Frail Grounds is a Norwegian dark progressive metal band blending atmosphere and melodies with heavy, extreme and progressive elements. The band is currently working on their sophomore album, a new chapter in its evolution.

The fields of trauma (2012)

The Fields of Trauma

Frail Grounds

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Hailing from Oslo, Norway, a country known for its high quality in both progressive and extreme metal, the expectations are always high when a new band emerges on the stage. Frail Grounds challenge these expectations with Read more

Hailing from Oslo, Norway, a country known for its high quality in both progressive and extreme metal, the expectations are always high when a new band emerges on the stage. Frail Grounds challenge these expectations with their debut album, “The Fields of Trauma”.

A conceptual and musical journey through soundscapes composed of heavy, progressive and more extreme elements, these 11 songs will take the listener through melancholic acoustic moments and up through more brutal yet melodic epics. The story follows an expedition deep into Siberia, questioning how far a person might go under extreme circumstances in order to achieve a sense of resolution. The album was mixed by Øyvind Larsen (Lionheart Studios) and mastered by acclaimed producer Jens Bogren (Fascination Street Studios). It is released through the bands own label Triptych Recordings as digital download in all major online music stores and as physical CD through the bands webshop (frailgrounds.com/store).

“…This album is a continuation of the sound we created with ‘Corrosion’ (EP, 2008), except now its a more refined and complete experience. On this debut album the elements have fallen naturally into place, and we believe we fill a void in the Norwegian as well as the international metal scene… “ – Morten Søbyskogen (vocals)

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    Prologue: Arrival 1:04
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    The expedition 8:32
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    Freeze me 4:43
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  4. 4
    A Rural Trauma 7:48
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    The Sinister Road 5:59
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    Triptych 3:00
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    Origin 5:58
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    Deathlines 6:08
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    Siberian Nights 1:46
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    Emberstorm 8:07
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  11. 11
    Epilogue: Completion 2:16
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Corrosion (2008)

Corrosion

Frail Grounds

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The first EP by Frail Grounds, "Corrosion", released in 2008. It was mixed by Emil Moen, and mastered by Henning Bortne.

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    Darker Glory 6:13
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    Shaded 6:18
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    Sweet Suffering 8:50
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    War Against The Flesh 5:24
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VIDEOS

PHOTOS

THE STORY

Origins (2005–2009)

Corrosion era

Frail Grounds was founded in Oslo in 2005 as the musical vision of vocalist and songwriter Morten Søbyskogen. Drawing inspiration from traditional heavy metal, progressive metal and more extreme forms of metal, the goal was never to fit within a particular genre, but rather to create music that balanced heaviness, atmosphere and strong melodies.

Alongside bassist Thomas Oppedal, who has remained a part of the project since its inception, guitarist Trond Carlsen joined during the band's formative years and quickly became an important creative contributor. Together, the band developed the musical foundation that would come to define Frail Grounds.

The first result of this collaboration was the EP Corrosion, released in 2008. The release established many of the elements that would continue to shape the band's sound: melodic songwriting, progressive structures, contrasting vocal styles and a darker, heavier approach than much of the contemporary progressive metal scene.

Between 2007 and 2010, Frail Grounds performed regularly throughout Norway while gradually developing material for its debut album. The period culminated in support appearances for established Norwegian acts such as Susperia at John Dee in Oslo before the band entered the studio to begin work on what would become The Fields of Trauma.

THE FIELDS OF TRAUMA (2010 - 2014)

TRAUMA ERA

By 2010, Frail Grounds had begun moving beyond the foundations laid on Corrosion. The band entered Lionheart Studio to record what would become its debut album, The Fields of Trauma, a more ambitious and fully realized work that expanded on the progressive, melodic and atmospheric elements of the earlier material.

Released in 2012, the album marked a significant step forward in both songwriting and production. Built around a conceptual sci-fi horror narrative, the music explored longer song structures, greater dynamics and a broader emotional range, while maintaining the band's characteristic blend of melody, heaviness and contrasting vocal styles.

 The years surrounding the album's release saw Frail Grounds become increasingly active both at home and abroad, performing regularly throughout Norway, including festival appearances, while continuing to build an audience. In 2014, the album was reissued through Hostile Media, coinciding with a self-organized mini-tour through Germany and Belgium that marked the band's first live activity outside Norway. 

While work on a follow-up release had already begun, differing creative directions and changing circumstances gradually slowed the band's momentum. By the end of 2014, Frail Grounds stood at a crossroads, unaware that a far longer pause lay ahead.

The Years of Silence (2015–2026)

Brain cancer

In August 2014, shortly after Frail Grounds returned from its first European tour, vocalist and songwriter Morten Andre's partner Sandra was diagnosed with brain cancer. Faced with an uncertain future, music was pushed into the background as priorities shifted toward making the most of the time they had together.

In January 2015, Frail Grounds was placed on indefinite hiatus. While the band fell silent, the creative process never completely stopped. What began as occasional ideas gradually evolved into the foundations of new material, inspired by themes of endurance, sacrifice and psychological pressure in the face of overwhelming odds.

As the years passed, life increasingly mirrored the themes that had originally inspired the music. Periods of hope and recovery were followed by setbacks and uncertainty, and the material slowly took on a far more personal meaning. Following Sandra's passing in 2018, songwriting continued quietly in the background, without deadlines or expectations.

Though absent from public view for many years, Frail Grounds was never truly abandoned. The silence became a period of reflection, endurance and creative evolution, with new music gradually taking shape behind the scenes.