One of the more melodic death metal bands to expand beyond Sweden and spread their sound across the world alongside peers such as Entombed, At the Gates played a significant role in the death metal genre before breaking up in 1996, leading to the formation of the Haunted. The group's first line-up -- Tomas Lindberg (vocals), Anders Bjorler... [+] Read More

One of the more melodic death metal bands to expand beyond Sweden and spread their sound across the world alongside peers such as Entombed, At the Gates played a significant role in the death metal genre before breaking up in 1996, leading to the formation of the Haunted. The group's first line-up -- Tomas Lindberg (vocals), Anders Bjorler (guitars), Adrian Erlandsson (drums), Jonas Bjorler (bass), and Alf Svensson (guitars) -- formed in late 1990, recording the Gardens of Grief EP for the Dolores label. They toured Sweden with well-known groups such as Bolt Thrower and Dismember before eventually signing to Peaceville Records, who released their The Red in the Sky Is Ours album. In 1993, they replaced Svensson with Martin Larsson on guitar, released their second album, With Fear I Kiss the Burning Darkness, and toured the U.K. with Anathema and Cradle of Filth. Next came their Terminal Spirit Disease album in May 1994, furthering the band's reputation with critics, who championed their fresh approach to death metal. This acclaim also led to their signing by Earache, who released their Slaughter for the Soul album, which seemed a more realized approach to the melodic style of death metal the group had alluded to on previous releases. Unfortunately, just as At the Gates began to win even more acclaim -- a nomination at the Swedish Grammys, heavy rotation on MTV's Headbanger's Ball, two successful U.S. tours with Morbid Angel and Napalm Death -- the group splintered, with the Bjorler twins and Erlandsson forming the Haunted and Lindberg forming Hide. ~ Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide [-] Hide

Over the course of the 1990s, Sweden's Tiamat has evolved from a typical death metal outfit into perhaps the leading exponent of what has been tagged "symphonic" black metal, a variation that aims to keep all of death metal's darkness intact, but to portray it in a moodier, more atmospheric way, often making synthesizer arrangements just as... [+] Read More

Over the course of the 1990s, Sweden's Tiamat has evolved from a typical death metal outfit into perhaps the leading exponent of what has been tagged "symphonic" black metal, a variation that aims to keep all of death metal's darkness intact, but to portray it in a moodier, more atmospheric way, often making synthesizer arrangements just as important as guitar riffs and utilizing a deliberate, Gothic feel. The one constant throughout Tiamat's history has been vocalist/guitarist/keyboardist Johan Edlund, originally known as Hellslaughter in the band's early days. Tiamat grew out of a splatter-metal band called Treblinka, which was formed in 1988 and released two demos (Crawling in Vomits and Sign of the Pentagram) that helped secure a deal with England's CMFT label. Electing to change their name to Tiamat (an ancient Middle Eastern goddess of chaos and a five-headed dragon in the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game), the group released their debut album, Sumerian Cry, in 1990, with a lineup of Edlund, bassist Jorgen "Juck" Thullberg, and session musicians Stefan "Emetic" Lagergren (guitar) and Andres "Najse" Holmberg. Dissatisfied with the album's distribution, Tiamat jumped to the Century Media label, completing their official lineup with guitarist Thomas Petersson and drummer Niklas Ekstrand. Working with producer Waldemar Sorychta and engineer Siggi Bemm on their Century Media debut, 1991's The Astral Sleep displayed substantial musical growth, blending aggressive death metal with ponderous goth-metal and more atmospheric, restrained passages courtesy of session keyboardist Jonas Malmsten. The follow-up, 1993's Clouds, expanded on the latter aspect of the group's music in particular, throwing acoustic guitars into the mix; the lineup on Clouds was revamped, with the addition of full-time keyboardist Kenneth Roos and bassist Johnny Hagel replacing Thullberg. Following the 1994 tour EP The Sleeping Beauty -- Live in Israel, Edlund fired the remainder of the band, save for Hagel, due to dissatisfaction with the group's musical progress. With session musicians Magnus Sahlgren (guitar) and Lars Skold (drums) in tow, as well as producer Sorychta manning the keyboards, Tiamat began work on the epic Wildhoney in 1994. Released later that year, Wildhoney became the group's artistic and commercial breakthrough, fully realizing the sound hinted at on previous releases and eliciting effusive praise in metal circles for its brooding, Gothic atmospherics. The sound was often described as death metal meeting Pink Floyd, a connection made explicit with a cover of that band's "When You're In" on 1995's Gaia EP, which otherwise featured four remixes/edits of Wildhoney cuts. Following the supporting tour, Edlund moved permanently to Dortmund, Germany, where most of the band's albums had been recorded; he also changed the group's focus, turning Tiamat into more of a personal mouthpiece and studio creation and declaring himself the only official member. Skold remained as the session drummer, with Petersson returning as session guitarist; Hagel left to join Cemetary, which quickly morphed into Sundown, and Cemetary/Sundown bassist Anders Iwers switched over to Tiamat. 1997's A Deeper Kind of Slumber was conceived on Edlund's home studio and produced by Dirk Draeger (Morgoth); it found Edlund moving into largely electronic territory and addressing more personal subject matter. Skeleton to Skeleton followed in 1999, and divided their audience with it's new approach. Where previous efforts had hinted at their goth tendencies, this album proudly displayed the deep vocals and shimmering guitars that are often associated with the genre. Still, a few crushing songs maintained their original sound and many were curious about their next step. 2002's Judas Christ cemented their change into a goth rock band, doing away with all but a few minor elements of heavy metal and offering an album that was based in the Nosferatu/Sisters of Mercy school of songwriting. Recorded at Copenhagen's Puk Recording Studio, the album also displayed an affirming and positive message, something the band had never really shown on any previous releases. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide [-] Hide

