Apoptygma Berzerk

Biography

Apoptygma Berzerk (; commonly abbreviated to APB or APOP) is a Norwegian band that produces a style of electro rock, industrial rock, synth-pop and ballads backed with electronic rhythms, commonly known within the scene as "futurepop". Apoptygma Berzerk has won awards and top 10 spots in Germany and Scandinavia. Apoptygma Berzerk has toured Europe, North America, South America, Israel and Australia with bands such as VNV Nation, Beborn Beton, Icon of Coil and Unheilig.

Formation

The band was formed by Stephan Groth and Jon Erik Martinsen in 1989. Martinsen left the band due to creative differences. The name "Apoptygma Berzerk" has no particular meaning; frontman and founding member Groth claims that it was randomly picked out of a dictionary (the first word being derived from the Ancient Greek word ἀπόπτυγμα meaning "piece of a tunic").

Influences and style

Groth has cited influences including Kraftwerk, Tangerine Dream, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), Jean-Michel Jarre and John Carpenter. The first two albums, Soli Deo Gloria×Soli Deo Gloria11 November 1993 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1Like Blood From the Beloved (Part 1)1:312Bitch4:253Burnin’ Heretic (album version)5:334Stitch3:065Walk With Me1:406Backdraft4:237ARP (808 edit)2:108Spiritual Reality4:389Skyscraping (Schizophreniac)7:1310All Tomorrow’s Parties5:0511The Sentinel1:1212Ashes to Ashes ’934:2013Like Blood From the Beloved (Part 2)1:53 and 7, were a similar style of electropop and EBM. Welcome to Earth eschewed the dark themes of 7 for a lighter, less aggressive sound, and included a few experimental tracks. In Harmonizer the style changed a softer, more synthpop-oriented direction, compared to previous albums, and their 2006 album, You and Me Against the World×You and Me Against the World12 September 2005 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Tuning In Again1:162In This Together4:273Love to Blame3:494You Keep Me From Breaking Apart3:305Cambodia4:236Back on Track3:387Tuning In to the Frequency of Your Soul3:358Mercy Kill3:129Lost in Translation4:3710Maze3:2511Into the Unknown3:42, represented an almost complete change in style for the band. It featured a more mainstream, indie rock-oriented sound, and the complete departure from the band's traditional electric synthpop and EBM roots that started with 7. In 2009, they released their album Rocket Science×Rocket Science23 January 2009 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1Weight of the World6:112Apollo (Live on Your TV)4:293Asleep or Awake?3:424Incompatible6:335United States of Credit1:336Shadow4:587Green Queen4:538Butterfly Defect3:589State of Your Heart (Sh*t End of the Deal)4:1610Rocket Calculator1:5011→2:1312Pitch Black/Heat Death4:1613Black Versus White5:46.
Many albums feature a hidden track that can be accessed by fast forwarding through many minutes of silence on the last album track. For instance, on 7, one can hear a remix of Nonstop Violence after Love Never Dies (Part II).

Cover songs

The band has recorded cover songs for several of their albums. On the American version of 7 a cover of "Electricity" by OMD is featured; similarly, Welcome to Earth features a cover of Metallica's "Fade to Black". You and Me Against the World has a cover of "Cambodia×Cambodia1 December 2006 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 5 tracks1Cambodia4:222Mourn (Mesh remix)4:133All Tomorrow’s Parties5:084Love to Blame (DJ Lee remix)5:025Unicorn (live)4:17" by Kim Wilde and "Shine On×Shine On2005 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 5 tracks1Shine On3:192Black Pawn4:303Friendly Fire3:304You Keep Me From Breaking Apart (According to Phillip remix)4:105Tuning In to the Frequency of Your Soul (Drugwar remix)4:32" by The House Of Love. They have also recorded covers of Depeche Mode's "Enjoy the Silence", Suede's "Trash", Keane's "Bend and Break", Kraftwerk's "Ohm Sweet Ohm" and Marilyn Manson's "Coma White". Most recently, they have covered Peter Schilling's "Major Tom (Coming Home)".

Current members

Stephan Groth (STP a/k/a Grothesk) – vocals, programming, guitar, samples (1989–present)
Ted Skogmann – drums, additional guitar (1999–2002, 2011–present)
Jonas Groth – keyboards, production (2009–present)
Audun Stengel (Angel) – guitar (2002–2009, 2013–present)

Former members

Geir Bratland – keyboards, backing vocals (1995–2009)
Fredrik Brarud – drums (2002–2009)
Brandon Smith – guitar (2009)
Jon Erik Martinsen – keyboards (1989)
Per Aksel Lundgreen – keyboards (1990–1994)
Anders Odden – guitars (1992–1999, 2003–2006)
Fredrik Darum – live guitar (1999–2001)
Thomas Jakobsen – drums (2009–2011)

Live members

Leandra Ophelia Dax – keyboards (2010–present)

Other collaborators

Vegard Blomberg of View
Pål Magnus Rybom of Echo Image
Claudia Brücken of Propaganda
Benji Madden of Good Charlotte
Amanda Palmer of The Dresden Dolls
Emil Nikolaisen of Serena Maneesh
Håvard Ellefsen of Mortiis
Kurt Ebelhäuser of Blackmail
Anneli Drecker of Bel Canto
Alexander Odden of Pegboard Nerds
Vile Electrodes

Studio albums

Soli Deo Gloria (1993)
7 (1996)
Welcome to Earth (2000)
Harmonizer (2002)
You and Me Against the World (2005)
Rocket Science (2009)
Exit Popularity Contest (2016)