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Kamchatka
Kamchatka
Background information
Origin Varberg, Sweden
Genres Stoner Rock, Alternative Rock, Blues Rock, Rock and Roll
Years active 2001 - Present
Labels Grooveyard, Superpuma, Despotz
Associated acts King Hobo, Spiritual Beggars, Candlemass, Opeth, Katatonia, Tiamat, Vildsvin, Boom Club, Mojobone
Website Kamchatka Official

Kamchatka are a Swedish power trio from Valberg, on the country's Western coast. Forming in 2001 this trio is highly influenced by late 1960s and early 1970s blues rock bands. Their sound combines elements of blues, stoner and psychedelic rock. The band would build a reputation in the Swedish rock scene and gain more notoriety touring with Clutch. To date the trio has released seven studio albums and has toured all over Europe.

The band's name derives from an active volcano known as the Russian Kamchatka Peninsula that divides the Okhotsk and the Bering Sea.

History

Prior to Kamchatka's formation the founding trio of Roger Öjersson, Tobias Strandvik and Thomas Juneor Andersson grew up in Varberg, a small town on the west coast of Sweden. Roger, Thomas and Tobias were all rehearsing at the same place albeit in different bands, except for the occasional weekend jam session. In their mid teens, Roger and Thomas moved to pursue their musical career elsewhere, Roger to the east and Thomas to the north, while Tobias continued his back home. Some educational years of touring and recording albums with all kinds of different acts later, they met up again in Varberg for a Jimi Hendrix tribute concert in 2001, and after a successful performance the guys simply came to the conclusion that they should start a band and thus Kamchatka was formed.

A few years later, after saving up enough money, they decided to record an album in their own studio (which has been developing ever since), with the help of an old friend of Rogers, Nicholas Elgstrand, who recorded, mixed and produced it together with the band. Bullen & Sillen, friends of the band, mastered it at Studio Mega in Valinge, just outside of Varberg. An old friend of Thomas’, Per Wiberg, who also designed the album cover. Wiberg would also help them find a label in the New York based Grooveyard Records. On 1 January 2005 the eponymous Katchatka would see release. The album notably featured three covers: "I Love Everybody" originally written by blues-rocker Johnny Winter and "Auto Mowdown" and "Spacegirl Blues" were written by Gerald V. Casale of new wave band Devo (from compilation Hardcore Devo: Volume One).

Despite gaining some buzz the band only played sporadic gigs. Nonetheless the band began work on a second album through 2006, this time self-recording on an eight track. Though Nicholas Elgstrand would return to mix and produce the band would choose to master the album themselves. Volume II would see release via Grooveyard Records in January 2007. Still gigs were infrequent. But as the band began work on a third album they were offered to support Clutch in April 2007. Forging a friendship with the band, Clutch would invite them to tour as direct support through North America the next year. This band's first major tour would span three weeks to which work would resume on a third album.

With Per Wiberg providing keyboards in the sessions and mastering by Johan Eckerblad at Mintelligence Studios, the band would sign with Swedish label Superpuma Records to release Volume III circa 4 March 2009 to further positive reviews. To support the album, Kamchatka would make their first appearance at Sweden Rock Festival, followed by touring Europe with Clutch and Kylesa. The band's touring would slow to follow-up with another record with gaining momentum, barring a string of shows with Mojobone and an appearance at Mangel Festival in their native Varberg.

It was recorded and mixed in their very own Shrimpmonkey Studios, once again mainly with Tobias behind the controls, during the winter and spring of 2010/2111, and mastered by Johan Eckerblad at Mintelligence Studios. Like on the previous albums, the cover art is the work of Per Wiberg, who also appears on keyboards on one of the songs. Bury Your Roots would see release in the Summer of 2011 to positive reviews. A release party would be held on 10 August at Bodegan in Varberg. What would follow would be a tour with The Brew in October, followed by the band's fourth tour with Clutch. The band's shows would be more sporadic in 2012, notably with founding bassist Öjersson leaving the band. Longtime album artist and keyboardist Per Wiberg would take over the bass role.

In 2013 Kamchatka would sign with Stockholm-based label Despotz. Releasing a single for "Doorknocker Blues" the trio would release their fifth album The Search Goes On on 19 February 2014, touring that February and then later in the year along with appearances at the likes of Aqua Maria, Moosemettle Open Air and Radio Stadtfiller among other events. Keeping that momentum the band would quickly follow up with Long Road Made of Gold on 22 May 2015 with a tour preceding the release, among appearances at the likes of DesertFest Berlin and Freak Valley Festival followed by further touring in 2016.

Kamchatka would take time off to begin work on a new album, barring short tours in 2018. Following a February 2019 tour work would finish on their seventh album. Hoodoo Lightning would be self-released by the band on 29 November 2019 to positive reviews, with a release party the same day at the House of Blues in Borlange. The band would tour with Graveyard and Clutch that December to support the album. The band proposed a headlining tour to support Hoodoo Lightning but it would be re-scheduled to December 2020 due to The CO-VID19 Pandemic.

Discography

Studio Albums

  • Kamchatka (2005, Grooveyard)
  • Volume II (2007, Grooveyard)
  • Volume III (2009, Superpuma)
  • Bury Your Roots (2011, Vinyl Maniacs; GMR)
  • The Search Goes On (2014, Despotz)
  • Long Road Made of Gold (2015, Despotz)
  • Hoodoo Lightning (2019, Self-Released)

Other Releases

  • Doorknocker (7" Single) (2014, Despotz)
  • Stone Cold Shaky Bones / Midnight Charmer (7" Single) (2018, H42)

Members

Current Lineup

  • Thomas Juneor Andersson - Guitar, Vocals (2001 - Present)
  • Tobias Strandvik - Drums (2001 - Present)
  • Per Wiberg - Bass, Keyboards, Vocals (2011 - Present)

Past Members

  • Roger Öjersson - Bass, Vocals (2001 - 2012)

List of Known Tours

  • From Beale Street To Oblivion European Tour (Sweden Leg) (With Clutch) (2007)[1]
  • 2008 North American Tour (With Clutch) (2008)[2]
  • 2009 European Tour (With Clutch, Kylesa) (2009)[3]
  • 2010 Mini-Tours (Select dates with Mojobone) (2010)[4]
  • Bury Your Roots Germany Tour (With The Brew) (2011)[5]
  • November 2011 European Tour (With Clutch) (2011)[6]
  • Bury Your Roots European Tour (2012)[7]
  • The Search Goes On European Tour (Spring) (2014)[8]
  • The Search Goes On European Tour (Fall) (2014)[9]
  • The Search Goes On 2015 (2015)[10]
  • April 2015 European Tour (2015)[11]
  • Long Road Made of Gold 2016 (With Gingerpig) (2016)[12]
  • April/May European Tour (2016)[13]
  • June 2018 Dutch Tour (2018)
  • 2018 European Tour (With Basement Saints) (2018)[14]
  • 2019 Spring European Tour (2019)[15]
  • 2019 Fall European Tour (With Graveyard, Clutch) (2019)[16]
  • Hoodoo Lightning European Tour (With Daily Thompson, Stunchile) (2020)[17]

External Links

References

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