Formed during the late '80s, Swedish death metal band Therion was led by vocalist, guitarist and composer Christofer Johnsson. Originally rounded out by lead guitarist Peter Hansson, bassist Erik Gustafson and drummer Oskar Forss, the group debuted in 1990 with the LP Of Darkness. Gustafson exited soon after, and as a three-piece Therion... [+] Read More

Formed during the late '80s, Swedish death metal band Therion was led by vocalist, guitarist and composer Christofer Johnsson. Originally rounded out by lead guitarist Peter Hansson, bassist Erik Gustafson and drummer Oskar Forss, the group debuted in 1990 with the LP Of Darkness. Gustafson exited soon after, and as a three-piece Therion returned in 1991 with Beyond Sanctorum. By 1993's Symphony Masses: Ho Drakon Ho Megas, only Johnsson remained from the original lineup, and he was now backed by guitarist Magnus Barthelson, bassist Andreas Wallan Wahl and drummer Piotr Wawrzeniuk. The album marked the beginnings of a more experimental approach, with Johnsson incorporating more orchestrations and pseudo-classical aspirations, plus some industrial textures. Both Barthelson and Wahl were gone by 1995's The Beauty in Black EP, with the addition of bassist Fredrik Isaksson again returning Therion to a trio format. The same roster appeared on the full-length follow-up Lepaca Kliffoth, which built on the experiments of Symphony Masses, but by 1996's Theli, Isaksson too had hit the road, making way for the arrival of guitarist Jonas Mellberg and bassist Lars Rosenberg. Theli was almost universally acclaimed as the apex of Therion's career to date, fully realizing Johnsson's taste for elaborate, operatic grandeur. Mellberg was absent for 1997's A'arab Zaraq Lucid Dreaming, and by the following year's Vovin, Johnsson was performing with an entirely new supporting unit consisting of second guitarist Tommy Eriksson, bassist Jan Kazda and drummer Wolf Simons. Crowning of Atlantis followed in 1999 with the same personnel, but Johnsson jettisoned this lineup for early 2000's Deggial, recruiting guitarist Kristian Niemann, bassist Johan Niemann, and drummer Sami Karppinen. In 2001 Therion released Secret of the Runes, a conceptual piece that featured heavily orchestrated tracks, each representing one of the nine planes of Norse mythology. Live in Midgard arrived the following year, chronicling the band' 2001 tours of South America and Europe. Therion took the next year off and began work on their most ambitious project yet, Lemuria and Sirius B. Originally slated for release as two separate entities, the sprawling twenty-one track explosion of classical, choral and heavy metal excess, was released as a two-disc set in 2004. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide [-] Hide

Switzerland's Samael has evolved from a run-of-the-mill black metal band into one of Europe's most original and innovative metal bands by introducing industrial, gothic, and countless other influences into their extreme sound.


