Inside Cafe Mono in the Norweigan capital of Oslo, as a girl explained to me some extreme acts that domestic death metal bands had pulled, including animal mutilation and church burning, I remembered why I am not that into the genre. However, there is no doubt that Scandanavia yields some of the best metal on earth. And it would be an unfair and inaccurate stereotype upon Norway’s metal bands based on the more extremists actions. Moreover, to Apes on Tapes’ glee, there are plenty of uber talented acts coming out of Norway from various genres. Have a look at some of the finer acts Apes on Tape was introduced to during a recent trip to Norway:

• Cold Mailman: Our new pal Endre from Spoon Train Audio turned us onto this enjoyable indie-pop band. Composed of several members of the older screamo band The Spectacle, you’ll appreciate the gangs’ diverse musical talent when comparing the two. The included track, “Pull Yourself Together and Fall in Love With Me” displays Mailman’s knack for thoughtful songwriting and a resemblance to Snow Patrol.
  02 pull yourself together and fall in love with me

• Team Me: Perhaps my favorite new find from Norway was a very young band introduced to me by their manager Thomas. The band blends eclectic influences ranging from Sufjan Sufjans’ instrumentation and harmonies to the Local Natives multi-memeber gang percussion to the Postal Service’s lyrics content and ethos. Check out the track “Weathervanes and Chemicals” below.
  01 weathervanes chemicals 

   

  

  Casiokids

• Casiokids: While you might lose some of the Casiokids’ titles in Norwegian translation, that’s ok because it’s so catchy you’re not going to be worried about it. The dance-pop outfit from up north in Bergen has compared to fellow Norwegians such as the Whitest Boy Alive and Royksopp for their addicting rhythms and highly danceable tracks, we think they’re worth being labeled as the Casiokids, themselves.
  Gomur Mamma