Thunderbolt (Norwegian band)
Encyclopedia
Thunderbolt is a Norwegian heavy metal
band, formed in Oslo in 2001.
in 2001 by previous members of the Hardcore
group Lash Out
. Drummer Vegard Waske, guitarists Frank Johannessen and Andreas Tylden were tired of the direction that rock and metal had taken during the nineties, and wanted to re-create the sounds of classic rock and metal bands and pair it with the heavier styles of later years. They recruited singer Tony Johannessen and his childhood friend Morten Eriksen as respectively lead singer and bass player.
After releasing their demo
Bandits at 6 O'Clock in 2001, Thunderbolt received multiple offers for a record contract and subsequently signed in Scandinavia with Face Front/WME (and Massacre Records outside of Scandinavia) for the release of their 2003 debut album Demons and Diamonds. The album received acclaim in Norwegian and international music press and was even appreciated by the mainstream Norwegian press — rare for a band in this genre.
Following the success of Demons and diamonds, the band played several gigs and festivals in Norway, Germany, and Scandinavia from 2003 through 2005.
During the writing of the second album Love and Destruction, lead guitar player Cato Syversrud decided to leave the band. The guitar work on the album recording was played partly by Syversrud, and completed by his replacement, Geir Marius Halleland. Recording and mixing was finished in the summer of 2005, but the album was not released until nearly a year later. Love and Destruction was released on Friday 19. May 2006 and was followed up by a Norwegian tour together with Paul Di'Anno
and Masterplan as well as a major European tour supporting King Diamond
(May–June 2006). The band also did another European tour with Sabaton
during the summer of 2007. Sporadic touring in support of the album continued until 2010.
Some changes to the band lineup was also carried out during the Love and Destruction tours. Drummer Vegard Waske quit the band in 2006 to dedicate more time to his profession as a manager for other bands. He was replaced by Where Angels Fall drummer Ole K Løvberg, who again was replaced by Stig Ronny Moe in 2007. Rhythm guitarist and co-founder Frank Johannessen also decided to retire from music in 2008. His successor was Per E Holt, who had played a number of shows as guitarist for Paul Di'Anno
together with Halleland and bassist Morten Eriksen.
Material for the third album was written in between shows throughout 2008 and 2009. Thunderbolt went into Loco Studios in Oslo to start recording in October 2009. All of the recording was completed in the summer of 2010 and the material was sent to Andy LaRocque
for mixing and mastering. Artwork for the album was created by Jobert mello, and the album would be released on a new label - Rock It Up Records. The finished album, Dung Idols was out on April 1, 2011.
More changes to the lineup happened in the spring of 2011. Morten Eriksen decided to retire, and left the band along with drummer Stig Ronny Moe. They were replaced by Disiplin and Mindgrinder drummer Marius "Rex Murdoch" Haugan and bass player Mathias Eriksson.
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
band, formed in Oslo in 2001.
History
Thunderbolt, named after the WWII fighter plane Republic P-47 Thunderbolt, was formed in OsloOslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
in 2001 by previous members of the Hardcore
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
group Lash Out
Lash Out
In the city of Molde, Norway surrounded by blue mountains and the black sun, Lash Out arose in 1992. The band was bred from a local subculture and scene called Kult Alt . This subculture was engined by skateboarding, surfing and hardcore punkrock...
. Drummer Vegard Waske, guitarists Frank Johannessen and Andreas Tylden were tired of the direction that rock and metal had taken during the nineties, and wanted to re-create the sounds of classic rock and metal bands and pair it with the heavier styles of later years. They recruited singer Tony Johannessen and his childhood friend Morten Eriksen as respectively lead singer and bass player.
After releasing their demo
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
Bandits at 6 O'Clock in 2001, Thunderbolt received multiple offers for a record contract and subsequently signed in Scandinavia with Face Front/WME (and Massacre Records outside of Scandinavia) for the release of their 2003 debut album Demons and Diamonds. The album received acclaim in Norwegian and international music press and was even appreciated by the mainstream Norwegian press — rare for a band in this genre.
Following the success of Demons and diamonds, the band played several gigs and festivals in Norway, Germany, and Scandinavia from 2003 through 2005.
