Golden Core

Bloodstock 2019 – Band Feature/Interview: Golden Core

Brendan Fisher 4 min read

Bloodstock Open Air 2019 is nearly upon us and to say we’re excited is an understatement. We adore the festival and this year’s line-up is simply phenomenal. From the Ronnie James Dio Main Stage to the Sophie Lancaster Stage to the New Blood and Jägermeister Stages, there is something for everyone! Not got your tickets yet!? What are you waiting for!? Head over to the Bloodstock Festival website here and join thousands of like-minded head-bangers for a weekend of quality rock and metal.




Golden Core is a Norwegian-Icelandic metal duo based in Oslo, Norway. They play a mix between different genres, although doom and stoner metal are their main influences. Golden Core has been compared to bands like Neuroses, Kyuss, Mastodon and Mayhem. The two young metal rockers started playing together in 2014 and have since played numerous concerts and festivals in Norway, Denmark and Iceland. Golden Core has played as supporting acts for Bongzilla (US) and Napalm Death (UK).

“After serving the underground scene in Norway for 5 years, we are extremely excited to come to the UK and Bloodstock. Our mission is to bring doom to the masses. Everyone should experience pure Norwegian darkness”.

Golden Core are Simen Jakobsen Harstad on guitar and Johannes Thor Sandal on drums and vocals.

They will be playing the New Blood Stage on Sunday the 11th August 2019.

Golden Core

Interview

1. Congratulations on winning the Norway leg of the M2TM and earning your slot on the Bloodstock New Blood Stage. What made you decide to take part?

Someone contacted us on our Instagram and encouraged us to take part in M2TM. We thought hell yeah, we would love to play at Bloodstock. And so we did.

2. What were some of the highlights of your competition run?

The crowd at Rock In was amazing. In the first two rounds it was the crowd that voted who should be in the semi finals. In the end it was six great bands in the final, all of them so fucking good. If we can name one of them, – we thought Ruun was incredible. Note the name. They will make it big one day.

3. Describe the feeling, if you can, upon hearing your name read out as the winners?

I think it was like an adrenalin shock, unreal in a way. There were so many good bands competing at Rock In (the venue) and in the end Simon Hall him self was there on the stage shouting out our name.

4. How big of an opportunity is playing the New Blood Stage for Golden Core? We’ve seen some bands really grow from it over the years!

We really don’t know yet. But we will of course make the most out of it. Do our show like we always do.

5. What can Bloodstockers expect from you come festival time? Why should they come see you?

Well we will bring pure Norwegian darkness to the Hobgoblin New Blood Stage.

6. Are you regular attendees to the festival or will this be your first time?

No this is the first time and we are so exited to be there.

7. Are you hanging about all weekend? If so who are you most looking forward to seeing?

We will be doing a show at the Øyafestivalen in Oslo on the 8th , so we will not attend Bloodstock before the day after, hopefully not to late for Soulfly. There are so many good bands there we would love to see live, like Anthrax, Wheel, Taake and Dimmu Borgir.

Golden Core

8. What does the rest of 2019 look like for Golden Core? Shows? Releases?

We are doing quite a lot of festivals in Norway this year and we will be playing at the Eistnaflug Metal Festival in Iceland in July. We’ve just recorded a new album that as we speak is being mixed by Kurt Ballou from Converge and will be released later this year. 2019 has been a very exiting year for Golden Core so far.




 

Links

Facebook – Instagram – Twitter – Spotify – YouTube – Bandcamp – Bloodstock Open Air

Author

  • Owner/Editor/Writer/YouTuber - Heavy Metal and reading, two things I have always loved so they are the two areas you will find most of my reviews. Post apocalyptic is my jam and I always have a book on the go and have for decades now. From a metal perspective, age has softened my inadequacies and I now operate with an open mind, loving many bands from many sub genres but having a particular admiration for the UK underground scene. In my other time, when not focused on Dad duties and work, I try to support the craft beer movement by drinking as much of it as I can and you will also find me out on the streets, walking. I love walking, I love exploring new places and snapping nature photos as I go.