Peter Espevoll is a Norwegian

vocalist Singing is the art of creating music with the voice. It is the oldest form of musical expression, and the human voice can be considered the first musical instrument. The definition of singing varies across sources. Some sources define singi ...

who, in 1993, started the band

Extol Extol is an extreme metal band from Bekkestua, Norway, that was formed in 1993. The band is known for playing a variety of different styles of heavy metal music, metal which include progressive metal, Christian death metal, black metal and thra ...

, with whom he is most associated.

Background

Espevoll was the son of a missionary family, and spent a great deal of time in

Kenya Kenya, officially the Republic of Kenya, is a country located in East Africa. With an estimated population of more than 52.4 million as of mid-2024, Kenya is the 27th-most-populous country in the world and the 7th most populous in Africa. ...

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent after Asia. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 20% of Earth's land area and 6% of its total surfac ...

in his life. While in Kenya, he and his brother

Christer Espevoll Christer Espevoll (born October 18, 1977) is a Norwegian guitarist who has been active since 1993. He has performed with notable acts such as Extol and Benea Reach. Christer's brother is Peter Espevoll. Background Espevoll started his musical ca ...

grew an affinity for heavier music, with Peter citing

Jerusalem Jerusalem is a city in the Southern Levant, on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains between the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. It is one of the List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest cities in the world, and ...

as his first interaction with the genre. Later, bands such as Barren Cross,

Stryper Stryper is an American Christian metal and heavy metal music, heavy metal band from La Mirada, California. The group's lineup consists of Michael Sweet (lead vocals, guitar), Oz Fox (guitar), Perry Richardson (bass), and Robert Sweet (musician), ...

, Vengeance Rising,

Deliverance ''Deliverance'' is a 1972 American thriller film directed and produced by John Boorman from a screenplay by James Dickey, who adapted it from his own Deliverance (novel), 1970 novel. It follows four businessmen from Atlanta who venture into th ...

Tourniquet A tourniquet is a device that is used to apply pressure to a limb or extremity in order to create ischemia or stopping the flow of blood. It may be used in emergencies, in surgery, or in post-operative rehabilitation. A simple tourniquet can ...

, and

Living Sacrifice Living Sacrifice is an American Christian metal band formed in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1989. The band has released eight studio albums, out of which the first three were recorded under R.E.X. Records with their original vocalist Darren John ...

would hold an influence in his life. Espevoll began his musical career after his brother

and cousin

David Husvik David Husvik is a Norwegian drummer who has played in the metal bands Extol, Absurd², Twisted into Form and InSection and Aperture, a jazz and acoustic rock project. Husvik helped to start Pirates N 'Thieves in 2007. He also performed in a side ...

started

in 1993. The band went through several lineup changes with Husvik and Espevoll being the only two constants. Christer later left the band along with longtime guitarist

Ole Børud Ole Arnold Børud (born 6 December 1976) is a Norwegian singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, and audio engineer. He is known both for his solo recordings and as a member of the groups Arnold B. Family, Schaliach, Extol, and Fle ...

, who would later come back. The band disbanded in 2007, due to personal issues. During his time with Extol, he, his cousin,

Tor Magne Glidje Tor Magne Glidje (born 27 September 1977) is a Norwegian guitarist in Extol, Ganglion and Longing, a.k.a. Lengsel, where he is also the lead singer. He was also a part of Benea Reach. He is now playing in the band Mantric. Background Tor Magne ...

, John Robert Mjlånd, and Ole Halvard Sveen, all of the bands Extol, Lengsel, and Mantric, formed a side-project called Ganglion. Ganglion released two EPs, one as a seven-inch. The project became inactive, as did Extol. Espevoll stated that the band ended due to personal issues, for Espevoll, it was to spend time with his family. Extol reformed in 2012 with the lineup of Espevoll, Husvik, and Børud. Espevoll stated the main reason to reunite the band was "to make the best music possible". During the band's hiatus, Espevoll spent some time in a Mental Facility, due to dealing with stress and

anxiety Anxiety is an emotion characterised by an unpleasant state of inner wikt:turmoil, turmoil and includes feelings of dread over Anticipation, anticipated events. Anxiety is different from fear in that fear is defined as the emotional response ...

. The band released their fifth self-titled album in 2013. Espevoll's brother and Extol founder Christer Espevoll was supposed to record on the album, but was unable to perform on the album. In 2014, the band went on hiatus after performing some live shows with Ole Vistnes ( Shining, Tristana) and Marcus B. ( Inevitable End, Miseration). During Extol's hiatus, Espevoll quit the band due to other commitments, leaving Husvik and Borud as sole members. In late 2020, Espevoll created a new project alongside filmmaker and musician Åsmund Janøy, called Hrada. The name is derived from an old Norwegian word that means “to create”. On April 30, 2021, Hrada signed with Mythic Panda Productions as their first signing. On June 17, 2021, the band released their debut single “Gospel Oak”.

Personal life

Espevoll is married and has three children.

Discography

Extol ;Studio albums * 1998: ''

Burial Burial, also known as interment or inhumation, is a method of final disposition whereby a dead body is placed into the ground, sometimes with objects. This is usually accomplished by excavating a pit or trench, placing the deceased and objec ...

'' * 2000: ''

Undeceived ''Undeceived'' is the second LP and third studio release by Norwegian Christian metal band Extol. It was released in 2000 on Solid State Records Tooth & Nail Records is a record label founded by Brandon Ebel in California in November 1993. T ...

'' * 2003: ''

Synergy Synergy is an interaction or cooperation giving rise to a whole that is greater than the simple sum of its parts (i.e., a non-linear addition of force, energy, or effect). The term ''synergy'' comes from the Attic Greek word συνεργία ' f ...

'' * 2005: '' The Blueprint Dives'' * 2013: ''

'' ;EPs * 1999: '' Mesmerized'' * 2001: ''

Paralysis Paralysis (: paralyses; also known as plegia) is a loss of Motor skill, motor function in one or more Skeletal muscle, muscles. Paralysis can also be accompanied by a loss of feeling (sensory loss) in the affected area if there is sensory d ...

'' ;Compilations * 1996: Northern Lights / Norwegian Metal Compilation (Rowe Productions 012) ;Videos * 2015: ''Of Light and Shade'' Ganglion * 2002: ''Ganglion'' (7") * 2003: ''Stripped'' Hrada * 2023: ''Mirrorland''

References

External links

*
Official site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Espevoll, Peter 1979 births Living people Musicians from Bærum Norwegian heavy metal singers Christian metal musicians 21st-century Norwegian singers Extol members