SHINING frontman Niklas Kvarforth has recorded vocals for a track on the forthcoming Torturmantra album from Norwegian black metallers GRAVDAL. The track, 'Mishandlet', was recorded in Sweden at the Erebus Odora studios and produced by Peter Bjärgö. Torturmantra, is due for release on Unexploded Records in early 2010, and will be the second full-length album from Gravdal, whose debut album Sadist was released in 2008.

Formed in 2005 by guitarist Phobos (AETERNUS, MALSAIN, GALAR) and drummer Taakesjel (BIZZAREKULT), Gravdal is part of the legendary Bergen Scene, which, over the years, has had a huge influence on the Black Metal genre, spawning such seminal bands as GOROGOROTH, ENSLAVED, IMMORTAL, TAAKE, BURZUM etc. Gravdal, whose line up includes Galge on vocals and Specter on guitars, originally started life as a studio project, but, following the release of 2005’s demo Massegrav, the band decided that they wanted to do more with their music. Gravdal first hit the stage in 2006 and has continued to perform live since then with its own brand of “in your face” black metal.

According to the band, Torturmantra will be a huge step forward in Gravdal’s development: “You will still be able to find the madness that was apparent on Sadist but our song writing skills have developed considerably since we produced that album, and our new material has much more depth and variety to it, both in sound and concept. Kvarforth’s handling of the vocals on the "Mishandlet" track caught us completely by surprise. It’s a very different song for us, more along the lines of a Black Metal 'ballad', and his whole approach to it, and his delivery, is amazing. The track deals with abuse, and he conjures up a terrifying atmosphere of pain and suffering.”

Torturmantra is produced by ENSLAVED’s Herbrand Larsen, and recorded by Larsen, Bjørnar E. Nilsen (VULTURE INDUSTRIES, BLACK HOLE GENERATOR) and Arve Isdal (ENSLAVED, AUDREY HORNE) at their Earshot and Conclave studios in Bergen. More information about Gravdal can be found on the band’s MySpace page.

Below you can see fan-filmed footage of Gravdal performing the track 'Den Kalde Marsjen Hjem' from the Sadist album.