Hope I Die Virgin’s amazing debut ‘Is Forever No Way’ is probably the album that has been listened to the most at the Fysisk HQ all through 2011. Check it out on Spotify!
Here’s the band’s own best of 2011 list:

Check out this inteview with Fysisk Format on the JaJaJa-blog: “It’s difficult to overstate the influence and importance of the Fysisk Format label – which lives inside Oslo’s Tiger Records shop and exists alongside their Diger distribution platform – or the respect it engenders. Home to much of Norway’s best loud music (Blood Command, Årabrot, Haust, Okkultokrati…), think of it like Norway’s Rough Trade (if you live in the UK. If you don’t, think of it like another hugely respected and influential record shop). We spoke to FF’s Kristian Kallevik about its long history, and Turkish greengrocers.”

Following in the tracks of Mojo, Stool Pigeon, Rockarolla and The Quietus, NME has declared that Årabrot’s Solar Anus has “Illuminated the whole year”. Check their awesome “20 Best Cult/Experimental”-list

The rumours have been circling lately, but now its official: Kjetil (pictured) quits Knuste Ruter and is replaced by none other than the mighty Hasse Brinch!

Okkultokrati destroyed everyhing in 2011, with their 2010 debut getting into effect, the “Ingen Veit Alt”-7″ and splits with Årabrot and Haust. in my opinion, Okkultokrati fuses the best of punk and metal – so what could be more ritualistic than bringing Okkulto-mainman Henning’s list of the 20 best punk AND metal albums of 2011:

2011 was a wild year for Death is Not Glamorous: Releasing their best record this far with Spring Forward and a massive tour of Europe. We asked Terje who plays all the cool guitar licks for his favorites of 2011:

1. Static Void – Monosyllabic LP
2. Touche Amore – Parting the sea between brightness and me LP
3. Anchor – Recovery LP
4. Problems – 2011 tape
5. Out of Vogue – 7″ EP

Finally a sign of life from Snöras!
Here’s their 2011 Year End List:
1. The Field – Is This Power (song)
2. Zomby – Witch Hunt + Natalia´s Song (songs)
3. Tame Impala – Alter Ego (live at Roskilde 2011)
4. Blanck Mass – Blanck Mass (album)
5. Zubr, Okocim, Kasztelan, Lech & Tyskie

This is Lars from Okkultokrati’s Top 5 Norwegian releases:

1. Blackest Woods – All My Children
2. Next Life – Artificial Divinity
3. Lukestar – Taiga
4. Dark Times – EP
5. Common Cause – EP

Lars points out that NONE of these were included in ANY of the year end lists of the norwegian music press
-Well, that’s why it’s called underground Lars…

Årabrot is nominated for the Norwegian Grammy in the METAL category for Solar Anus. This is the second time their nominated after 2009′s The Brother Seed. The question is though, can you say Solar Anus on television? Any suggestions for more TV friendly album title?

Next Life really put their mark on 2011 with their third album Artificial Divinity. Fysisk asked Next Life mainman, Hai Nguyen Dinh for his 2011 Year End List:
1. Heroes Of Might And Magic 6 (game)
2. Burzum – Fallen
3. Haraball – Promo tape
4. Eva-Marie Brekkestø: Crop Circles – History, research and theories (book)
5. Michiru Yamane – Castlevania The Concert (live in Stockholm)

Blast Next Life’s Artificial Divinity on Spotify or buy it on CD/vinyl from Tiger