Later in 2003, Kaizers released a remastered version of their gnom record, Mys, including a recording of "Bastard", despite the fact that the track had been recorded only after the band's dissolution. Despite this, the band went on a highly succesful tour, now often including shows outside of Norway as well, helping to build an international fanbase. The album did not receive as much critical praise as their debut album, nor did it sell that well. This album was cited as having a darker atmosphere, and included only one song featuring oil barrels, which had become a trademark for the band by then. On February 3, 2003, their second studio album, Evig pint was released.
In January 2003, they performed as part of the Eurosonic festival in Groningen, the Netherlands, where they made a huge impression on both festival-goers and people high up in the music business. In the summer, they released another EP, Mann mot mann and played their first show outside of Norway at the prestigious Roskilde Festival, to much critical praise. Early 2002 saw the release of their second EP, Død manns tango. Subsequently, as bookings became more and more frequent, Kaizers Orchestra performed in nearly every part of Norway until the end of the year. The album would go on to win a Spellemannspris (the Norwegian equivalent of the Grammy Awards) and become the best-selling Norwegian rock album of all time. Their debut album, Ompa til du dør, was released on September 1, 2001, receiving high praise from critics and launching them into the national spotlight. In the studio, producer Jørgen Træen succesfully managed to capture Ottesen and Zahl's vision for the band's sound, and the album was recorded in six days, leaving the last day for partying. In 2001, Terje Vinterstø joined the band as their first guitarist. After months of struggling, they finally signed a deal with the indie label BroilerFarm. They recorded an unnamed EP in 2000, known as Gul EP (Yellow EP), featuring a recording of " Bastard" (which had, despite its response, not been recorded while gnom was active). As a five-piece group, a 14-track demo was recorded, but Ottesen and Zahl grew frustrated at finding it hard to bring their vision for the band to tape. In July, Ottesen and Zahl performed acoustic shows at Det Beste Stedet in Sandnes, their sets consisting of partly Blod, Snått & Juling, gnom and newly-written Kaizers Orchestra material. Throughout 2000, the five-piece group performed sporadically at various small venues in Norway, having received little to no publicity at the time. Jon Sjøen, an educated musician, also joined as their stand-up bass player. Drummer Rune Solheim and organ player Helge Risa who had been playing with them in gnom, joined the new band. While Ottesen and Zahl's past bands had a decidedly more folk/pop sound, Kaizers Orchestra was going to be entirely different.
This inspired Ottesen to compose a new song, " Bastard" the song's melody and lyrics, clearly inspired by Tom Waits, as well as the unusual inclusion of oil barrels as percussion, inspired them to reinvent their sound, image and name. However, one song written during gnom's active period, called "Hemmelig Beskjed", featuring a musical style defined by the group as "ompa" music, which elicited significant response from live audiences. Despite the release of a studio album, Mys, any recognition eluded gnom.
The musical and lyrical style of Kaizers Orchestra was in part conceptualized during the active period of their former band, gnom. Similar to their earlier compositions, the lyrics for virtually all songs are written in the Ottesen and Zahl's native dialect from their hometown of Bryne, Norway. The band was started by the two childhood friends Janove Ottesen and Geir Zahl, who had earlier played in several bands together, such as Blod, snått & juling and gnom. The sextet is well known both in their native country and Europe for their energetic live shows, the interlocking stories found in their lyrics - concerning the mafia, war, underground resistance groups and mental institutions - as well as their trademark Danish civilian gas mask from the 1940s, worn by Risa. "Omen", pump organ, piano, accordion, marimba). "Thunder", double bass, whistler) and Helge Risa (a.k.a. "Killmaster", first guitar, oil barrels, backing vocals), Øyvind Storesund (a.k.a. "Mink", drums), Terje Winterstø Røthing (a.k.a. "Hellraizer", second guitar, second vocal, oil barrels), Rune Solheim (a.k.a. "The Jackal", lead vocal), Geir Zahl (a.k.a. The current band members are Janove Ottesen (a.k.a. Kaizers Orchestra is a Norwegian alternative rock group, formed in Bryne, Rogaland, Norway on January 1, 2000.