Norway is known for pioneering a legendary branch of extreme metal, but no band embodies the scene's epic resolve quite like Keep Of Kalessin.
This band has always possessed fantastic foresight. After all, they are named after one of Ursula K. Le Guin's arch-dragons. Their original lineup did split after two albums of dark, fast and war-faring black metal, but over the past two decades, founding member Arnt Obsidian has brought Keep Of Kalessin into the national spotlight. While he and his colossal crew have toured with the likes of Satyricon, Behemoth and Dimmu Borgir, they've carved their own legacy by forging a different path.
With seven albums and three EPs under their hilt, Keep Of Kalessin brandish an epic arsenal of extreme metal. The band's mastery at welding blackened melodies and scouring death metal riffs with magical keys and misty synthesizers has rewarded them handsomely. They've scored two Spellemannprisen nominations and scaled to the top of Norway's album charts. To further test their mettle, they became the first Norwegian metal band to compete for a spot in the Eurovision Song Contest.
Today, Keep Of Kalessin are cracking open the next chapter of their long and prosperous journey. The band have signed with Season Of Mist, who will release their next two albums and reissue some of the defining moments from their extensive back catalogue.
"We are very proud and excited to announce that we have signed with Season Of Mist," Arnt Obsidian says on behalf of his bandmates Robin Isaksen and Wanja Gröger. "I have known Michael for more than 20 years. He has always been passionate about the music and very supportive of his signings. Back in 1999, Keep Of Kalessin played three shows in Norway with Bloodthorn, who were signed to Season Of Mist at the time. Michael traveled all the way up from France just to see them.
"Our paths have crossed many times since that tour. I've watched Michael build one of the strongest metal labels in the world. His staff shares in his extreme passion. What they've accomplished is an amazing feat.
"Keep Of Kalessin has always been the underdog, the loner, the different kid. We're a unique band and cannot be put into a certain category. It's been difficult finding a home where our potential can be nurtured and harnessed to its full potential. But after talking with Michael and seeing how we fit with Season Of Mist's roster, I'm confident that we've now found a label that understands and can truly support us while we take the band to the next level. You can be sure that Keep Of Kalessin will return with the best Epic Extreme Metal we've ever done in 2025!"
Lineup:
Arnt Obsidian - Guitars, Vocals
Robin Isaksen - Bass
Wanja Gröger - Drums
As one of the pioneers of epic extreme metal, Norway's Keep Of Kalessin have collected an impressive number of milestones.
Since forming in 1993, Keep Of Kalessin have established a reputation for treasured releases. Their first two albums, Through Times of War (1997) and Agnen: A Journey Through the Dark (1999) paired the band’s sense for melody and virtuoso playing with the harshness traditionally expected from black metal.
After the band’s original lineup split up, founding member and guitarist Arnt Obsidian served as Satyricon’s live guitarist from 2002 until 2007. He played hundreds of shows with the Norwegian black metal legends, including headlining Wacken Open Air in 2004.
It was through this fortuitous partnership that Keep Of Kalessin reunited. Obsidian was joined by Frost for the 2003 Reclaim EP, which also features Atilla Csihar from Mayhem. Like all good things, this lineup did come to an end, but the band was far from done.
In fact, Keep Of Kalessin came back in a big way during the mid-2000s. Experimenting with piano, keyboards and synthesizers earned the band’s next two albums, Armada (2006) and Kolossus (2008), nominations in the metal category at the Norwegian Grammy Awards.
Then in 2010, Keep Of Kalessin shocked the world by becoming the first metal band to compete for Norway’s entry in the Eurovision Song Contest. Their song “The Dragontower” finished third during the national final. That same year, the band released their fifth album Reptilian, which peaked at #2 on the Norwegian national charts.
After 30 years, Keep Of Kalessin have built themselves into an enduring live force. They’ve toured with Satyricon, Behemoth, Dimmu Borgir, Exodus and many other acclaimed acts. After five years of extensive touring, the band put out another impressive album in 2015’s Epistemology.
While Keep Of Kalessin soon faced the challenge of replacing their longtime drummer Vyl Larsen, the Internet helped them find an excellent replacement. Wanja Gröger is a long-time fan of the band whose amazing drumming skills are recognized all across the globe thanks to his popular YouTube channel. After an initial tour in 2019, Gröger became a full-time member of the band ahead of their latest album.
Metalheads may have written Keep Of Kalessin off after receiving no album from them in eight years, but 2023’s Katharsis was named Album of the Month in Norway’s prestigious Scream Magazine. The band premiered the whole album during a titanic mainstage performance on board 70,000 Tons of Metal.
This year, Keep Of Kalessin signed with Season Of Mist, who will release the band's next album in 2025, along with reissues from their back catalogue.
