Stefan Theofilakis

Glittertind
Photo of Glittertind autumn 2013
Background information
Origin	Lillesand, Oslo, Norway
Genres	Folk rock Punk rock
Years active	2001–present
Labels	Indie Recordings Napalm Records Karmageddon Media Ultima Thule Records
Website	http://www.glittertind.net
Members	Torbjørn Sandvik - Vocals and guitar Geirmund Simonsen - Guitar, vocals, synth, programming Stefan Theofilakis - Flutes, vocals Geir Holm - Drums Bjørn Nordstoga - Bass Olav Aasbø - Guitar

Glittertind is a Norwegian indie folk-rock band which started up as a one-man project in 2001 featuring Torbjørn Sandvik as the driving force. In 2010 the band has a full line-up that consists of Sandvik doing vocals and rhythm-guitar, Geirmund Simonsen playing accordion, rhythm-guitars, programming, Stefan Theofilakis on flutes, Geir Holm on drums, Olav Aasbø on lead-guitar, and Bjørn Nordstoga on bass.

Glittertind started out as a one-man project where Torbjørn Sandvik released Evige Asatro (2004) and Til Dovre Faller (2005) on the Dutch label Karmageddon Media. The records were inspired by the big narratives in history and the music mixed elements from punk, heavy metal and folk. In 2008 Geirmund Simonsen became a part of the project. Simonsen had a background as a church-organist, producer and composer for theatre, film and TV which was very different from Sandvik's background from mainly punk and metal bands. Together they thought this could result in something unique. In 2009 they released the album Landkjenning (2009) on Napalm Records (Universal Germany).

In 2010, Glittertind became a full band, and in 2013 the band released Djevelsvart, their first record on a Norwegian label (Indie Recordings). The album was inspired by writers from the 19th century who wrote something about what it means to be a modern man. During the work with the album, Torbjørn's girlfriend got life-threatening cancer, and he found great comfort in feeling a sense of common despair with these writer from the 19th century. Also the collective loss of meaning and innocence in Norway after the July 22 terror attacks influenced the album. The song "Sprekk for sol" (Burst by Sun) was dedicated to one of the Utøya victims, Torjus Jakobsen Blattmann, and his engagement against hate ideologies. With their record the band hoped to communicate that people are not so alone in their suffering as they sometimes think.

Djevelsvart received great reviews by the Norwegian daily press. The Norwegian equivalent to BBC Radio 1, NRK P1, A-listed the single "Kvilelaus" and the band had their TV debut on that station. Afterwards Glittertind topped the Norwegian iTunes album list for several days. The record also received great reviews in British rock press. Kerrang! gave 4/5 K!s and described Djevelsvart as "A real folk-rock rarity; stridently progressive, strikingly singular."