Abbath

Olve Eikemo (born 27 June 1973[3]), better known by his stage name Abbath Doom Occulta or simply Abbath, is a Norwegian musician best known as a founding member of the black metal band Immortal. Before founding Immortal, Abbath performed with Old Funeral alongside future Immortal member Demonaz. Following his departure from Immortal in 2015, he announced that he would be forming a new band under the Abbath name.[4] Although primarily a guitarist, Abbath is also a proficient bassist and drummer, having started his career as a bassist and recorded all drums for Immortal albums Pure Holocaust and Battles in the North.

For the eponymous band fronted by Abbath, see Abbath (band).

Olve Eikemo
Olve Eikemo (Abbath) in Toronto, 2010
Olve Eikemo (Abbath) in Toronto, 2010
Background information
Birth nameOlve Eikemo
Also known asAbbath Doom Occulta
Born (1973-06-27) 27 June 1973
Bergen, Norway
Genres
Occupation(s)
Instrument(s)
Years active1988–present
Formerly of

Early life

Eikemo was born in Odda[3] and grew up in Lysefjorden in Os, outside of Bergen, Norway.[5] As a young boy, he was an avid fan of hard rock band Kiss and his first heavy metal album was Creatures of the Night, which made him feel "immortal".[5][6] He started his musical career with the band Old Funeral.[5] He cites getting his first Venom video and Bathory album as a turning point in his musical development towards black metal.[7]

Projects

Immortal

Immortal was formed in 1991 by Abbath and Demonaz, alongside other former members of the extreme metal bands Old Funeral and Amputation. At various times throughout the band's history, Abbath has been the lead vocalist, bassist, guitarist, keyboardist, drummer, and lyricist, due to the difficulties of upholding a stable line-up. During Immortal's early years, Abbath originally served as the band's vocalist, bassist and studio drummer, while Demonaz played guitar. A steady-lineup was secured for a brief time when drummer Horgh joined Immortal. After the release of Blizzard Beasts in 1997, Demonaz was diagnosed with acute tendinitis, and was consequently forced to quit as guitarist, but remained as lyricist and band manager. Immortal released At the Heart of Winter in 1999, with Abbath taking over guitar and bass duties. This album marked a large shift in sound and style for the music of Immortal. In 2000, the band released Damned in Black, with Iscariah on bass. Sons of Northern Darkness was released in 2002, with the same lineup. Soon after the release of the album, Immortal decided to split and cited personal reasons for their break-up.[8]

In early May 2006, Abbath announced that Immortal would reunite.[9][10] In regard to when Immortal would start playing live again, Abbath said:

I didn't really want to say it, but I don't give a shit. We will come back, stronger than ever. I've met with Horgh for the first time in over a year. He's built his new house here, right around the corner. In the next few days we will begin to rehearse our old 'Blizzard Beasts' classics. I'm already really hot on the idea. Immortal are timeless frost. One year more or less doesn't make a difference. We have all the time in the world.

— Abbath, Rock Hard

A comeback tour followed the reunion with shows in Europe in 2007 and the band's first tour of Australia and New Zealand in 2008. A new Immortal album, All Shall Fall, was released in autumn of 2009. The band's performance at Wacken Open Air in 2007 was recorded and filmed for the release of the 2010 video albumThe Seventh Date of Blashyrkh. Abbath left Immortal in 2015 after a legal battle with the other members over the rights to the band's trademark.[11][12]

I
I live at Hole in the Sky 2006

Following Immortal's break-up in 2003, Abbath started a new project called I in 2006.[13] Abbath served as vocalist and guitarist, and was joined by former Immortal drummer Armagedda, Gorgoroth bassist King ov Hell, Enslaved guitarist Arve Isdal, and then-former Immortal guitarist Demonaz as lyricist.[14] The band released their debut album Between Two Worlds in 2006 and performed their only concert at that year's Hole in the Sky festival in Bergen.

Abbath

After leaving Immortal in 2015, Abbath formed a new eponymous band and released their first self-titled album in early 2016.[15] Abbath followed up their debut with the album Outstrider in 2019.[16] Their latest album, Dread Reaver, was released in 2022.[17]

Bömbers

Bömbers is a Motörhead tribute band formed in 1996. The band consists of childhood friends Abbath "Killminister" on lead vocals and bass, Tore "Fast Tore" Bratseth (of Old Funeral and The Battalion) on guitars, and Jan Terje "Pez" "Party Animal" Pedersen (Punishment Park and Jef) on drums.[18][19] Motörhead frontman Lemmy attended Bömbers' show at Garage in 1997 after his band's show in Bergen.[20] Abbath left Bömbers in late 2000 to focus on Immortal and returned after their break-up in 2003. Nicola "Morrigan" Trier (of Aeternus) filled in on bass in his abscense while Bratseth handled vocal duties. In 2005, Bömbers released the EP Bergen with covers of "Bomber", "No Class" and "Dead Men Tell No Tales".[21] During the Inferno Metal Festival in 2007, Abbath joined the German thrash metal band Sodom on stage and performed a cover of Motörhead's "Ace of Spades".

Equipment

As of 2015, Abbath is an endorsee of Schecter Guitars. His signature model, RavenDark V, was released in 2017.[22] Abbath has used the following guitars and basses throughout his career:

Abbath uses an ENGL Ritchie Blackmore Signature E650 amp through either direct line in or a Marshall cabinet.

Abbath served as an inspiration for the appearance of the character Lars Ümlaüt from the video game series Guitar Hero.[23] The character wears many of the same on-stage outfits as Abbath and has nearly identical corpse paint. Abbath appeared in the 2008 documentary Until the Light Takes Us about early Norwegian black metal along with Demonaz. Jester King Brewery in Austin, Texas has an Abbath-inspired character on the label of their Black Metal Imperial stout.

Discography

Immortal

I

Abbath

Bömbers

  • Bergen (2005)

Dimmu Borgir

  • Death Cult Armageddon (2003) - backing vocals on "Progenies of the Great Apocalypse" and "Heavenly Perverse"

Enslaved

  • Isa (2004) - backing vocals on "Lunar Force"

The Battalion

  • Stronghold Of Men (2008) - backing vocals on "Detonate" and "Man To Man (Warfare)"

References
  1. "ABBATH Signs With Season of Mist, Announces Band Lineup". Blabbermouth.net. 22 April 2015. Retrieved 14 August 2015.
  2. Grow, Kory (2 April 2010). "Immortal's Abbath Talks About Burzum's Varg Vikernes". Revolver. Retrieved 14 August 2015.
  3. "Abbath: My Life Story". Team Rock. 15 November 2016. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
  4. "Abbath Puts Immortal To Rest, Launches New Band". Blabbermouth.net. 26 March 2015. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  5. "Mörk longing in Lysefjord" (in Norwegian). 31 May 2008. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
  6. "COPENHELL - ABBATH (IMMORTAL) INTERVIEW". YouTube. 5 June 2013. Archived from the original on 15 December 2021. Retrieved 25 June 2015.
  7. Aites, Aaron; Ewell, Audrey. 2008. Until the Light Takes Us (deleted scenes). Variance Films.
  8. Blabbermouth (18 July 2003). "IMMORTAL Split Up!". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  9. Blabbermouth (6 June 2006). "IMMORTAL To Reunite?". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  10. Blabbermouth (21 December 2006). "IMMORTAL: 'We Can't Wait To Finally Perform For You Again'". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  11. Blabbermouth (11 December 2014). "IMMORTAL Members Embroiled In Legal Battle Over Rights To Band Name". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  12. Blabbermouth (26 March 2015). "ABBATH Puts IMMORTAL To Rest, Launches New Band". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  13. Blabbermouth (11 April 2006). "I Featuring IMMORTAL, ENSLAVED, GORGOROTH Members: Deal With NUCLEAR BLAST Signed". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  14. Blabbermouth (11 April 2006). "I Featuring IMMORTAL, ENSLAVED, GORGOROTH Members: Deal With NUCLEAR BLAST Signed". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  15. Metalhammer - ABBATH: THE NEW BLACK
  16. Kennelty, Greg (2 July 2019). "ABBATH Streams New Album Outstrider". Metal Injection. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
  17. DiVita, Joe DiVitaJoe (12 January 2022). "Abbath Debuts Fierce New Song 'Dream Cull' + Announces 2022 Album". Loudwire. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
  18. "BOMBERS: Ex-IMMORTAL Frontman's MOTÖRHEAD Tribute Band Release Studio Effort". Blabbermouth.net. 28 October 2005. Retrieved 25 June 2016.
  19. Svendsen, Roy Hilmar (4 March 2016). "– Ble helt Elvis i beina da jeg så Lemmy". NRK (in Norwegian Bokmål). Retrieved 27 October 2023.
  20. Svendsen, Roy Hilmar (4 March 2016). "– Ble helt Elvis i beina da jeg så Lemmy". NRK (in Norwegian Bokmål). Retrieved 27 October 2023.
  21. Blabbermouth (28 October 2005). "BOMBERS: Ex-IMMORTAL Frontman's MOTÖRHEAD Tribute Band Release Studio Effort". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
  22. "Guitars : RavenDark V FR Abbath Signature".
  23. Dare, Tom (1 April 2015). "Blogs Of War: Why All Metalheads Should Mourn Immortal's End". Louder. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
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