Formed in the late '80s by Vorphalack (guitars/vocals), Xytras (drums/keyboards), and bassist... [+] Read More

Switzerland's Samael has evolved from a run-of-the-mill black metal band into one of Europe's most original and innovative metal bands by introducing industrial, gothic, and countless other influences into their extreme sound.


Formed in the late '80s by Vorphalack (guitars/vocals), Xytras (drums/keyboards), and bassist Masmiseim, Samael was heavily influenced by first-generation black metal bands such as England's Venom and Swiss compatriots Celtic Frost. An extremely raw, self-financed EP called Medieval Prophecy caught the attention of French-based Osmose Records, which agreed to release the band's first full-length album, Worship Him, in 1991. The record's poor production values and unremarkable black metal did little for the band, but the following year's much more mature Blood Ritual was another story. The album found Samael incorporating keyboards and different guitar textures to their sound, and a permanent keyboard player (Rodolphe H.) was drafted soon after.


After signing with the Century Media label, the band returned to the studio with renowned black metal producer Waldemar Sorychta (famous for his work with Tiamat) to record 1994's impressive Ceremony of Opposites. Samael began to find their unique voice on this record, combining swirling keyboard melodies with their brutal guitar attack to create what they called "macabre operettas." The stakes were raised even higher on 1996's groundbreaking Passage, which saw Xytras (now simply Xy) taking over keyboard duties as well as programming all his drum tracks. This unconventional mix of black metal brutality and synthesizers resulted in one of the decade's most original and extreme metal releases, and was followed by extensive touring (including the band's first American shows). After producing two albums by labelmates Rotting Christ, Xy reconvened the group to record 1999's Eternal, with additional guitarist Kaos. The album contains even bolder experiments with technology and confirmed the band's position as forerunners in their field. ~ Ed Rivadavia, All Music Guide [-] Hide

New York City grindcore primitives Brutal Truth formed in 1990, originally comprising singer Kevin Sharp, guitarist Brent "Gurn" McCarthy, bassist Dan Lilker, and drummer Scott Lewis. Signing to the Earache label, the group released its debut album, Extreme Conditions Demand Extreme Responses, in 1992; drummer Rich Hoak replaced Lewis to record... [+] Read More

New York City grindcore primitives Brutal Truth formed in 1990, originally comprising singer Kevin Sharp, guitarist Brent "Gurn" McCarthy, bassist Dan Lilker, and drummer Scott Lewis. Signing to the Earache label, the group released its debut album, Extreme Conditions Demand Extreme Responses, in 1992; drummer Rich Hoak replaced Lewis to record the follow-up, 1994's Need to Control. Upon signing to Relapse, Brutal Truth resurfaced two years later with Kill Trend Suicide; Sounds of the Animal Kingdom followed in 1997, while 1999's Goodbye Cruel World compiled two discs of live material and rarities. September 2000 saw the release of For Drug Crazed Grindfreaks Only! Live at Noctum Studios. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide [-] Hide

Displaying much more emotional range than many of its contemporaries, In the Nightside Eclipse combines black metal's noisy fury with synth arrangements and dark, haunting medieval chords and melodies, thus evoking moods of sorrow and loneliness. Awash in pagan imagery, the album was recorded in the Memorial Hall of Edvard Grieg for additional... [+] Read More

Displaying much more emotional range than many of its contemporaries, In the Nightside Eclipse combines black metal's noisy fury with synth arrangements and dark, haunting medieval chords and melodies, thus evoking moods of sorrow and loneliness. Awash in pagan imagery, the album was recorded in the Memorial Hall of Edvard Grieg for additional atmosphere, indicative of the record's ambition and of the band's willingness to experiment and push the limits of the death metal genre. In fact, In the Nightside Eclipse, although not quite as complex or accessible as its follow-up, is arguably the definitive Norwegian black metal album. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide [-] Hide