During the writing of the second album Love and Destruction, lead guitar player Cato Syversrud decided to leave the band. The guitar work on the album recording was played partly by Syversrud, and completed by his replacement, Geir Marius Halleland. Recording and mixing was finished in the summer of 2005, but the album was not released until nearly a year later. Love and Destruction was released on Friday 19. May 2006 and was followed up by a Norwegian tour together with Paul Di'Anno
Paul Di'Anno
Paul Andrews , better known as Paul Di'Anno, is an English singer best known as the first vocalist to record with the iconic heavy metal band Iron Maiden, from 1978 to 1981....
and Masterplan as well as a major European tour supporting King Diamond
King Diamond
Kim Bendix Petersen , better known by his stage name King Diamond, is a Grammy Award nominated Danish heavy metal musician. As a vocalist, he is known for his extensive vocal range, in particular his usage of falsetto. He is the lead vocalist for both Mercyful Fate and the eponymous King Diamond...
(May–June 2006). The band also did another European tour with Sabaton
Sabaton (band)
Sabaton is a Grammis-nominated power metal band from Falun, Sweden formed in 1999. The band's main lyrical themes are those of historical wars. This is heard in albums Primo Victoria, Attero Dominatus and Coat of Arms where all of the songs, except final tracks, take inspiration from historical...
during the summer of 2007. Sporadic touring in support of the album continued until 2010.
Some changes to the band lineup was also carried out during the Love and Destruction tours. Drummer Vegard Waske quit the band in 2006 to dedicate more time to his profession as a manager for other bands. He was replaced by Where Angels Fall drummer Ole K Løvberg, who again was replaced by Stig Ronny Moe in 2007. Rhythm guitarist and co-founder Frank Johannessen also decided to retire from music in 2008. His successor was Per E Holt, who had played a number of shows as guitarist for Paul Di'Anno
Paul Di'Anno
Paul Andrews , better known as Paul Di'Anno, is an English singer best known as the first vocalist to record with the iconic heavy metal band Iron Maiden, from 1978 to 1981....
together with Halleland and bassist Morten Eriksen.
Material for the third album was written in between shows throughout 2008 and 2009. Thunderbolt went into Loco Studios in Oslo to start recording in October 2009. All of the recording was completed in the summer of 2010 and the material was sent to Andy LaRocque
Andy LaRocque
Andy LaRocque is best known as a guitarist, songwriter, and occasional synth player for the band King Diamond.-Biography:...
for mixing and mastering. Artwork for the album was created by Jobert mello, and the album would be released on a new label - Rock It Up Records. The finished album, Dung Idols was out on April 1, 2011.
More changes to the lineup happened in the spring of 2011. Morten Eriksen decided to retire, and left the band along with drummer Stig Ronny Moe. They were replaced by Disiplin and Mindgrinder drummer Marius "Rex Murdoch" Haugan and bass player Mathias Eriksson.
Current lineup
- Tony "Thunder" Johannessen — vocals
- Geir Marius Halleland — guitarElectric GuitarsElectric Guitars were formed early in 1980 by Neil Davenport and Richard Hall who were both studying English at Bristol University. The band soon increased to a five-man line-up, with Andy Saunders , Matt Salt and Dick Truscott , they also later added two backing singers: Sara and Wendy...
- Mathias Eriksson — bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Marius "Rex Murdoch" Haugan — drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
- Per Erik "Pellik" Holt — guitarElectric GuitarsElectric Guitars were formed early in 1980 by Neil Davenport and Richard Hall who were both studying English at Bristol University. The band soon increased to a five-man line-up, with Andy Saunders , Matt Salt and Dick Truscott , they also later added two backing singers: Sara and Wendy...
Previous members
- Cato Syversrud — guitar
- Vegard Waske — drums
- Ole Kristian Løvberg — drums
- Stig Ronny Moe — drums
- Frank Johannessen — guitar
- Andreas Tylden — guitar
- Morten Eriksen — bass
Discography
- Bandits at 6 O'Clock (demoDemo (music)A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
, 2001) - Demons and Diamonds (CD, 2003) — Face Front / Massacre RecordsMassacre RecordsMassacre Records is an independent record label based in Abstatt, Germany.The label was founded in 1991 by Torsten Hartmann. The label is specialized on bands of the harder varieties of metal...
- Love and Destruction (CD, 2006) — Massacre Records
- Dung Idols (CD, 2011) — Rock It Up Records