With their no-frills mix of stoner metal and hardcore punk, Norwegian trio, Bokassa, had already built a fervent following at home when they were suddenly pegged by Metallica to open the metal titans' 2019 European stadium tour. Having been plucked from relative obscurity, the band delivered their hard-hitting second album, Crimson Riders, to coincide with the tour. Based in Trondheim, singer/guitarist Jørn Kaarstad, bassist Bård Linga, and drummer Olav Dowkes released their debut EP, War on Everything, in October 2015. Their punk ethos and metal prowess quickly earned them a reputation, as did their ferocious live shows. After a 2016 7", Make Music Great Again, they released their debut full-length, Divide & Conquer, in March 2017. Widely praised in the metal community, it caught the ear of Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich, who on his Beats 1 radio show praised Bokassa as his favorite new band. The endorsement went a long way for the band and by early 2019, Metallica had invited both Bokassa and Sweden's Ghost to serve as the openers for the European leg of their Worldwired tour later that summer. The trio timed their second release, Crimson Riders, to land during the tour and benefited greatly from their newfound exposure. ~ Timothy Monger