“I almost cried when I first saw John Frusciante live. But when I got involved in extreme music, people would say, ‘Don’t mention RHCP’”: How Arve Isdal carved his own extreme metal path with Enslaved – and became Norway’s answer to Slash

KORTRIJK, BELGIUM - AUGUST 11: Arve "Ice Dale" Isdal of Audrey Horne performs at Alcatraz Metal Fest on August 11, 2024 in Kortrijk, Belgium. (Photo by Elsie Roymans/Getty Images).

Typically found shirtless on stage left in leather trousers with a Les Paul hanging under his waist, Enslaved guitarist Arve Isdal could very well be the Norwegian answer to Slash.

And much like the cat in the hat, he’s a musician in high demand, having collaborated on all kinds of releases over the years thanks to the bluesy charm at the epicenter of his barbwire riffing and tasteful shredding.