Martin Axenrot

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{{short description|Swedish death metal drummer|bot=PearBOT 5}}

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{{Infobox musical artist|

| name = Martin Axenrot

| image = Opeth – Elbriot 2015 03 (cropped).jpg

| landscape = yes

| caption = Axenrot with Opeth in 2015

| background = non_vocal_instrumentalist

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1979|3|5|df=y}}

| birth_place = Linköping, Östergötland, Sweden

| origin =

| birth_name = Erik Martin Axenrot{{cite web |author=Erik Martin Axenrot |url=http://www.ratsit.se/BC/ReportSmall.aspx?ID=jhRrQNcyhatQeHYjFttO0YhwdMHOMZN2lWSRQ1zTPs0 |title=Ratsit - gratis upplysning på företag och privatpersoner |publisher=Ratsit.se |date=1979-03-05 |access-date=2011-10-02 |archive-date=2011-10-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111003235724/http://www.ratsit.se/BC/ReportSmall.aspx?ID=jhRrQNcyhatQeHYjFttO0YhwdMHOMZN2lWSRQ1zTPs0 |url-status=dead }}

| alias = Axe, Devastator, Skeleton,{{cite web|url=http://metal-archives.com/band.php?id=4776 |title=Encyclopaedia Metallum: The Metal Archives - Triumphator |publisher=The Metal Archives |access-date=2011-10-02}} Legolas

| instrument = Drums, percussion, guitar, piano, vocals

| genre = Progressive death metal, death metal, progressive rock, thrash metal, black metal, jazz fusion

| occupation = Musician

| years_active = 1992– present

| associated_acts = Opeth, Bloodbath, Witchery, Satanic Slaughter, NCO, Nifelheim, Nathalie Lorichs, Jon Lord

| website = {{URL|http://trondheimexperiment.com/}}

}}

Erik Martin "Axe" Axenrot (born 5 March 1979 in Linköping, Sweden) is a Swedish death metal drummer, best known as the former drummer for progressive metal band Opeth (2005-2021). Since 2004, he is the drummer for Bloodbath. Known for his intricate playing style, his drumming has been highly praised by Opeth members and fans, with Mikael Åkerfeldt calling him "a joy to play with."{{Cite web|url=http://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/opeths-mikael-akerfeldt-my-top-9-tips-for-guitarists-637722|title=Opeth's Mikael Akerfeldt: my top 9 tips for guitarists|date=6 May 2016 |access-date=2016-08-08}} Axenrot has also been jokingly referred to as The Lord of the Rings character Legolas by band members and fans.

On Blabbermouth.com, Mikael Åkerfeldt stated that Axenrot completed his drumming parts for eleven tracks on the Opeth album Watershed in just seven days.[http://www.drummerszone.com/news/newsItem.php?n01ID=2425&type=5 "Interview with Opeth drummer Martin Axenrot"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060721064304/http://www.drummerszone.com/news/newsItem.php?n01ID=2425&type=5 |date=2006-07-21 }}. Drummerszone.com. Retrieved on August 10, 2011.

Nathalie Lorichs, who performed vocals on "Coil" on Opeth's Watershed album, is Axenrot's girlfriend.

History

Martin Axenrot's second band, Triumphator, formed in 1995 and made two records ("The Ultimate Sacrifice" EP and full length "Wings of Antichrist"). Martin Axenrot was only involved with Triumphator's demo "The Triumph Of Satan", released in 1996. He left Triumphator after the demo’s release.

In 1999, Axenrot became a member of Witchery and Nifelheim.

File:Bloodbath Full Force 2023 04.jpg in 2023]]

In 2004, he joined Bloodbath as their new drummer after Dan Swanö who continued in the band as one of the guitarists and songwriters. Axenrot met Mikael Åkerfeldt sometime after 15 February 2005, when Peter Tägtgren quit Bloodbath and Åkerfeldt came back into the band again to replace Tägtgren. Axenrot commented on meeting Åkerfeldt, stating "I knew Mikael Åkerfeldt because of the Bloodbath project. I met the other members a couple times because I played festivals with other bands at the same time as Opeth. Sweden is too small to not know every band here. Everybody knows everybody."{{cite news|last=Rex_84|title=Opeth's Martin Axenrot Weighs in on "Heritage," Opeth's Current and Future Direction and His Career|url=http://www.metalunderground.com/news/details.cfm?newsid=80075|access-date=14 August 2012|newspaper=Metal Underground|date=14 August 2012}}

On 29 August 2005, Martin Lopez of Opeth, had to leave the band again temporarily due to his illnesses. With Opeth searching for a temporary drummer, Patrik Jensen suggested to Åkerfeldt that his bandmate in Witchery, Axenrot, fill in. Åkerfeldt knew Axenrot a bit from being bandmates in Bloodbath, but going on Jensen's reference, Åkerfeldt got Axenrot to play with Opeth for five tours. On 12 May 2006 Axenrot officially joined Opeth, as Lopez never returned to Opeth after deciding to focus on Soen.[http://www.metalstorm.ee/bands/bandmember.php?member_id=1438 "Martin 'Axe' Axenrot"]. MetalStorm, Retrieved on August 4, 2009

In 2010 Axenrot, together with Opeth bassist Martin Mendez, performed together with the late Jon Lord and an Orchestra in Nidarosdomen, Trondheim, Norway.

On 16 November 2021, after 16 years with the band, it was announced that Axenrot had left Opeth due to "conflict of interests" (his Bloodbath bandmate Nick Holmes said in an interview that Axenrot decided against taking the COVID-19 vaccine{{cite news |date=8 August 2022 |title=MARTIN 'AXE' AXENROT's Vaccination Status Led To His Exit From OPETH, Says His BLOODBATH Bandmate |url=https://blabbermouth.net/news/martin-axe-axenrots-vaccination-status-led-to-his-exit-from-opeth-says-his-bloodbath-bandmate |access-date=20 December 2022 |publisher=Blabbermouth.net}}); Sami Karppinen filled in for the North American tour with Mastodon.{{cite tweet |title=Register |url-access=limited |number=1460668522514821121 |user=OfficialOpeth}}

Equipment

Axenrot uses DW Drums, Sabian cymbals, Evans heads and Pro Mark sticks.{{cite web|title=Opeth website|url=http://www.opeth.com/home/about-opeth/item/7-martin-axenrot|publisher=Roadrunner Records|access-date=14 August 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110924075127/http://www.opeth.com/home/about-opeth/item/7-martin-axenrot|archive-date=24 September 2011|url-status=dead}}

Discography

class="wikitable sortable"

!Release!!Band!!Membership!!Year

Pure Black DiseaseNephenzy Chaos OrderEx-Member2003
Promo 2006Nephenzy Chaos OrderEx-Member2006
Death's RiderHellbutcherCurrent2022

References

{{Reflist|2}}