BOKASSA are incredibly fucking good. The songs they write, their whole energy and vibe is such a breath of fresh air. When I heard their music a year ago, they blew my head off. Getting a chance to introduce them to a wider audience is going to be super cool." Lars Ulrich (Metallica) talking to Kerrang! in Jan 2019.
BOKASSA fuse stoner rock riffs and groove with the energy and volatility of punk and hardcore, into their own unique brand of stonerpunk. Their 2017 debut album, ‘Divide & Conquer’ was lauded by critics across the globe. Metal Hammer UK hailed it as one of the best debuts of 2017, describing them as “intense, unpretentiously creative, and relentlessly rhythmic.”
‘Crimson Riders’ was recorded back home in Trondheim’s Brygga Studio, with production by the band together with Yngve Andersen (Blood Command), mixing by Simon Jackman, and mastering by the legendary Brian ‘Big Bass’ Gardener. BOKASSA enthuse, “We are very excited to release ‘Crimson Riders’. Nine songs which revolve around everything from cults, religion, and border patrols to beer-drinking anti-heroes and immortal space pirates! Sonically, the album gives the listener everything from classic stoner-punk tracks, groovy desert songs, and high speed trash metal, to hardcore-oriented sing-a-longs. This time we also played around with both cellos and saxophone in the studio so expect a few curveballs here and there.”
Rollicking first single taken from the album is ‘Mouthbreathers Inc.’ When asked about the song, the band explain, “‘Mouthbreathers Inc.’ is written from the perspective of a dictator/cult leader when everything starts going south - which it inevitably always does. The track makes for classic BOKASSA with a pummeling lead riff, angry vocals, breakdowns, and a hooky chorus to sing along to while the throne crumbles. Watch out for the sneaky saxophone lick”
In early 2018, Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich played Bokassa on his radio show, ‘It's Electric’, calling them "insanely fucking cool" and his “favourite new band". Fast forward to 2019, and BOKASSA are set to hit the road with Metallica this summer, declaring, “We are extremely excited to support the legendary Metallica alongside Ghost - over 25 concerts in Europe. We are an underground rock band from Norway, so I don't think we can even imagine how big and awesome this is going to be, but we are insanely excited for this opportunity!”
