Loading details…
Artist
Krokofant
12+ albums
jazzJazz RockNorwaynorwegianrock
about
Tom Hasslan (guitars) Axel Skalstad (drums) Jørgen Mathisen (saxophone) Review by Thom Jurek Norway is home to a number of bands that explore the connections between free jazz and hard, progressive, and avant rock. Shining, Elephant9, Bushman's Revenge, and the Hedvig Mollestad Trio are four of the best examples, yet each has its own sonic approach to composition, rhythm, and improvisation. What's more, all record for Rune Grammofon. Krokofant is the name of the Norse power trio made up of guitarist Tom Hasslan, drummer Axel Skalstad, and saxophonist Jørgen Mathisen. As evidenced by their self-titled debut, their sound is deeply influenced by the forceful jazz-rock of John McLaughlin's Mahavishnu Orchestra and the early-'70s albums of guitarist Ray Russell, the angular precision of Larks' Tongues through Red-era King Crimson, the vanguard rock explorations of Henry Cow, and the free jazz skronk of Last Exit. But Krokofant add another element too: an unabashed love for prog metal. On album opener "Polyfant," one can hear the physical, mathy attack of Meshuggah. Muscular guitar riffing gives way to a head-to-head guitar and sax duel, yet each player pays heed to the forceful shifts in time and dynamic introduced by Skalstad. The razored twists and turns in the intro to "Bodega" give way to a nearly funky approach as Hasslan's riffs and the double-timed drum attack allow for an extended, imaginative solo by Mathisen and a focused guitar break that weaves jazz chords, arpeggios
