The band was formed by drummer David Husvik and guitarist Christer Espevoll, who had been playing together and wanted to start a band. Peter Espevoll became their vocalist. In 1994, bassist Eystein Holm joined the band just before their first gig. Emil Nikolaisen joined as a second guitarist in 1995.
In 1996, they recorded for Norwegian metal compilation, "Northern Lights". Later that year they recorded "Embraced", a short demo. Ole Børud, formerly known for his death/doom project Schaliach, soon replaced Nikolaisen, who wanted to give more attention to his other projects. Extol's debut album, "Burial", was released in 1997 on Endtime Productions and showcased a death metal sound. It was licenced to the US through Solid State Records and to Japan through Avalon Records. The next year, they released the EP, "Mesmerized", which featured three industrial remixes of songs from "Burial" by the bands Raison d'être and Sanctum. Eystein was replaced by Tor Magne Glidje on bass. "Undeceived" was released two years after "Burial", and featured a heavier and darker sound. Then Ole left the band, so Tor Glidje switched over to guitar, and John Robert Mjåland joined as bassist.
In 2001, another EP, "Paralysis", was recorded; to be released in Sweden only. This EP featured a cover of "Shadow of Death" by the reputed American avant-garde/thrash metal band Believer, whom the band considers to be a great influence. After "Paralysis", Tor Magne left the band to focus on his other project, Ganglion, and Ole returned to the line-up. After "Undeceived" was released, Extol was no longer obligated to Endtime, and they signed with Century Media in 2002.
"Synergy", released in 2003, saw the band evolve into a technical thrash unit. Lead singer Peter Espevoll has said that it was largely a tribute to the band Believer. The music on the album is very similar to Believer's style of thrash metal. Following the release, Extol toured Europe and US with the Swedish progressive death metal group Opeth.
In June 2004, Ole Børud and Christer Espevoll left Extol to "invest their time and energy elsewhere". Taking their place as permanent members in the band are the return of Tor Magne Glidje and Ole Halvard Sveen, both from Ganglion, that merged with Extol when four out of five band members ended up playing in both bands.
In 2005, the band released what could be considered their most diverse album; "The Blueprint Dives".
A music video was shot for the song "Pearl." The album was nominated for the Norwegian Grammy, Spellemannprisen, for best Norwegian metal album in 2005. Also, "Blueprint" was voted for the Top 5 metal albums of the year list by the readers of one the biggest newspapers in Norway, Dagbladet. The album received rave reviews: For example, Eduardo Rivadavia of Allmusic gave the album 4.5/5 and wrote:
"To Extol's greatest credit, offhand comparisons to other bands are almost impossible!"
Afterward, Extol toured Europe with Mastodon, God Forbid, Opeth, and the US with Haste the Day, Becoming the Archetype, and The Showdown.
On August 9, 2007 the band announced through their MySpace page that they were currently on a hiatus.
In 2012, the production of the crowd funded film 'Extol - The Documentary' marked the return of the band. On a facebook post, the remaining members, Peter Espevoll and David Husvik, along with former member Ole Børud, announced that the band was back and that they were in the process of reccording the fifth album of the band.
Discography:
Studio albums:
* 1998: Burial (Endtime Productions)
* 2000: Undeceived (Endtime Productions, re-issued by Century Media in 2003)
* 2003: Synergy (Century Media)
* 2005: The Blueprint Dives (Century Media)
Miscellanious:
* 1997: Embraced (demo)
* 1999: Mesmerized (EP, Endtime Productions)
* 2001: Paralysis (EP, Endtime Productions)
Sideprojects:
The band members have all, at different times, had different projects. The current members of the band at various times were all members of post-thrash/rock group Ganglión. Ole Sveen, John Mjåland, and Tor Glidje comprise the avant-garde black-metal band Lengsel. David Husvik has played for The Crest and technical thrash group Absurd, and collaborated with former Spiral Architect members for Twisted Into Form.
Former member Ole Børud was a solo artist, Christer Espevoll has joined post-hardcore/metalcore band Benea Reach (former Selfmindead members); he also played on Absurd². Former guitarist Emil Nikolaisen currently plays guitar and lead vocals for indie rock band Serena Maneesh and was previously with Scandinavian indie band Royal.
