Gangar release their new album ‘Dreng’ – where tradition meets fearless innovation.

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In a short time, Gangar have established themselves as one of Norway’s most exciting musical exports. With the Hardanger fiddle as their driving force, the band combines traditional Norwegian tunes and songs from across the country with classic rock, prog, and metal, inspired by artists such as Meshuggah, AC/DC, and Hoven Droven. The result is an explosive folk-rock celebration where tradition meets modern heaviness and virtuosity.

Gangar have already brought this energy to audiences worldwide, performing concerts in 14 countries across three continents, and celebrated their 100th show at Peter Gabriel’s WOMAD Festival in the UK in 2024.

On Dreng, Gangar are joined by an impressive lineup of guest artists. Bare Egil, Tuva Syvertsen, Synnøve Brøndbo Plassen, and Martin Steinum Brun contribute vocals, while Karl Seglem appears on bukkehorn, Ingrid Lingaas Fossum on langeleik, and Erlend Viken shines on octave fiddle.

The debut album Stubb established Gangar’s musical universe. On Dreng, the band ventures even deeper into this landscape with greater confidence and fearlessness. They make no compromises in their creativity, while still honoring the folk traditions their music is rooted in.

The band explains:

“The process of making this album has been the complete opposite of our debut. On Stubb, we tried to turn our live arrangements into studio music, while on Dreng we took advantage of every possibility the studio had to offer. Our challenge now is bringing this studio music to the stage — and it’s a challenge we’re really excited to take on!”

The album spans everything from rock arrangements of traditional tunes such as “Eg er liten,” “Stabb marsj,” and “Murukleiven II,” to prog-metal versions of “Skomakerhallingen” and “Vossavalsen.” Tracks like “Bom Bom” and “Marta Johannes” explore more experimental territory, while the opening track “Fjukan Rjukan” serves as a powerful summary of Gangar’s wide stylistic range.

“We still don’t know which riff on the album is the coolest — there are about twenty to choose from…” the band says.

Fiddler Mattias Thedens shares:

“I’m incredibly proud of this project. We’ve put so much time and effort into this album, and it feels great when the result reflects that work. Our ideas are completely insane, but we’ve trusted our instincts throughout the process and turned those ideas into music. This album pushes the boundaries of folk music in ways we’ve never heard before. That’s pretty cool!”

Dreng was produced by Håkon Iversen, with Simon Jackman as recording engineer. The album was mixed by Martin Selen and mastered by Morgan Nicolaysen. Recording took place at Kapsel Studio in Oslo, and the cover features a specially commissioned painting by Kenneth Lien.

About Gangar

Oslo-based Gangar consists of:

• Mattias Truell Thedens – Hardanger fiddle
• Oskar Goedvriend Lindberget – saxophone
• Richard Max – guitar
• Jonas Thrana Jensen – bass
• Henrik Dullum – drums
  
  

Since their debut concert in 2021, Gangar have become known as a formidable live band, delivering high-energy shows filled with dance, audience interaction, and musical precision. They have performed at festivals and venues such as Rudolstadt Festival (Germany), Sziget Festival (Hungary), Celtic Connections (UK), and Port Fairy Folk Festival (Australia).