Martin Axenrot
Axenrot (born 5 March 1979 in Linköping, Sweden) is a Swedish death metal drummer, best known as the former drummer for progressive metal band Opeth (2005-2021). Since 2004, he is the drummer for Bloodbath. Known for his intricate playing style, his drumming has been highly praised by Opeth members and fans, with Mikael Åkerfeldt calling him "a joy to play with." Axenrot has also been jokingly referred to as The Lord of the Rings character Legolas by band members and fans.
Also recorded as Erik Martin "Axe" Axenrot
Martin Axenrot

Jason Brennan · originally posted to Flickr as They call him "Axe" · CC BY 2.0
- Name
- Martin Axenrot
- Born
- 5 March 1979
- Birthplace
- Linköping, Östergötland, Sweden
- Birth Name
- Erik Martin Axenrot
- Occupation
- Musician
- Nationality
- Sweden
- Fields
- technical death metal
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Axenrot (born 5 March 1979 in Linköping, Sweden) is a Swedish death metal drummer, best known as the former drummer for progressive metal band Opeth (2005-2021). Since 2004, he is the drummer for Bloodbath. Known for his intricate playing style, his drumming has been highly praised by Opeth members and fans, with Mikael Åkerfeldt calling him "a joy to play with." Axenrot has also been jokingly referred to as The Lord of the Rings character Legolas by band members and fans.
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wikidata · Q2706536 · wikipedia · Martin Axenrot
In this article
Biography
Biography
On Blabbermouth.com, Mikael Åkerfeldt stated that Axenrot completed his drumming parts for eleven tracks on the Opeth album Watershed in just seven days. Nathalie Lorichs, who performed vocals on "Coil" on Opeth's Watershed album, is Axenrot's girlfriend.

Opeth beim „Elbriot 2015“
Frank Schwichtenberg

Opeth performing live at Eistnaflug 2016
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Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Martin Axenrot • Landscape — yes • Born — 5 March 1979 • Birthplace — Linköping, Östergötland, Sweden • Birth Name — Erik Martin Axenrot • Alias — Axe, Devastator, Skeleton, Legolas • Instrument — Drums, percussion, guitar, piano, vocals • Genre — Progressive death metal, death metal, progressive rock, thrash metal, black metal, jazz fusion • Occupation — Musician • Years Active — 1992– present • Past Member Of — Opeth • Current Member Of — Bloodbath • Website — http: trondheimexperiment.com/ Erik Martin "Axe" Axenrot (born 5 March 1979 in Linköping, Sweden) is a Swedish death metal drummer, best known as the former drummer for progressive metal band Opeth (2005-2021). Since 2004, he is the drummer for Bloodbath. Known for his intricate playing style, his drumming has been highly praised by Opeth members and fans, with Mikael Åkerfeldt calling him "a joy to play with." Axenrot has also been jokingly referred to as The Lord of the Rings character Legolas by band members and fans. On Blabbermouth.com, Mikael Åkerfeldt stated that Axenrot completed his drumming parts for eleven tracks on the Opeth album Watershed in just seven days. Nathalie Lorichs, who performed vocals on "Coil" on Opeth's Watershed album, is Axenrot's girlfriend.
History
History
Martin Axenrot's second band, Triumphator, formed in 1995 and made two records ("The Ultimate Sacrifice" EP and full length "Wings of Antichrist"). Martin Axenrot was only involved with Triumphator's demo "The Triumph Of Satan", released in 1996. He left Triumphator after the demo’s release. In 1999, Axenrot became a member of Witchery and Nifelheim. • Illustration — Axenrot with Bloodbath in 2023 In 2004, he joined Bloodbath as their new drummer after Dan Swanö who continued in the band as one of the guitarists and songwriters. Axenrot met Mikael Åkerfeldt sometime after 15 February 2005, when Peter Tägtgren quit Bloodbath and Åkerfeldt came back into the band again to replace Tägtgren. Axenrot commented on meeting Åkerfeldt, stating "I knew Mikael Åkerfeldt because of the Bloodbath project. I met the other members a couple times because I played festivals with other bands at the same time as Opeth. Sweden is too small to not know every band here. Everybody knows everybody." On 29 August 2005, Martin Lopez of Opeth, had to leave the band again temporarily due to his illnesses. With Opeth searching for a temporary drummer, Patrik Jensen suggested to Åkerfeldt that his bandmate in Witchery, Axenrot, fill in. Åkerfeldt knew Axenrot a bit from being bandmates in Bloodbath, but going on Jensen's reference, Åkerfeldt got Axenrot to play with Opeth for five tours. On 12 May 2006 Axenrot officially joined Opeth, as Lopez never returned to Opeth after deciding to focus on Soen. In 2010 Axenrot, together with Opeth bassist Martin Mendez, performed together with the late Jon Lord and an Orchestra in Nidarosdomen, Trondheim, Norway. On 16 November 2021, after 16 years with the band, it was announced that Axenrot had left Opeth due to "conflict of interests" (his Bloodbath bandmate Nick Holmes said in an interview that Axenrot decided against taking the COVID-19 vaccine); Sami Karppinen filled in for the North American tour with Mastodon.
Equipment
Equipment
Axenrot uses DW Drums, Sabian cymbals, Evans heads and Pro Mark sticks.
Discography
• Release — Band — Membership — Year • Pure Black Disease — Nephenzy Chaos Order — Ex-Member — 2003 • Promo 2006 — Nephenzy Chaos Order — Ex-Member — 2006 • The Roundhouse Tapes — Opeth — Ex-Member — 2007 • Watershed — Opeth — Ex-Member — 2008 • In Live Concert at the Royal Albert Hall — Opeth — Ex-Member — 2010 • Heritage — Opeth — Ex-Member — 2011 • Pale Communion — Opeth — Ex-Member — 2014 • Sorceress — Opeth — Ex-Member — 2016 • Garden of the Titans: Live at Red Rocks Amphitheater — Opeth — Ex-Member — 2017 • In Cauda Venenum — Opeth — Ex-Member — 2019 • Death's Rider — Hellbutcher — Current — 2022
Primary material
Documents and archives
reference work
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q2706536: Martin Axenrot
Reputable secondary · Wikidata
- “Martin Axenrot”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
authority file
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Erik Martin Axenrot. Ratsit - gratis upplysning på företag och privatpersoner. Ratsit.se. 1979-03-05.
- 2.The Metal Archives. Encyclopaedia Metallum: The Metal Archives - Triumphator.
- 3.Opeth's Mikael Akerfeldt: my top 9 tips for guitarists. 6 May 2016.
- 4."Interview with Opeth drummer Martin Axenrot" . Drummerszone.com. Retrieved on August 10, 2011.
- 5.Rex_84. Opeth's Martin Axenrot Weighs in on "Heritage," Opeth's Current and Future Direction and His Career. Metal Underground. 14 August 2012.
- 6."Martin 'Axe' Axenrot". MetalStorm, Retrieved on August 4, 2009
- 7.Blabbermouth.net. MARTIN 'AXE' AXENROT's Vaccination Status Led To His Exit From OPETH, Says His BLOODBATH Bandmate. 8 August 2022.
- 8.Register. 1460668522514821121.
- 9.Roadrunner Records. Opeth website.
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
authority file
VIAF cluster 36163706532529420788 for Martin Axenrot, aggregating national library name authorities.OCLC
Partially resolvedreference work
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The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 14 August 2026.
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