Arabs In Aspic – The Best off Music

Arabs in Aspic is a heavy progressive‑rock band from Trondheim, Norway, known for a sound deeply rooted in the classic rock era of the 1970s. Their music blends powerful guitars and drums with 12‑string acoustics, funk‑inflected bass lines, extensive percussion, Hammond organ, Rhodes piano, Mellotron, and vintage analogue synthesizers, all enriched by layered vocal harmonies. The origins of Arabs in Aspic date back to 1997, when guitarist and vocalist Jostein Smeby and rhythm guitarist and theremin player Tommy Ingebrigtsen began collaborating, united by their shared admiration for 1970s heavy rock—particularly the music of Black Sabbath. Over time, the pair played with various musicians in different heavy‑music projects before forming what would become Arabs in Aspic. The early lineup solidified with the addition of Hammond organist Magnar Krutvik, drummer Eskil Nyhus, and bassist Terje Nyhus. Later, Stig Arve Jørgensen joined as a backing vocalist and Hammond organ player, while Krutvik shifted to acoustic guitar and synthesizers. This formation produced the releases Progeria (EP) and Far Out in Aradabia (CD). After several active years, the band went on hiatus. A revival came in 2006, when Smeby, Nyhus, and Jørgensen regrouped with bassist Erik Paulsen, forming a new iteration known as Arabs in Aspic II. The refreshed lineup sparked a productive songwriting period, resulting in numerous demos and eventually leading the band into the studio of TNT guitarist Ronni Le Tekrø. There they recorded Strange Frame of Mind, which received critical praise and was mastered by Tommy Hansen at Jailhouse Studios in Denmark.
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