Tonic Breed

Tonic Breed are a Norwegian thrash/heavy metal band formed in Sarpsborg, Norway in 2006. Patrik Svendsen and Bjørn Myhren had already started playing together in 2004, with influences from bands of the American thrash metal scene. Rudi Golimo and Daniel Pettersen later joined the band. In the fall of 2008, the band got the name Tonic Breed.

Tonic Breed
Background information
OriginSarpsborg, Østfold, Norway
GenresThrash metal, heavy metal, groove metal
Years active2006–present
LabelsRob Mules Records
Websitetonicbreed.com
MembersPatrik Svendsen
Rudi Golimo
Jørgen Abrahamsen
Ole Danielsen
Past membersBjørn Myhren
Daniel Pettersen
Anders Bekken
Thomas Koksvik
Mats Johansen

Tonic Breed collaborated over a short period with producer Beau Hill on a remake of the song and the band's first single, "Death in Small Doses".[1] The new version of the song got the title Death in Small Doses (Put to Death). As of 2018, the band has released two full-length albums, their most recent being, Outsold, on April 28, 2014. Besides the two studio albums, the band has also released two singles, eight music videos and released the EP, Install Memory, on September 14, 2018.

History

Formation and early years (2003–2009)
Original Tonic Breed logo

In 2003, Patrik Svendsen and Bjørn Myhren got to know each other when they found out they shared the same interest for music. They were classmates and so was Rudi Golimo. In 2006, Svendsen and Myhren started playing together, both of them guitar. Golimo wanted to join in as well, and by Svendsen and Myhren's request, he bought a bass guitar. They had a lot of tryouts with different drummers in a period of time. It was first when the three of them met Daniel Pettersen they considered them self as a full band for the first time. The first rehearsal with this four man line up was in September, 2006. The band then started practice in Pettersen's garage.

Golimo had for a long time speculated in a proper band name. He had a strong wish to name the band Roadkill, which became the band name for over a year.

Roadkill played their first time live performance ever at an audition in 2008. The winner of the audition won a gig at a local festival in Sarpsborg, called "Bedemarten". The audition setlist contained of two songs: The band's first single, Don't Fail Again, and Metallica's Sanitarium.[2] Roadkill was the victorious band. Roadkill's first real gig was at "Bedemarten festival", August 28, 2008, in front of 200 people.

Roadkill changed their name to Tonic Breed in the fall of 2008. Tonic Breed released their first demos in November, 2008. The EP contained early versions of "Oblivion" and "Don't Fail Again", which later appeared on the band's upcoming 2010 album release.

May 30, 2009, Tonic Breed won a live competition. The first prize was a studio recording. At that point, Tonic Breed did not have enough songs to make a whole album. It wasn't before the year after that Tonic Breed could hit the studio to make their first studio album.

On the Brink of Destruction (2010–2011)

Recorded in Fredrikstad, Norway, Tonic Breed's first album release was On the Brink of Destruction. It had its release November 24, 2010. The mixing and mastering was done by Lasse Jensen. Just a few days after the last recording day, Bjørn Myhren left the band. Anders Bekken replaced Myhren as the new lead guitarist, the same month as the album was released. Bekken joined numerous concerts until he had to quit in the middle of 2011 because of duty in the Norwegian army.

Tonic Breed continued playing concerts, and former guitarist Bjørn Myhren stepped in to help the band for a short time. One of the concerts Myhren played was the Global Battle of the Bands local semi finals. Tonic Breed with guest guitarist Bjørn Myhren managed to qualify to the national finals of the competition.[3]

Just a few weeks later, Tonic Breed joined yet another competition. This time a local one in Sarpsborg. Tonic Breed won the competition, and the prize was a good amount of studio time in "Lydlageret" Studio in Sarpsborg. This is the main reason Tonic Breed ended up recording their second studio album in that particular studio. Although the studio was ready, Tonic Breed was not ready for the studio. The band had no new songs ready to record at that time and had to put the recording process on hold.

Impossible is Nothing and Thomas Koksvik (2012)
Tonic Breed playing at Global Battle of the Bands in 2012

A newly mastered, and slightly remixed version of "Death in Small Doses" was made by Beau Hill in March 2012. That version of the song got the title Death in Small Doses (Put to Death). The deal came through after Beau contacted the band earlier the same year, wanting to do a project with them.

