Oslo Ess

Norwegian hard rock outfit Oslo Ess took shape in the capital as an Oslo-based quartet whose roots trace back to Moss. Lead singer and guitarist Åsmund Lande joined forces with guitarist Peter Larsson to launch the project, after which keyboardist Einar Stenseng and bassist Knut-Oscar Nymo came aboard; for their earliest releases the four-piece relied on a rotating cast of guest drummers. Their first full-length, Uleste Bøker og Utgåtte Sko, surfaced on Råtass Records in 2011 and earned a Spellemann nod in the best rock album category. A year afterward came the harder-edged follow-up Verden på Nakken, Venner i Ryggen. In 2013 the band issued the concert recording #199 Live Akustisk fra Rockefeller, then returned to the studio for the 2014 album Alle Hjerter Deler Seg, which matched its predecessor by reaching the top of the domestic chart. Long celebrated for their consistent roadwork, the group maintained a heavy touring schedule across Norway while steadily producing fresh material, issuing Konge Uten ei Krone at the start of 2016. By that point Stenseng had departed, and longtime associate Håvard Takle Ohr (El Cuero) was installed as the official drummer.