Skambankt was founded in Klepp, Rogaland, Norway in the year 1994. The line-up consisted of Ted Winters (Terje Vinterstø) on guitar and vocals, Don Fist (Tollak Friestad) on bass, and Hanz Panzer (Hans Egil Løe) on drums. In this configuration, the group played sporadic shows in Klepp and local areas, and some demos were recorded. Interest quickly waned and the band dissolved in 1996. Some of the songs written during this period, such as "Demoattakk" would be recorded upon the band's re-formation.
Ten years after its formation, in 2004, the original Skambankt line-up met at a stag party where there was a stage with full backline. Some time after midnight, a decision was made that the band was to be revived. They recorded some basic demos and gained some exposure through Urørt, a Norwegian radio showcase for unsigned talent. Some changes were made to the line-up; Hanz Panzer switched to the guitar and his brother, Tom Skalle (Tom Egil Løe) became the new drummer. They eventually signed a record deal with Dog Job, and recorded their first album, the self-titled Skambankt, which came out in 2004. As Winters was also a member of Kaizers Orchestra, a small number of that group's fan base embraced Skambankt as well, fueling their rising underground popularity.
Subsequently, Skambankt earned a reputation of being a live band to watch after playing at many prestigious festival shows in Norway, Denmark and Germany. Their first notable rise to fame was their concert at the 2005 Roskilde Festival, where they played for 20,000 people. In 2005, they recorded and released Skamania, an EP containing six new songs and two videos, for "KKK!" and "Me sa nei!", respectively. The style of the EP's music and lyrics is considered a transition between the band's original style and the hard rock style they would later adapt. Shortly after the release of Skamania, Tom Skalle quit the band, and was replaced by Bones Wolsman (Børge Henriksen).
On 29 January 2007, the band released their second studio album, Eliksir. The album received positive reviews and even made it as far as the 8th place on the Norwegian album charts in its first week. The band toured throughout 2007 and played a small number of shows in 2008, despite the fact that Winters performed as an active member of Kaizers Orchestra for most of the year.
That fall, the band booked a studio from September through October, where they went on to record what would become the band's next album, Hardt Regn. The album was released on 26 January 2009, with a subsequent release party and tour following shortly thereafter. The album received many positive reviews and stayed on the Norwegian album charts for six weeks, peaking at the #5 spot. Three singles were released; "Malin", "O Dessverre" and "Kom hell", the latter two of which had music videos shot for them which were played in heavy rotation on music video shows on Norwegian television.
The first single from their then-untitled fourth studio album, "Mantra", was released digitally on 17 May 2010 - the Norwegian Independence Day. The album, Søvnløs was released on 6 September 2010. A limited edition remastered LP box set (whose version of Skamania contained three bonus tracks) comprised of all their releases up until Søvnløs, was released on 8 November 2010.
In 2014, all of three years after their last album, Skambankt released Sirene in late January. So far, it is the most critically acclaimed album of theirs, having amassed glowing reviews from more than ten reputable Norwegian publications, including Dagbladet, one of the "Big Three" of Norwegian newspapers. The first single from the album was "Voodoo", released earlier that month.
Desertør!
Skambankt Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
sånn som alt for mange gjør
nå har du trossa alle grunnane
som du aldri, aldri bør
nå har du kasta deg te hundane
så godt a klø når det klør
nå har du brent alle bruene
kjenne du suget, eg kjenne på suget
ingen kan gå god for svik
for mange går over lik
desertør!
har sagt de te deg før
desertør!
nå, nå - nå brenne det
brenne det!
se, se - se flammane
flammane!
det, det - blir varmare
varmare!
nå går alarmane
kjenne du suget, eg kjenne på suget
ingen kan gå god for svik
for mange går over lik
desertør!
har sagt de te deg før
desertør!
The lyrics of Skambankt's song "Desertør" describe the decision of someone who has chosen to abandon their post and desert their comrades. The opening lines state that the person has "thrown themselves to the dogs" like so many others have done before. They have defied all reasons not to do so, and have abandoned their responsibilities. The chorus repeats the word "deserter" with increasing intensity, calling out the person's betrayal of trust and warning against the dire consequences of such an act. The second half of the song describes the chaos and destruction that follow the deserter's actions, as alarms sound and flames rise higher.
The song is a commentary on the serious issue of desertion in military contexts, and the impact it can have not only on individuals but also on the larger community. The lyrics suggest that desertion is a cowardly act, and that those who commit it will face the consequences of their betrayal. The imagery of flames and alarms paints a dramatic picture of the chaos that can follow such a decision. The repetition of the word "deserter" serves to emphasize the seriousness of the act and its repercussions.
Line by Line Meaning
nå har du kasta deg te hundane
Now you have thrown yourself to the dogs
sånn som alt for mange gjør
Like far too many people do
nå har du trossa alle grunnane
Now you have defied all the reasons
som du aldri, aldri bør
That you should never, ever do
nå har du kasta deg te hundane
Now you have thrown yourself to the dogs
så godt a klø når det klør
So good to scratch when it itches
nå har du brent alle bruene
Now you have burned all the bridges
din stakkars desertår
You poor deserter
kjenne du suget, eg kjenne på suget
Feel the urge, I feel the urge
ingen kan gå god for svik
No one can vouch for betrayal
for mange går over lik
Too many walk over corpses
desertør!
Deserter!
har sagt de te deg før
Have told you before
nå, nå - nå brenne det
Now, now - now it burns
se, se - se flammane
See, see - see the flames
flammane!
Flames!
det, det - blir varmare
It, it - gets hotter
varmare!
Hotter!
nå går alarmane
Now the alarms go off
kjenne du suget, eg kjenne på suget
Feel the urge, I feel the urge
ingen kan gå god for svik
No one can vouch for betrayal
for mange går over lik
Too many walk over corpses
desertør!
Deserter!
har sagt de te deg før
Have told you before
Contributed by Elliot H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.