Age of Silence
Norway · formed 2004 · last active 2005
Age of Silence is a Norwegian avant-garde progressive metal 'supergroup' formed in Oslo in 2004 by keyboardist Andy Winter of Winds, drawing members from Mayhem, Arcturus, The Kovenant, and Solefald. Their sole album, Acceleration (2004, The End Records), pairs 'aggressive guitar grind' with Winter's gothic, classically-tinged piano and synths, occasionally veering into pure electronic beats, per a Sputnikmusic review. A follow-up EP, Complications – Trilogy of Intricacy (2005), preceded a long hiatus for the project.
SCORE PROFILE
Accent numbers counted towards the index. Hover an axis — or hold it on a phone — for what it means.
WHY THOSE SCORES
- Death 2 — Sputnikmusic's review of Acceleration notes 'aggressive guitar grind' underpinning the keyboard-led arrangements.
- Black 2 — Nearly the full lineup (Nedland, von Blomberg) comes from the Norwegian black metal scene, coloring the guitar sections, though the album itself is prog-driven overall (Sputnikmusic).
- Technical 6 — Reviewers describe 'a very strange and keyboard-heavy take on avant-garde metal,' with long piano runs layered over aggressive guitar and double bass (Sputnikmusic).
- Glitch 2 — Sputnikmusic notes 'electronic beats' that surface briefly and unpredictably across the album, appearing only once each.
- Theatrical 4 — Andy Winter's 'gothic,' classical-tinged piano lends the record a dramatic, staged quality (Sputnikmusic).
- Ambient 3 — Winter's synthesizer work is described as going 'completely spacey' at points (Sputnikmusic).
MEMBERS
- Andy Winterkeyboards (founder)· also in Andy Winter, Self Spiller, Winds
- Lars Are Nedlandvocals· also in Solefald
- Jan Axel von Blomberg ("Hellhammer")drums
- BP M. Kirkevaagguitars
CONNECTIONS
- Andy Winterpath →
Andy Winter founded and plays keyboards in Age of Silence since 2004. source ↗
- Arcturuspath →
Hellhammer co-founded Arcturus in 1987 (originally as Mortem) and remains associated with the band; he also drums for Age of Silence. source ↗
- Mayhempath →
Drummer Jan Axel 'Hellhammer' von Blomberg is the only musician to appear on every Mayhem studio album, and also drums for Age of Silence. source ↗
- Self Spillerpath →
Andy Winter founded Age of Silence in 2004. source ↗
- Solefaldpath →
Vocalist Lars Are 'Lazare' Nedland is also the vocalist, drummer, and keyboardist of Solefald. source ↗
- The Kovenantpath →
Hellhammer recorded The Kovenant's (then Covenant's) 1998 album Nexus Polaris and toured with them; he also drums for Age of Silence. source ↗
- Windspath →
Age of Silence was founded by Winds keyboardist/vocalist Andy Winter; Hellhammer also recorded with Winds circa 2000-2001. source ↗
- Between the Buried and Mepath →
Both bands' cover art is by Travis Smith (Discogs artist id 1829438, Seempieces): Between the Buried and Me's "Immersed" (2005, Artwork) and Age of Silence's own Travis Smith-credited release. Pairwise artwork tie per the 2026-08-07 ruling (PROTOCOL rule 7) — Smith is not an atlas band member so there is no anchor band. Part of Smith's existing 9-band client cluster, now 10 with this addition. source ↗
- Casualties of Coolpath →
Both bands' cover art was done by freelance illustrator Travis Smith: "Design [Graphics Design], Artwork [Artwork Photography], Layout" credit on Age of Silence's Acceleration (2004) and "Artwork" credit on Casualties of Cool's Casualties of Cool (2014), both confirmed via Discogs extraartists. Pairwise artwork tie per the 2026-08-07 ruling (PROTOCOL rule 7) — Smith is not an atlas band member so there is no anchor band. Companion credit logged in research/edge-taxonomy-ledger.json. source ↗
- Deathpath →
Both bands' cover art was done by freelance illustrator Travis Smith: "Artwork [Artwork By]" credit on Death's The Sound of Perseverance (1998) and "Design [Graphics Design], Artwork [Artwork Photography], Layout" credit on Age of Silence's Acceleration (2004), both confirmed via Discogs extraartists. Pairwise artwork tie per the 2026-08-07 ruling (PROTOCOL rule 7) — Smith is not an atlas band member so there is no anchor band. Companion credit logged in research/edge-taxonomy-ledger.json. source ↗
- Devin Townsend (maximalist era)path →
Both bands' cover art was done by freelance illustrator Travis Smith: "Design [Graphics Design], Artwork [Artwork Photography], Layout" credit on Age of Silence's Acceleration (2004) and "Artwork" credit on Devin Townsend's Ziltoid the Omniscient (2007), both confirmed via Discogs extraartists. Pairwise artwork tie per the 2026-08-07 ruling (PROTOCOL rule 7) — Smith is not an atlas band member so there is no anchor band. Companion credit logged in research/edge-taxonomy-ledger.json. source ↗
- Opethpath →
Both bands' cover art was done by freelance illustrator Travis Smith: "Artwork" credit on Opeth's Blackwater Park (2001) and "Design [Graphics Design], Artwork [Artwork Photography], Layout" credit on Age of Silence's Acceleration (2004), both confirmed via Discogs extraartists. Pairwise artwork tie per the 2026-08-07 ruling (PROTOCOL rule 7) — Smith is not an atlas band member so there is no anchor band. Companion credit logged in research/edge-taxonomy-ledger.json. source ↗
