A shape-shifting and sonically challenging noise rock unit from Norway, Årabrot's incendiary blend of avant-garde black metal, experimental rock, post-punk, and doom/sludge metal invokes names as diverse as Big Black, the Melvins, Faith No More, Swans, and the Birthday Party. Formed in 2001 and named after a garbage dump in the band's hometown of Haugesund, Årabrot's driving force is guitarist, songwriter, and vocalist Kjetil Nernes, with heavy contributions coming from electronic noise artist Stian Skagen, as well as producers Billy Anderson, Steve Albini, and Emil Nikolaisen -- the group has released a pair of EPs and LPs under the moniker Nernes/Skagen as well. The group issued a trio of albums via Norway Rat Records, including the Grammy-nominated, Albini-produced Brother Seed, before inking a deal with Fysisk Format in 2009 and releasing the I Rove EP. A pair of critically acclaimed full-length outings followed, 2010's Revenge and 2011's Solar Anus, the latter of which earned the group a Norwegian Grammy Award in the metal category. The eponymous Årabrot arrived in 2013, followed by a trilogy of EPs: Murder as Art, Modi, and You Bunch of Idiots. Shortly after the release of the first EP, Nernes was diagnosed with a malignant form of throat cancer. Apart from receiving a brutal six weeks of treatment for the illness, he continued to tour and record during this time, and in early 2016, Årabrot issued a brand-new full-length outing, Gospel. They returned in early 2018 with a special 12" titled Sinnerman, in anticipation of the release of a new full-length outing later in the year. ~ James Christopher Monger