IOTUNN – progressive metal between Earth and space

Who are Iotunn

Iotunn are a Danish-Faroese metal band from Copenhagen who have been active under this name since 2015. The creative core of the band consists of brothers and guitarists Jesper and Jens Nicolai Gräs.

Their musical roots go back to 1970s rock, but over the years Iotunn have developed a much broader and more ambitious sound. Their music brings together progressive metal, melodic death metal and vast atmospheric passages.

Guitar harmonies, lengthy compositions and a sense of vastness have become an important part of their identity.

Jón Aldará and his distinctive vocals

An important step in the band’s development was the arrival of Faroese singer Jón Aldará, also known for his work with Hamferð.

His voice is one of the elements that immediately sets Iotunn apart. Aldará moves between powerful clean singing and extreme vocals, often within the same song.

This range perfectly complements music that constantly shifts between melodic, atmospheric and intensely heavy passages.

“The Wizard Falls” and the first steps

The first major release under the Iotunn name was the EP “The Wizard Falls”, released in 2016.

Even at this early stage, the band showed an interest in progressive song structures, powerful guitar melodies and heavy metal foundations.

The following years brought further development of both their sound and line-up. The result of this process was their first full-length album and an international breakthrough.

“Access All Worlds” and the international breakthrough

The debut album “Access All Worlds” was released in 2021 via Metal Blade Records.

The album presented Iotunn in a far more ambitious form. Progressive metal and melodic death metal took on an almost cosmic atmosphere, while the lengthy compositions allowed the band to gradually build their own musical worlds.

Access All Worlds attracted the attention of international metal audiences and critics, establishing Iotunn as one of the more exciting new names on the European progressive metal scene.

“Kinship” – an even more ambitious Iotunn

The second album “Kinship” was released in 2024. Across eight tracks, the band further expanded on the ideas introduced on their debut.

At the heart of the album are human nature, relationships and the consequences of the choices we make. Musically, monumental atmospheric passages alternate with melodic guitars, progressive structures and extreme metal.

Rather than simply repeating the formula of their first album, Iotunn used Kinship to expand their musical universe even further.

Iotunn live

Iotunn’s music takes on a particular power in a live setting. Their layered studio compositions gain additional weight on stage, while the combination of guitar harmonies and Aldará’s vocal range creates a powerful contrast between melody and extremity.

The band’s live side is documented on the “Waves over Copenhell” release from 2026, recorded during their performance at the renowned Danish festival Copenhell.

Iotunn are a band whose reputation has continued to grow in recent years. They are certainly worth experiencing live to understand why more and more people are talking about them.

Info

🎤 Artist: Iotunn

📍 Copenhagen, Denmark / Faroe Islands

🎵 Genre: progressive metal • melodic death metal • atmospheric metal

📅 Active as Iotunn since: 2015

💿 Discography: The Wizard Falls EP (2016) • Access All Worlds (2021) • Kinship (2024) • Waves over Copenhell (2026)

🔥 Latest studio album: Kinship (2024)

🎙️ Vocals: Jón Aldará

🎸 Founders and creative core: Jesper Gräs • Jens Nicolai Gräs

⭐ Known for: combining progressive and melodic death metal, monumental atmospheres, guitar harmonies and Jón Aldará’s range between clean singing and extreme vocals

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