The last few weeks we have added some strong international names in rock to the festival line-up, from the legends in Iggy & The Stooges and Pavement, to current favourites like The Gaslight Anthem and Converge, to newcomers like Invasion and Surfer Blood. They are all good examples of rock that is played at the Øya office these days. Now we turn our gaze to the homely soil, and give you four Norwegian bands with a bright future and a firm grip around their guitars.

THE CUMSHOTS
This band has travelled Norwegian and sometimes German roads for years. The five guys that make up The Cumshots are known for their supreme negativity, punchy rock and intense live shows. Last year saw the release of their fourth album, A Life Less Necessary. The record is full of manly, muscular and sweaty rock and metal, but also more varied than previous efforts, and with more dark depth. As Harald Fossberg from the newspaper Aftenposten put it in his review: “Listening to this album is like reliving the movie Se7en, a nauseatingly claustrophobic experience where the killer is inspired by the seven deadly sins.”

Lately, there has been quite a buzz in the UK, and the band has played there on several occasions. Magazines like Rock Sound (10 of 10), Kerrang (5 of 5) and Metal Hammer (8 of 10) have been very enthusiastic about The Cumshots’ performances, and there’s no reason to expect anything less when their album drops this spring. This is a band that should appeal everyone with a soft spot for classics like Motörhead, Slayer, Entombed and their like.

After spending summer 2010 on tour, The Cumshots will return to Oslo and The Øya Festival to give the audience a lesson in Norwegian aggression and testosterone-fuelled rock.
MYSPACE

PURIFIED IN BLOOD
Purified In Blood was one of the toughest and most important bands to come out of the Norwegian underground during the last decade. 2010 may very well mark the breakthrough to a bigger audience. The band is ready with a fantastic new album, and the soon to be released first single Death Priest showcases their aggressive mix of metal and hardcore in a great way. The record was mixed in Seattle by Matt Bayles, recognized for his work with bands like Mastodon and Isis. The band members themselves have cited Earth Crisis, Judas Priest and Slayer as sources of inspiration.

The band has on more than one occasion taken a stand against animal cruelty, and are not embarrassed of their past (or present) as straightedge vegans.

Purified In Blood has won both the Zoom competition and an Alarm award for best live act. Their explosive performances have always been a trademark. The band is hard to describe in just words, the best thing is definitely to experience Purified In Blood for yourself at The Øya Festival 2010.
MYSPACE

THE MEGAPHONIC THRIFT
Richard Myklebust (Stereo21), Linn Frøkedal and Njaal Clemetsen (both The Low Frequency in Stereo, and Fredrik Vogsborg (Casiokids/Syme) are The Megaphonic Thrift. The band’s music is a sublime mixture of noise, pop and shoegaze – with references like Built To Spill, Sonic Youth and My Bloody Valentine. Or, as Norwegian radio’s Urørt put it:
«One of Bergen’s most promising bands makes what can only be described as a sonic rainbow of out-there melodic and kick-ass noise-melancholy. Lovely melodies in all colours emerge from the somewhat claustrophobic sound. With an already long résumé of solid live gigs, this is definitely a band you’ll hear more from soon.»
And you will. Soon. The Megaphonic Thrift just finished their debut album Decoy Decoy, recorded in Duper Studio in Bergen with Jørgen Træen as producer. We’re really looking forward to the record, which will be released on March 1 on the label Hype City, and we’re happy to say that the band is confirmed for The Øya Festival in August. The Megaphonic Thrift’s performances at Roskilde, CMJ, SXSW and Icelandic Airways got well-deserved accolades from all over. Our bet is that it’ll be equally good this summer.
MYSPACE

BLOOD COMMAND
Bergen is known for great musical offerings in the electro, pop and metal genres, but the good and powerful rock bands have been few and far between. A change is gonna come. The last couple of years some great bands have emerged. Blood Command has caught the attention of many with their delightful mix of modern rock and hardcore. We have been hooked on their EP Five Inches Of A Car Accident for quite some time now, and we want more! Luckily, the band has announced another release this spring.

Silje Tombre (vocals), Sigurd Haakaas (drums) and Yngve Andersen (guitars and keyboards) make up the band’s core, but the live version also makes room for good friends from Bergen. Blood Command is inspired by many of our own favourites, like Hot Snakes, Yeah Yeah Yeans, PJ Harvey, New Order, At The Drive-In and Rocket From The Crypt. You can hear traces of them all in the band’s music, which, at the same time, is something of its own and very energetic. Don’t miss Blood Command’s sparkling rock at The Øya Festival, it could turn out to be an experience you’ll never forget!
MYSPACE