Thomas Koksvik took the place as the new lead guitarist in early 2012. Koksvik and Svendsen knew each other from Trøndertun Folk High School in Trondheim, Norway. Short after Koksvik arrived, the band played the national Global Battle of the Bands final in Oslo, Norway, which did not end in success for Tonic Breed. Pettersen decided later on to move to Rena in Norway, to finish his school education. Within this time, with a band member short, Tonic Breed did a lot of songwriting while looking for a new drummer. While writing new songs, the band did their first music video to their latest single release, Impossible is Nothing.[4] The drums on the song were done by Paal Johannesen, vocalist in the hardcore band "Bits Between". On the music video, Tobias Lundblad from "Springskalle" stepped in as a guest performance.

Outsold (2013–2016)
Tonic Breed lineup 2014

Five different drummers were in for tryouts with Tonic Breed in 2012 and 2013. It was Mats Johansen who suited Tonic Breed the best. The audition song for all the drummers were a song with the working title "Implosion". That song later got a new name, "Fifth Estate" and ended on their upcoming album.

Tonic Breed recorded their second studio album, Outsold, in September, 2013. The album was recorded and pre-mixed by Patrik Svendsen and Lars Andresen at Lydlageret Studio in Sarpsborg. The last part of the mix was done by Børge Finstad at Toproom Studio, Norway. The album had its release on April 28, 2014.

Shortly after, the third track of the album, Bad Company, got its own music video. The video was animated by Ole Andersen and directed by Patrik Svendsen.[5]

By Norwegian radio program P3 Pyro, Tonic Breed was picked out as one of Norway's most promising bands of 2014.[6]

Tonic Breed released a music video to the song "Strife", in May, 2015. This was the first project to include lead guitarist, Jørgen Abrahamsen.

In January 2016, Tonic Breed released a music video to the song "Fifth Estate", which became the third and last music video from the "Outsold" album.[7] It was directed by Oscar Birk. The video was the first project since 2012 to involve Daniel Pettersen on drums.

In November 2016, along with Meltdown and Scars, Tonic Breed's fourth-ever concert enters their hometown, Glenghuset, Sarpsborg. They performed the 10th anniversary while wearing the business suits from the "Fifth Estate" music video.

Install Memory (2017–present)

In June 2017, Tonic Breed signed with Rob Mules records.[8] Anders L. Rasmussen stated to Eternal Terror Magazine that Tonic Breed was a band they really wanted to sign in the future before the signing was official.[9] In August 2017, Ole Danielsen officially replaced Daniel Pettersen on drums after rehearsing with the band for a few months.[10]

On September 14th 2018, along with Rob Mules Records, Tonic Breed released their first-ever EP called Install Memory.[11] This was the first time to feature Jørgen Abrahamsen and Ole Danielsen on a release. [12] The EP was followed up by five music videos. Music videos for the songs Install Memory, Crypto Knight, Mummy Dust and Overkill was directed by Svendsen and filmed by Oscar Birk. Don't Panic is an animated music video directed by Svendsen and illustrated by Sergio Cosme.

Tonic Breed signed with Live Wire Booking on March 4th 2019. The deal included concert booking in the territory of Scandinavia.[13]

Band members

Timeline

Discography

Style And Lyrical Themes

Tonic Breed's two album releases is quite different in the musical style. The first album release, On the Brink of Destruction, is a more melodic record with thrash elements. At times it has a groovy feel. Svendsen's voice is also more cleaner than later releases.

Outsold is the fastest and most aggressive release from Tonic Breed. The band replaced a lot of the groovy and melodic parts from the first release, with a faster tempo and songwriting complexity. The average length of an Outsold song is 6.51 minutes long, making it 1.20 minutes longer than an average song on the album before.

Most Tonic Breed songs are played in standard E tuning, except three songs on the first album. On those three songs the band plays in a drop C tuning.

The lyrics are mostly political. Anger against corruption and the power of the media is a recurring topic, where war is also used a lot.

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References
  1. "Beau Hill - Death in Small Doses". Beau Hill Productions. Archived from the original on December 11, 2014.
  2. "First gig". Tonic Breed.
  3. "GBOB national finals". Sarpsborg Arbeiderblad.
  4. "Impossible is Nothing". Sarpsborg Arbeiderblad.
  5. "Bad Company animated by Ole Andersen". Fredrikstad Blad.
  6. "Norway's most promising band 2014".
  7. "Fifth Estate Music Video".
  8. "Rob Mules Records".
  9. "Rob Mules Records wish to sign Tonic Breed".
  10. "Ole Danielsen on drums".
  11. "First ever EP".
  12. "Install Memory Release".
  13. "Live Wire Booking".
  14. "Discography". Musicbrainz.
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