EREB ALTOR
Bio:
Growing up with Bathory's epic era in their hearts, it comes as no surprise that their music would somewhat flaunt the influence of their house gods. So with those anthems as their spiritual foundation, they set out to find their creative and unique niche within the epic Viking metal genre. In early 2007, Mats and Ragnar heeded the call of the one-eyed elder to enter Apocalypse Studio and record a full-length. I Hate Records jumped at the chance to release first-class heavy metal; i.e., epic, heavy, melodic, melancholic, and true to the style created by such bands as Bathory, Scald, and DoomSword, as well as harboring elements from Candlemass and Isole. This debut album, entitled "By Honour", comprised of seven long and adventurous tracks to kill for, delivered in a beautifully laid out 8-page booklet courtesy of Midark Media. Following its release, Ereb Altor undertook a few festival appearances assisted by the inclusion of session musicians.
The response generated by "By Honour" was overwhelming and inspired Mats and Ragnar to soon release a follow up."The End", a slightly faster album featuring more Scandinavian melodies and lyrics focusing on Nordic mythology, was picked up by Napalm Records. The title track is in fact three songs that are tied together to tell the story of Ragnarök. The choirs and the atmosphere from the first album remain and once again it contains seven hymns.
Ereb Altor is the brainchild of Ragnar and Mats, the doom masters behind ISOLE's dark anthems. On their second collaboration, the Swedish duo also pay homage to the hypnotic and substantial power inherent within this genre. The viscid and elegiac riffs, as well as the doom metal foundation created by the dragging and purposely monotonous drums, make way for perfectly placed folk elements and haunting vocals. Ragnar plays with disparate vocal lines and coloring in order to communicate the oppression and hopelessness oozing out of the compositions. The songs in turn intensify into epic journeys that pull the listener inexorably into Ereb Altor's world. "The End" is a dark work of art, to which lovers of doom will unequivocally succumb.
In 2012, it was time for a change of direction and pace. Viking Black Metal in the vein of early Bathory. Ragnar and Mats turn to a more aggressive musical direction when composing for Ereb Altor. On the album "Gastrike", the Swedes present the listeners with a matured sound, but at the same time with a higher level of brutality and aggressiveness than on the highly acclaimed predecessor "The End". Therefore, Ereb Altor's sound also became closely tied to the legendary early works of Bathory. The epic hymns were enriched with a good portion of black metal elements, comprising of furious blast beats, thundering double-bass and aggressive vocal parts. "Gastrike" was a concept album and told tales, myths and ghost stories quite dark and the change of sound was necessary to reflect the lyrics in the right way.
However, the Swedes have not forgotten their traditional elements. Hypnotic melodies and sweeping parts will be present again on the new Opus "Fire Meets Ice" that will see the light of day the summer of 2013. On this new album which will be unleashed by Cyclone Empire in Europe and Metal Blade Records in North America Ereb Altor will summon the Norse Gods again and take the best parts from each sound of Ereb Altor's history to create a varied masterpiece.
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