Withem - Progressive Metal band from Norway

Withem is an upcoming progressive metal band from Norway inspired by the likes of Symphony X, Pagan’s Mind, Dream Theater and Circus Maximus.

The band started to take shape in 2011 when Øyvind Voldmo Larsen (guitars) and Ketil Ronold (keyboards) met the gifted drummer Frank Nordeng Røe. Soon they were joined by the voice talent Ole Aleksander Wagenius and bass duties were taken care of by the special guest Andreas Blomqvist from Seventh Wonder.

Withem’s music incorporates elements of progressive metal, symphonic metal and straightforward heavy metal. Creative virtuoso musicians, together with the unique vocal abilities of Ole Aleksander Wagenius, give the band a much-needed distinctive touch to tackle the overcrowded progressive metal scene.

The yet-to-be-named debut album is now in the mixing stage and the band is actively looking for a label to release it worldwide.

The band just released a teaser with snippets from the album. Check it out on http://www.facebook.com/Withemband or http://www.youtube.com/user/Withemband

Edited by Miguel Pereira - February 18 2013 at 06:17

Big fan of Seventh Wonder here - I've heard your samples and am looking forward to hearing your album!

Hi all.

Debut album is great!

Hi,

Some news (Taken from http://www.earsplitcompound.com/site/2013/10/08/withem-debut-album-from-norwegian-progressive-quintet-out-now-on-sensory-records/ )

Sensory Records today delivers The Point Of You, the anticipated debut full-length from Norwegian progressive quintet WITHEM. With accolades pouring in from enthralled journalists around the globe over the past few weeks, though today is the official street date for the album, The Point Of You is already a success.

To help make the public aware of the album’s unveiling, today the entire album is playing, hosted by online prog/metal hub Sea Of Tranquility who stated in a near-perfect review of the album this week: “WITHEM don’t go overboard with complex passages & chops, and like Circus Maximus concentrate heavily on melodic, memorable hooks, but fear not, there are plenty of stunning, virtuoso sections to be found here.”

Listen to The Point Of You in its entirety here: http://www.seaoftranquility.org/article.php?sid=2592

The album is now available at most major distribution points, online, and direct from Sensory/The Laser’s Edge.

WITHEM will be announcing new European live dates in support of The Point Of You throughout the rest of the year and through 2014, with the band already confirmed to perform at both Progpower US and Progpower Oslo. Stay tuned for more updates in the coming weeks.

Harnessed through countless hours spent in the studio with each member focusing all of their energy and talents on immaculately perfecting their individual contributions and perfecting their world class blend of metal, the band’s passion and dedication put forth is obvious on the nearly fifty-minute The Point Of You. WITHEM’s gripping, melody-driven songs avoid the clichés and pitfalls of overly dramatic instrumental sections and sheer senseless, complexity, and instead center the songs on creative interplay between musicians, and the unique vocal range of Ole Aleksander Wagenius gives the band a much-needed distinctive touch to tackle the overcrowded progressive metal scene. The Point Of You was produced and mixed by guitarist Øyvind Voldmo Larsen at his own Lionheart Studio, boasting powerful and bombastic production values with enough raw moments for the listener to notice the most subtle intricate parts. The production values will certainly please even the audiophile listeners out there.

“Tons of hook laden choruses, heavy riffs, blazing leads, symphonic keyboards, tight rhythms, plenty of progressive passages…what more can we ask for? A terrific debut from Withem, and once again the Sensory folks have delivered another sparkling new band to the progressive metal scene. 4.5/5″ – Sea of Tranquility

“Withem simply puts a fresh and encouraging spin on this venerable genre, which always needs a breeze of fresh air. The Point Of View is easily recommended. 4.5/5” – Dangerdog Music Reviews

“Withem boasts a sound that is heavy, yet accessible; melodic, but also driven. While I wouldn’t say the band is creating a whole new niche, they have put together an immensely solid album from start to finish with nothing I would say even approaches filler material. 8/10″ – We Love Metal

“…expect a sizzling sound with strong vocal harmonies, forceful drumming and rhythms, and an adequate balance between impressive musical passages and jaw dropping hooks that are very rare for a band this early in their career. 5/6″ – Eternal-Terror


Cheers,

Miguel Pereira
Withem