OCTAVIA was formed as a result of new friendships and common musical preferences. OCTAVIA kicked off early playing several gigs and festivals in Norway (Hole in the Sky/Bergen, 1001 Watt/Skien, Ride This Train/Bergen, Rjukan Rock/Rjukan, Slottsfjellfestivalen/Tønsberg, Lost Weekend festival/Askøy and the Elements of Metal festival/Sandefjord). In between intensive rehearsing and multiple live acts the band recorded and released their self-financed, low budget 5 track demo ‘Guilty’ in 2002.
Early 2005 debut album ‘Winter Enclosure’ was finished after signing a record deal with Candlelight Records autumn 2004. Octavia also released the first video version of ‘Lifelines of depths’ spring 2004. The album was released on May 9th, 2005. 'Winter Enclosure' was embraced by both critics and audience. OCTAVIA won flattering comparisons to the likes of Candlemass, The 3rd and the Mortal, Black Sabbath among others and top UK hard rock magazine, Kerrang! described the album as ‘Extravagant, dramatic doom with a rock ‘n roll heart.’ OCTAVIA reached top 10 best newcomer acts 2005 in highly important Terrorizer magazine. At home, the readers of the newspaper Bergens Tidende voted ‘Winter Enclosure’ as the best album of the year by local bands. Male drummer Kikken was also delighted to find that he (Octavia) was on TERRORIZERS 10 ten list of “most shaggable females”…
Two videos were recorded: ‘Hunting Eye’, which was shot at composer Edvard Grieg's home Troldhaugen, and a second version of ‘Lifelines of Depths’. Both videos made by director Asle Birkeland (Enslaved, Audrey Horne ++). OCTAVIA started touring June 2005; GoNorth/Aberdeen, Scotland, 'Winter Enclosure UK Tour', supporting Paradise Lost in UK, September, ending the tour with headliner gigs and a show case at In The City/Manchester. The year rounded off supporting Cradle of Filth in UK with Cathedral.
A few months into the new year of 2006, OCTAVIA was once again short of a drummer, and the band spent the spring finding a new drummer as well as making new material for the next record.
Finally closing ranks with new drummer Ivar Alver, OCTAVIA did a pre production in Sandefjord October 2006 in Morfeus's (Limbonic Art, Dimension f3h) studio MO. Recordings for the album started shortly after using producers Herbrand Larsen and Arve Isdal again from Earshot studio. Also Bjørnar Nilsen, from Conclave & Earshot studios assisted during the recording process. Morfeus took part in recording the synth and ‘Don’t believe a word’. In addition, Herbrand Larsen collaborated with producer Geir Luedy on the mixing. A video of ‘Moonlit’ was recorded early March by Tommy Næss (Sahg, Gorgoroth ++).
The band hit the road again supporting Amon Amarth and Finntroll in UK and Ireland April 2007, then launch party for the new album “Grace Submerged” was in Bergen at Garage and thereafter Stavanger. UK was once again visited, this time with legendary Fields of the Nephilim at Astoria, and with To-Mera at the Underworld. Back in Norway Octavia played Screamfest and hit UK in December for a new headliner tour. This time with Tom Erik and Jan Åge Svendsen (Temple Sleep) as stand ins for Trine and Ivar, both expecting children with their respective partners. The mini Octavia’s were born in late January/early February and the new parents decided to stay home when Octavia hit the road again with Tom and Jan for a new UK tour in April.
Grace Submerged received great reviews all over. Big Cheese 5/5: “The likes of ‘Moonlit’ have that droning, gothic feel that will have fans of bands like Type O Negative almost breaking into a smile while haunting ‘…And then the world froze’ is the sound of a band who are surely destined for even bigger things upon the release of this gorgeous album. Classic Rock 7/10: “.. So leave it to us to day that the rendition of ‘Don’t Believe A Word’ is beautiful: full of sparse piano, mournful strings and sighing vocals. Phil would’ve been proud(…). One can’t help but feel that these Norwegian atmospheric doom merchants are on the cusp of something special”.
Summer 2008 OCTAVIA decided to put the band on ice after one final show at the outdoor festival Lost Weekend close to Bergen (view statement under ‘blog’).
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