- Soulflysatellitepath →
Both bands' cover art was done by freelance illustrator Travis Smith: "Layout" credit on Soulfly's Omen (2010) and "Design [Graphics Design], Artwork [Artwork Photography], Layout" credit on Age of Silence's Acceleration (2004), both confirmed via Discogs extraartists. Pairwise artwork tie per the 2026-08-07 ruling (PROTOCOL rule 7) — Smith is not an atlas band member so there is no anchor band. Companion credit logged in research/edge-taxonomy-ledger.json. source ↗
- Strapping Young Ladpath →
Both bands' cover art was done by freelance illustrator Travis Smith: "Design [Graphics Design], Artwork [Artwork Photography], Layout" credit on Age of Silence's Acceleration (2004) and "Artwork [Visuals]" credit on Strapping Young Lad's SYL (2003), both confirmed via Discogs extraartists. Pairwise artwork tie per the 2026-08-07 ruling (PROTOCOL rule 7) — Smith is not an atlas band member so there is no anchor band. Companion credit logged in research/edge-taxonomy-ledger.json. source ↗
- Testamentpath →
Both bands' cover art was done by freelance illustrator Travis Smith: "Artwork" credit on Testament's First Strike Still Deadly (2008 reissue) and "Design [Graphics Design], Artwork [Artwork Photography], Layout" credit on Age of Silence's Acceleration (2004), both confirmed via Discogs extraartists. Pairwise artwork tie per the 2026-08-07 ruling (PROTOCOL rule 7) — Smith is not an atlas band member so there is no anchor band. Companion credit logged in research/edge-taxonomy-ledger.json. source ↗
- Windspath →
Both bands' cover art was done by freelance illustrator Travis Smith: "Design [Graphics Design], Artwork [Artwork Photography], Layout" credit on Age of Silence's Acceleration (2004) and "Design, Layout" credit on Winds' Reflections of the I (2002), both confirmed via Discogs extraartists. Pairwise artwork tie per the 2026-08-07 ruling (PROTOCOL rule 7) — Smith is not an atlas band member so there is no anchor band. Companion credit logged in research/edge-taxonomy-ledger.json. source ↗
- Andy Winterpath →
Shared label roster: The End Records, per MusicBrainz. source ↗
- Arcturuspath →
Shared label roster: Candlelight Records, per MusicBrainz. source ↗
- Blut aus Nordpath →
Shared label roster: Candlelight Records, per MusicBrainz. source ↗
- Diablo Swing Orchestrapath →
Shared label roster: MALS, per MusicBrainz. source ↗
- Estradaspherepath →
Shared label roster: The End Records, per MusicBrainz. source ↗
- Fear Factorypath →
Shared label roster: Candlelight Records, per MusicBrainz. source ↗
- Fleuretypath →
Shared label roster: Candlelight Records, per MusicBrainz. source ↗
- Giant Squidpath →
Shared label roster: The End Records, per MusicBrainz. source ↗
- Gnaw Their Tonguespath →
Shared label roster: Candlelight Records, per MusicBrainz. source ↗
- Godfleshpath →
Shared label roster: The End Records, per MusicBrainz. source ↗
- Grayceonpath →
Shared label roster: The End Records, per MusicBrainz. source ↗
- Havohejpath →
Shared label roster: Candlelight Records, per MusicBrainz. source ↗
- Ihsahnpath →
Shared label roster: Candlelight Records, per MusicBrainz. source ↗
- In the Woods...path →
Shared label roster: The End Records, per MusicBrainz. source ↗
- Jarboepath →
Shared label roster: The End Records, per MusicBrainz. source ↗
- Killing Jokepath →
Shared label roster: Candlelight Records, per MusicBrainz. source ↗
- Made Out of Babiespath →
Shared label roster: The End Records, per MusicBrainz. source ↗
- Nadjapath →
Shared label roster: The End Records, per MusicBrainz. source ↗
- Opethpath →
Shared label roster: Candlelight Records, per MusicBrainz. source ↗
- Overmarspath →
Shared label roster: Candlelight Records, per MusicBrainz. source ↗
- Peccatumpath →
Shared label roster: Candlelight Records, per MusicBrainz. source ↗
- Sighpath →
Shared label roster: Candlelight Records, per MusicBrainz. source ↗
- Sleepytime Gorilla Museumpath →
Shared label roster: The End Records, per MusicBrainz. source ↗
- Stolen Babiespath →
Shared label roster: The End Records, per MusicBrainz. source ↗
- The Earls of Marspath →
Shared label roster: Candlelight Records, per MusicBrainz. source ↗
- The Meads of Asphodelpath →
Shared label roster: Candlelight Records, per MusicBrainz. source ↗
- Tub Ringpath →
Shared label roster: The End Records, per MusicBrainz. source ↗
- Ulver (black metal era)path →
Shared label roster: The End Records, per MusicBrainz. source ↗
- Ulver (electronic era)path →
Shared label roster: The End Records, per MusicBrainz. source ↗
- Unexpectpath →
Shared label roster: The End Records, per MusicBrainz. source ↗
- Vampilliapath →
Shared label roster: Candlelight Records, per MusicBrainz. source ↗
- Ved Buens Ende.....path →
Shared label roster: Candlelight Records, per MusicBrainz. source ↗
- Windspath →
Shared label roster: Blackend, per MusicBrainz. source ↗
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