroad.
Established in 2007 and consisting of Torgrim Torve on vocals, Ronny Flissundet and Fredrik Ryberg on guitar, Kristian Liljan on bass, and John Birkeland Hansen on drums, the band tracked its first album, Second Hand Theft, at their self-built “Pigsty” facility in Hamar and issued it in 2008. Subsequent projects—2009’s 8 Crows & Counting, the 2010 Rovmord EP, and the self-titled Dunderbeist in 2011—folded additional hard rock variants into their approach, reaching a peak with Black Arts & Crooked Tails, their most radio-friendly record to that point and their first entirely in English. The set held the top slot on the Norwegian charts for three weeks and drew favorable notice internationally. Songs Of The Buried, darker and more progressive in tone, received mastering from Alan Douches (Mastodon, Converge, Kvelertak) and surfaced in late 2012, while 2015 brought Hyklere, the band’s fifth studio album and another reliably eclectic outing. Tvilja arrived in 2017 as the opening installment of a projected EP trilogy.
Established in 2007 and consisting of Torgrim Torve on vocals, Ronny Flissundet and Fredrik Ryberg on guitar, Kristian Liljan on bass, and John Birkeland Hansen on drums, the band tracked its first album, Second Hand Theft, at their self-built “Pigsty” facility in Hamar and issued it in 2008. Subsequent projects—2009’s 8 Crows & Counting, the 2010 Rovmord EP, and the self-titled Dunderbeist in 2011—folded additional hard rock variants into their approach, reaching a peak with Black Arts & Crooked Tails, their most radio-friendly record to that point and their first entirely in English. The set held the top slot on the Norwegian charts for three weeks and drew favorable notice internationally. Songs Of The Buried, darker and more progressive in tone, received mastering from Alan Douches (Mastodon, Converge, Kvelertak) and surfaced in late 2012, while 2015 brought Hyklere, the band’s fifth studio album and another reliably eclectic outing. Tvilja arrived in 2017 as the opening installment of a projected EP trilogy.
Albums