History & Biography Billed as 'Bone Crushing Rip'n'Tear Cyber Thrash' , Grope came together in March of 1994 by Per Ebdurp, Tue Madsen, Jimmi Thorsø and Anders Gyldenøhr. A demo called What Do You Faggots Want? was soon charmingly immortalized. The band played its first headlining gig in Aarhus in the same year.
The band quickly signed with Progress Red Labels (later Diehard) and in the September of the same year entered Borsing Recording with producer Jan Borsing to record Primates. In January of 1995 the band recorded Spill The Blood for Slatanic Slaughter, a Slayer covers’ CD, and ...And Justice For All for a Metallica tribute. Grope toured with label-mates Konkhra and Trend in 1995, shot a video for the track Enemy and entered the studio in December to record a new album. This session produced thirteen songs for The Fury and four more for the Soul Pieces EP. The latter was released in January of 1996. A video for Soul Pieces was also filmed. The Fury was released in March.
By the time of Desert Storm the band had scaled back its attack though. Furthermore, by the time the band was ready to record Intercooler things had quieted down a tad more within the act. The band was less angry and also had a new vocalist to introduce. Jimmi Thorsø was also replaced by Oberst - the latter initiated earlier as a session man. The former man had lost his life to cancer. Intercooler was mixed by John Custer (C.O.C., etc.) in the USA. The album hit the streets late September of 1999. The band toured with Weissglut.
The band split from Diehard and set up its own label. If You Were My Dog appeared in the summer of 2002 and featured Jonez on keyboards.
Desexult was the continuation of Samhain, a fantastic forerunner of the death metal sound. Bassist Oberst left the band in early 2003 in order to relocate to the USA. That was the end.
Reviews GROPE - INTERCOOLER - DIEHARD
It's time to take Grope seriously. If their last few (three actually) albums had been kinds forgettable, kinda whatever hardcore; Intercooler, featuring a new singer, is the introduction to a whole new band. If Diehard think Konkhra can sell albums, then these bunch are ready for world domination. The band lay down loud songs crossing the paths of C.O.C and Soundgarden and top it off with enough original melody to pull it off. While Someone Died in You is a great enough opener, it is on Freakshow Gallery that the band hit the jackpot - could be a potential hit! Believe it, it's that catchy. Like the style or not (and I actually don't), Grope have improved, focused and changed in tandem with a new front man who can take them all the way. Will the gods of indie labels shine upon this Danish bunch? - Ali "The Metallian"
Interviews
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