Work Of Art
Extol Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Wakes the trees to life
The sun slowly rises
Behind a mountain
Covered in a cape of snow
My gaze wanders
Past an eternity of blue
From them the rain falls
Like torrential streams
Part of a cycle of life and death
The wind rises and invites the waters
To a wild and incomprehensible dance
A crack in the clouds, light from the sun
A huge and beautiful bow
With all its colours
Reminding everyone of the promise
The sight of this unique nature
Surprises my soul
With a peaceful joy
The clouds take over
The magnificence of the sun
The contour of the moon far away
And the sparkling of the stars
On a night blue sky
King of the night
And servants of the night
Silence rules the hours of darkness
And lets us rest
Or reflect on this incredible work
In the hands of humanity
The song Work of Art by Extol describes the beauty of nature and how it can surprise and bring peace to one's soul. The first stanza talks about the winter breeze waking up the trees, while the sun slowly rises behind a mountain covered in snow. The singer's gaze wanders past an eternity of blue, possibly describing the endless sky. The second stanza talks about how the clouds gather and shadow the earth, bringing rain and being part of the cycle of life and death. The wind rises and invites the waters to a wild and incomprehensible dance, possibly symbolizing the chaotic yet beautiful nature of life. The third stanza talks about the sight of a rainbow reminding everyone of the promise, possibly referring to God's promise or the hope that comes after a storm. The last stanza talks about the magnificence of the night sky, with the moon and stars on a night blue sky, and how silence rules the hours of darkness, letting us rest or reflect on the incredible work of humanity's hands.
Overall, this song seems to celebrate and appreciate the beauty of nature, and how it can bring a sense of peace and wonder to the human soul. It also touches on the idea of cycles and promises, suggesting that everything in nature has a purpose and a significance beyond what we can see.
Line by Line Meaning
The whisper of a weak winter breeze
A soft winter breeze breathes life into the trees, gradually waking them up.
Wakes the trees to life
As the breeze grows stronger, the trees begin to come alive from their dormant state.
The sun slowly rises
The sun slowly emerges into view, signaling the start of a new day.
Behind a mountain
The sun is hidden behind a mountain, but its light is slowly radiating outwards.
Covered in a cape of snow
The mountain is covered in a layer of snow, like a majestic cape.
My gaze wanders
I take in the scenery around me, letting my gaze wander.
Past an eternity of blue
My gaze travels past a seemingly endless expanse of blue, like the vastness of the sky.
The clouds gather and shadows the earth
The clouds begin to gather, casting shadows over the earth below.
From them the rain falls
The clouds release their water in the form of heavy rainfalls.
Like torrential streams
The rain comes down with immense force, like rushing streams.
Part of a cycle of life and death
This rain is part of the natural cycle of life, which includes both creation and destruction.
The wind rises and invites the waters
The wind picks up, inviting the raindrops to fly with it in the air.
To a wild and incomprehensible dance
The raindrops and wind engage in a chaotic dance, too complex to fully understand.
A crack in the clouds, light from the sun
Suddenly, a gap appears in the clouds, allowing the sun's light to break through.
A huge and beautiful bow
This sunlight forms a rainbow, a majestic and breathtaking sight.
With all its colours
The rainbow is an array of colors, brightening up the landscape.
Reminding everyone of the promise
This rainbow serves as a reminder of a promise, whether it be a promise of hope or something else.
The sight of this unique nature
Witnessing this awe-inspiring natural wonder is a unique and special experience.
Surprises my soul
Seeing this beauty surprises and enlightens my very soul.
With a peaceful joy
This surprise brings about a peaceful joy within me.
The clouds take over
The clouds begin to dominate the sky again, overpowering the sun's light.
The magnificence of the sun
The sun's magnificence is no longer visible, hidden away behind the clouds.
The contour of the moon far away
In the distance, the moon's shape is barely visible through the darkness.
And the sparkling of the stars
The stars twinkle like diamonds in the sky, visible only in the darkness.
On a night blue sky
The sky transforms into a deep blue hue, signaling the transition from day to night.
King of the night
The moon reigns as king of the night sky, illuminating the darkness.
And servants of the night
The stars serve as loyal assistants to the moon, enhancing its light.
Silence rules the hours of darkness
The hours of darkness are quiet, with a solemn serenity that engulfs everything.
And lets us rest
This peaceful silence provides a sense of rest and calm.
Or reflect on this incredible work
In this stillness, we can reflect on the incredible beauty of nature.
In the hands of humanity
This beauty is not just a natural wonder, but a creation that reflects the power of humanity as well.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind