Current Lineup

Peter Espevoll: Vocals
Tor Glidje: Guitars
Ole Sveen: Guitars
David Husvik: Drums
John Mjaland: Bass



Out from the 80s and 90s metal-scene comes Norwegian EXTOL rising from the crypt below. Oslo-based EXTOL formed in 1994, and although drawing on many different genres, the group held a particular strong taste for extreme music combining rhythm and melody. They soon put emotion into motion by making music of their own and developing their very own characteristic expression for some time.

As a result, the creativity took physical form in the stunning debut album Burial through Swedish Endtime Productions in 1998. The one hour long recording was carried out by Ole B, Eystein and the three founding cousins: Christer, David and Peter - with the most technical precision, wit and energy, which also came to be known as traditional EXTOL trademarks. Burial certainly set the standard and was highly acclaimed at home as well as abroad, being distributed in the USA by Solid State Records and in Japan by Avalon. Furthermore, EXTOL had the Mesmerized EP released in 1999 as a sequel to Burial, using the same artistic concept and once again the cover-painting delivered by Kristian Wåhlin, lending his special touch (e.g. Emperor/Dissection). The EP served as an appetiser for the growing audience and contained a variety of song-writing: new, old and some extraordinary industrial remixes by Sanctum and Raison D..etrè (courtesy of Cold Meat Industries). At the same time, prior to a promotional tour across the USA, bassist Eystein left the band due to priority differences and was instantly replaced by Tor from the Norwegian black-metal cult-act Lengsel.

Within a few years EXTOL had gradually become a familiar name and gained recognition and appreciation for their unique musicianship and spectacular concerts. Clubs around Europe, and the USA in particular, were frequently targeted out as platforms for EXTOL's intensive live-shows and right-up-tight performance.

In the year 2000, EXTOL's 2nd full-length masterpiece Undeceived saw the light of day, a much anticipated record. Only this time they outdone themselves, and presented a more refined EXTOL, clearly influenced by bands such as Rush, Pestilence, King..s X, Cynic etc., but still sounding harder and heavier than ever. A little later guitarist/vocalist Ole B departed from the band to focus on various other projects, and just before the band set off to the USA again, John, also from Lengsel, stepped in as support. In the following year EXTOL recorded another EP, namely the Paralysis EP, which in layout and musicwise follows in the dark vein of Undeceived.

By then the band's obligations to their label Endtime Productions were fulfilled, and after negations a new contract was signed with the German label Century Media in 2002 which included a license of Undeceived in Europe. Shortly after, guitarist Tor decided to leave the band and concentrate on his stronger passion, the super-energetic rock band Ganglión, and so former guitarist Ole B re-entered the band and thus held up his loyalties. Then finally, in January 2003, EXTOL recorded their critically acclaimed album Synergy, a faster, more old-school-extreme and progressive version of the band. This time the cover art-work was done by the notorious Hugh Syme (Rush, Aerosmith, Megadeth, Fates Warning etc.), and is truly in itself an eyeopener. EXTOL's third studio album Synergy was released in June 2003, and thus the Thrash Synergy was unleashed and supported with touring through the States together with American Demon Hunter and The Agony Scene, and subsequently in Europe with Swedish doom-masters Opeth.

Then only half a year later, EXTOL went through changes that no one saw coming: both guitarists decided to leave the band. Christer and Ole B discovered that the commitment required by the band had become too demanding on their part, and so they left in different directions to best channel their time and energy. Within a couple of months EXTOL found their replacements in former EXTOL-guitarist Tor and Ole H, who are considered the masterminds behind the abovementioned Ganglión and Lengsel. Their musical background and involvement would now play an important role in EXTOL.

Though unlike ghosts who return to their haunts, EXTOL now embark on yet a new era with The Blueprint Dives. During the summer of 2004 the new line-up produced the band's fourth full-length album; recorded at Toproom Studios (Mayhem, Borknagar, etc) in Oslo, Norway and mixed/mastered at Antfarm Studios (The Haunted, Mnemic, etc) in Aarhus, Denmark. On the band's request, and based on the album-title concept, the cover-artwork was designed by Asterik Studios in the States elegantly. And as always, EXTOL continue here to explore the original side of their world with high musical skills, but now in a more straightforward and attainable way than on Synergy. Still, after a decade of song-writing, The Blueprint Dives contains the most varieted song-material and undoubtedly the heaviest and most energetic sound presented by EXTOL so far. The album is scheduled for a February 2005 release in Europe, and May 2005 in the USA.