Extol sounds like the intersection of a frozen Norwegian landscape and a high-level music theory workshop. Their music is fundamentally heavy, rooted in the aggression of death and thrash metal, but it is executed with a surgical precision and a harmonic sophistication that sets them apart from the typical extreme metal act. You will hear jagged, odd-meter riffs one moment and soaring, multi-layered vocal harmonies the next, all wrapped in a production style that feels both massive and intimately clear.
What truly distinguishes them is their fearlessness in evolving. They move from the blackened death metal of their debut to the technical thrash of their middle period, and eventually into a more atmospheric, art-rock influenced space. The guitar work of Ole Børud is a centerpiece, often employing jazz-fusion chords and complex counterpoint that provide a sense of light and space even during the most intense passages. It is music that demands your full attention, rewarding deep listening with hidden melodies and rhythmic shifts.
For those new to the band, the self-titled 2013 album is a perfect distillation of their various eras, combining their technical roots with their later melodic sensibilities. If you prefer something more aggressive and foundational, start with Burial to hear the origins of the Norwegian progressive death metal sound. It is the ideal soundtrack for moments that require both focus and a sense of grand, spiritual intensity.
Extol is an extreme metal band from Bekkestua, Norway, that was formed in 1993. The band is known for playing a variety of different styles of metal which include progressive metal, Christian death metal, black metal and thrash metal. Over the course of their career, the band has released five studio albums and two EPs, beginning with their debut, Burial, in 1998. The band are noted for their precise, technical musicianship. The fourth album, The Blueprint Dives, received a Spellemannsprisen nomination for Best Metal Album of 2005. Extol has toured the United States and Europe several times with such bands as Mastodon, God Forbid and Opeth. Collectively, Extol has sold over 500,000 albums worldwide. The last line-up before the hiatus included vocalist Peter Espevoll, guitarists Tor Magne Glidje and Ole Halvard Sveen, drummer David Husvik, and bass player John Robert Mjåland. Notable original guitarists were Ole Børud (of Schaliach fame) and Christer Espevoll, who contributed significantly to the band's songwriting. After reforming in 2012, the band consisted of Peter Espevoll, Husvik, and Børud. The band released its fifth album, Extol, in 2013. The band was again on hiatus from 2017 until 2023. The band reformed again in 2023 with Peter and Christer Espevoll, David Husvik, and Ole Børud. In addition to touring live in 2023, with Elisha Mullins as a live vocalist, the band released two singles in 2024. In 2024, Bruce Fitzhugh served as a live vocalist for touring the United States.
Shares progressive metal, thrash metal, death metal, cathedral (signature)
Shares progressive metal, black metal, death metal, winter (signature)
Shares progressive metal, black metal, death metal, winter (signature)
Shares progressive metal, black metal, death metal, cathedral (signature)
Shares thrash metal, death metal, progressive metal, dynamic range (subgenre)
Shares progressive metal, thrash metal, dynamic range, raspy (signature)
Shares black metal, death metal, progressive metal, winter (subgenre)
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