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ICS Vortex - Biography


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2011-

Biography

ICS Vortex has been one of the world's highest profiled extreme metal personalities since his debut on the international metal scene with Norwegian avant-garde black metallers Borknagar in 1998 (on their The Archaic Course album).

This 6.66ft Viking has, in addition to handling the clean vocals and bass in Dimmu Borgir for over 10 years, been heavily active as a studio musician and has about 15 major releases in a large variety of different styles of metal on his belt, as well as a decade of restless worldwide touring experience with different groups. The popular B.C. Rich ICS Vortex signature bass guitar is one of many examples of the appreciation and demand for this artist.

ICS Vortex's debut album, Storm Seeker, is a havoc of groovy metal attitude mixed with 70's prog, stoner rock, and his signature clean vocals. Catchy, riff-based, and free of album fillers, ICS Vortex anchors the 45-minute trip into the storm on the solid foundation of the ICS Vortex trademarks. The dark waters of ICS Vortex take you from the abyss to the raging waves and maroons you smiling somewhere in space. Storm Seeker is no concept album, but the songs are linked by an "all in" attitude, mixed with love and respect for the storms in man. The opening track, "The Blackmobile", combines the drive of raw black metal riffing with the total absence of grim vocals. When the vocal harmonies hit, you will nevertheless praise the beast... not the evil-medieval one, but the horned ram on the panzer of a dodge! The ICS Vortex wave pioneers on, song by song, adding references and styles as the horizon expands.

From Shakespearian death to gambling and from cravings to downfall, Storm Seeker is a gallows-humored epic tribute to the shabby demons of mankind. Commanding tracks like "Skoal!", "Dogsmacked", "Oil in Water", or "Odin's Tree" are a stylistic brew of tasty pagan ingredients in a dirty metal pot. A wide array of delicious variety and well-balanced spicing intensity, fried in very best classic Norwegian style to a truly unique flavor experience for the accomplished consumer.

Storm Seeker additionally features appearances by Borknagar teammate Asgeir Mickelson on drums and also Terje "Cyrus" Andersen (Susperia, ex-Dimmu Borgir) contributing some lead guitars. The versatile 11 tracks of this enthralling debut album were recorded over a lengthy period of time at Norwegian Toproom Studio (Mayhem, Tristania, Borknagar, etc.) with engineer Børge Finstad, then mixed in joint effort by Børge, Asgeir and ICS Vortex as well as finally mastered in Sweden by Peter in de Betou at Tailor Maid Studio (Arch Enemy, Dark Tranquillity, Dimmu Borgir, etc.).

After recording Storm Seeker, the ICS Vortex solo project has evolved a lot and turned into an ambitioned band: A permanent line-up has been secured for live performances as well as more albums and a worldwide deal with Century Media Records has been signed.

Taking the elements from ICS Vortex's experience with Dimmu Borgir and adding the legacy of the classic bands with whom ICS Vortex is still active (Borknagar, Arcturus, and Lamented Souls), Storm Seeker has become a perfectly balanced axe, whether a song is cutting fast, or dicing slow. Be prepared for the storm to come down on you August 22nd!
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Source: Century Media