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.
Nok et offer
Skambankt Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Nok en slave, en ny arbeider
Føy deg i rekkene og gje akt
Snakke kun når snakka te
Ingen nåde, glem å be
Vekke vemmelse og forakt
Glem gamle minner
En ny start står parat
Det går på skinner
Samma ke din tittel va
Samma ke din mentor sa
Ta på deg lenkne og gje akt
Se langt itte drømmane
Går deg itte sømmane
Følg med bak skulderen, hold vakt
En ny lov - Vår lov
Glem gamle minner
En ny start står parat
Det går på skinner
En ny lov - Vår lov
Det går på skinner
The lyrics to Skambankt's song Nok et offer, nok en seier (Another Sacrifice, Another Victory) explore the theme of oppression and conformity, with a strong message about the dangers of blindly following authority. The song opens with the lines "Another sacrifice, another victory // Another slave, a new worker // Join the ranks and pay attention", setting the tone for the rest of the lyrics. The singer warns against speaking out or showing weakness, and emphasizes the need to conform and follow orders. The chorus consists of the lines "A new law - Our law // Forget old memories // A new start is ready // It's all on track", conveying a sense of hope for a better future, but one that is also controlled by those in power.
The use of language in the song is quite interesting, with a mix of old-fashioned and modern phrases. The lines "Join the ranks and pay attention" and "Follow closely behind, keep watch" sound like commands from a distant military past, while the more modern phrase "It's all on track" suggests a contemporary context. The repetition of the phrase "Our law" emphasizes the idea of a new, authoritarian system being imposed on people who may not want it. The use of the word "offer" in the title is also significant, suggesting a willingness on the part of some to sacrifice themselves for the sake of the group.
Overall, Nok et offer is a powerful commentary on the dangers of conformity and the need to resist oppressive systems. It encourages listeners to seek out their own paths and question the motivations of those in power.
Line by Line Meaning
Nok et offer, nok en seier
Another sacrifice, another victory
Nok en slave, en ny arbeider
Another slave, a new worker
Føy deg i rekkene og gje akt
Fall in line and pay attention
Snakke kun når snakka te
Speak only when spoken to
Ingen nåde, glem å be
No mercy, forget about begging
Vekke vemmelse og forakt
Evoke disgust and contempt
En ny lov - Vår lov
A new law - our law
Glem gamle minner
Forget old memories
En ny start står parat
A new beginning is ready
Det går på skinner
It's going smoothly
Samma ke din tittel va
Whatever your title was
Samma ke din mentor sa
Whatever your mentor said
Ta på deg lenkne og gje akt
Put on your shackles and pay attention
Se langt itte drømmane
Forget about dreams
Går deg itte sømmane
Don't fall asleep
Følg med bak skulderen, hold vakt
Watch your back, stand guard
En ny lov - Vår lov
A new law - our law
Det går på skinner
It's going smoothly
Contributed by Alexis D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.