I.C.S. Vortex

I.C.S.Vortex’s longest running band, is the doom metal band Lamented Souls which began in 1991 and for which he plays guitar and handles the vocal duties. With Lamented Souls he released a 1995 self released demo, at 2003 the “Essence of Wounds” EP and at 2004 the “The Origins of Misery” full length album. A new full length release with the tentative title “Echelons of Decay” has been announced. The year 1997 I.C.S.Vortex made a guest appearance on the Arcturus album “La Masquerade Infernale”. He sang on three songs, “Master of Disguise”, “The Chaos Path” (in which he handled all lead vocals, wrote the lyrics, and co-composed this song), and “Painting My Horror”. In 1997 he also became the vocalist of the folk/progressive/black metal band Borknagar. He handled the vocals on “The Archaic Course” album, wrote half of the lyrics and composed the song “Ad Noctum”. On Borknagar`s fourth full-length album”Quintessence” Vortex added bass to his vocals duties. The song “Colossus” was written by Vortex and guitars was also preformed by him on this track. The song “My Domain” on Borknagar’s “Universal” album (2010) features Vortex on vocal. The collaboration plowed way for a new formation to grew forth. This time Vortex on bass and co-handling vocals with Vintersorg. A new album is expected at the start of 2012. In 2000 I.C.S.Vortex left Borknagar to fully concentrate on Dimmu Borgir. From 1999 until September 2009 I.C.S.Vortex handled bass and clean vocals in Dimmu Borgir. Notable songs co written by I.C.S.Vortex are “Kings of the carnival creations”, “Heavenly Perverse” and “Hybrid-Stigmata-the apostacy”. He first contributed on the recording of “Spiritual Black Dimensions” by supplying a new element…his own clean singing which added a new era to Dimmu Borgir as a band. In 2004 I.C.S.Vortex became Arcturus new singer. In 2005 the band released their fourth full-length album “Sideshow Symphonies”. I.C.S.Vortex handled the vocals and wrote the lyrics. A DVD called “Shipwrecked in Oslo” was released in 2006. Arcturus is now revived and several shows are in the pipeline. In 2006 he also made a small appearance as a guest vocalist on the “What Hell Is About” album of Dagoba. ICS Vortex “Storm Seeker” released 22. August 2011. The Arcturus reunion is true with ICS Vortex once again assuming lead vocal duties. ICS Vortex's joins Borknagar full-time as a cooperative vocalist as well as being the band's bass guitarist. THE OFFICIAL ICS VORTEX FACEBOOK PAGE! Mainly run by Simen Hestnæs, Chris Marinos and Asgeir Mickelson.