​Egypt takes flight

Egypt had broken up, but their self‐titled EP of demos spread across the globe and the stoner rock band acquired metal fans they weren’t even aware of through word of mouth alone.

Now, having been reunited for close to six years, the band has just released their second full‐length album “Endless Flight” and will be flying to Europe where they have a number of dates lined up, including slots at DesertFest in both London and Berlin.

“That self‐titled record we put out a long time ago, it really caught fire over there and I don’t really know how or why,” says Aaron Esterby, the bassist and vocalist of Egypt. “It just did and we didn’t really know the scope of it until we went over there last April.”

Their last European tour saw sold out shows in both Vienna and Nuremberg and the band is still coming to terms with this growing popularity. “We have trouble getting a hundred people out to a show in Fargo but when we play in Vienna or something we can fill a room, which is strange and I really don’t quite understand,” Esterby says.

DesertFest started in 2012 and each year features one of the heaviest lineups out there for underground metal acts. In past years, the twin festivals featured headlining acts such as Eyehategod, Sleep and Clutch. This year’s London festival runs from April 29 to May 1 and has Egypt playing the main stage, opening for Corrosion of Conformity and Crowbar on the first night.

The band is stoked about playing the festival, yet Esterby isn’t entirely sure how the opportunity even came about.

“We played Freak Valley Festival, which is a pretty big festival in Germany, last year and I think that kind of spread the word a little bit for us as far as some of these bigger shows in Europe,” he says. “We got a booking agency over there and it just kind of happened, I guess. They contacted them and there we are.”

The band formed in 2004 and featured guitarist Ryan Grahn, drummer Chad Heille and Esterby. They released their self‐titled EP on CD‐R in 2005 before breaking up just a year later. 

“We were just twiddling around in Fargo,” Esterby says. “We played a few shows in Minneapolis and just at the time had musical and lifestyle differences.”

People at the now‐closed website StonerRock.com got their hands on the EP and offered to distribute the demos as freebies to customers who ordered products from them. Egypt accepted the deal, the release fell into the right hands and their popularity snowballed.

“That was what got us a small name to begin with over there [in Europe],” Esterby says. 

The growing reputation of the EP got the band two reissues, one vinyl release through Lyderhorn Records in 2007 and one CD release through MeteorCity in 2009. These limited runs led to high demand for vinyl copies, which have sold online for “stupid amounts of money,” Esterby says.

In 2010, Egypt was asked to reunite and play The Aquarium for the fifth anniversary of the closing of Ralph’s Corner Bar and it was meant to last.

“Practices went well and we were on the same vibe again,” Esterby says. They realized they had unrecorded material and decided to make their first proper release.

During the recording for 2013’s “Become the Sun,” Grahn left the band and was replaced by the album’s producer Neal Stein, who still plays with the band today. The same year “Become the Sun” was released, they did a split LP with Texas stoner rock band Wo Fat.

Their latest output “Endless Flight” was released on CD back in December and saw the band further developing their sound. It also showed a transformation for the band in terms of songwriting. Whereas earlier songs were written through extensive jamming, the tracks on “Endless Flight” were often written outside the practice space and some were written entirely by individual members.

“That maybe sounds weird that there was less strict collaboration, but we all came together,” Esterby says. “Honestly, I think the songs are pretty strong maybe because of that.”

And they are strong. At nearly ten minutes, the title track features the type of heavy repetitive riffs the band is known for and it never tires. The album itself doesn’t even make it past the 35‐minute mark, begging for repeat listens.

Before embarking on their European tour, the band will hold a vinyl release party for “Endless Flight” at the Aquarium on March 26. “Hopefully, the vinyl will be here,” Esterby says. Like a lot of vinyl releases these days, Egypt’s newest has dealt with delays although it’s supposed to be there in time for the show, Esterby says.

At the show the band plans to play an extended set with a variety of songs and they plan to perform the new album in its entirety from front to back. Seattle‐based metal band Mother Crone are also on the bill along with Fargo death metal band Gorgatron.

For a band whose popularity only grew after they broke up, Egypt has come a long way and Esterby has more than Europe to thank for this, he has the local community.

“We just want to thank the people, everybody in Fargo, for supporting us and believing in everything we do.”

IF YOU GO

Egypt “Endless Flight” release show with Mother Crone and Gorgatron

Saturday, March 26, 9 p.m. to 2 a.m.

The Aquarium (Dempsey’s upstairs), 226 Broadway N.