On their final full-length album, Dissection further refines their brand of icy black/death metal with impressive and frightening results. The guitars, with their gloomy minor-key riffs and intentionally blurred tones, feel like a cold wind on the permafrost. The drums are speedy, intricate, and precise, while frontman Jon Nodtveidt's vocals --... [+] Read More

On their final full-length album, Dissection further refines their brand of icy black/death metal with impressive and frightening results. The guitars, with their gloomy minor-key riffs and intentionally blurred tones, feel like a cold wind on the permafrost. The drums are speedy, intricate, and precise, while frontman Jon Nodtveidt's vocals -- delivered in an evil, mid-range rasp -- top off what amounts to just a nightmarishly dark sound. To put it another way, very few bands could get away with an album cover that depicts the grim reaper riding across the snow on a black horse while holding a scythe and an hourglass; Dissection is one of them. The songs themselves (six of them, excluding the guitars-only intro and the pseudo-classical piano outro) are all expertly crafted mini-epics. There is a strong sense of thematic unity tying each song's various riffs and sections together, and the soaring, darkly majestic guitar melodies are consistently memorable. Sure, there is a little bit of melodrama here, but Dissection is most certainly on top of their game, and Storm of the Light's Bane is deservedly hailed as a landmark in the melodic black/death metal genre. ~ William York, All Music Guide [-] Hide

With Destroy Erase Improve, Meshuggah shattered any preconceived notions about what death, thrash, and prog metal could be with one astoundingly accurate, calculated blow. The Swedish outfit managed to surpass their startlingly original, if relatively immature debut, Contradictions Collapse, with a record so pure in concept and execution, it... [+] Read More

With Destroy Erase Improve, Meshuggah shattered any preconceived notions about what death, thrash, and prog metal could be with one astoundingly accurate, calculated blow. The Swedish outfit managed to surpass their startlingly original, if relatively immature debut, Contradictions Collapse, with a record so pure in concept and execution, it borders on genius. Lyrical themes visualize the integration of machines with organisms as humanity's next logical evolutionary step, while the music backing it up is mind-bogglingly technical, polyrhythmic math metal -- the work of highly skilled men with powerful instruments. While the idea looks unwieldy on paper, Meshuggah handles it with a balance of raw guts and sheer brainpower, weaving hardcore-style shouts amongst deceptively (and deviously) simple staccato guitar riffs and insanely precise drumming -- often with all three components acting in different time signatures. Guitarist Fredrik Thordendal adds an element of weirdness with Allan Holdsworth-style neo-jazz fusion leads that serve as melodic oases amidst the jackhammer rhythms. While such bold, challenging arrangements could result in a wank-fest or, even worse, a chaotic mess, Meshuggah carefully synchronizes their bludgeoning instrumentation, embracing minimalism without excess and playing to the power of the song so the listener isn't neck-deep in over-composed indulgences. As a result, "Future Breed Machine," "Suffer in Truth," and "Soul Burn" are mind-bogglingly profound, integrating body, mind, and soul into a violently precise attack, the point being that change can be extraordinarily difficult -- if not maddening -- but the results are transcendent. While industrial metallers Fear Factory have attempted to tackle similar themes, Meshuggah outclasses them on all fronts, proved by the stunning brilliance of Destroy Erase Improve. The album is a bona fide '90s classic, a record boasting ideas so well-balanced -- natural yet clinical, guttural yet intelligent, twisted yet concise -- it muscled simplistic subgenres out of the way and confidently pointed toward the future of metal. ~ John Serba, All Music Guide [-] Hide

Surprisingly accessible for Napalm Death in places, Diatribes boasts some strong riff writing. The straightforward thrasher "Greed Killing," which opens the album, proves that Napalm Death can crush most any mainstream metal band, but the kings of grindcore are still up to their old tricks. They do sink into clichéd predictability in some spots,... [+] Read More

Surprisingly accessible for Napalm Death in places, Diatribes boasts some strong riff writing. The straightforward thrasher "Greed Killing," which opens the album, proves that Napalm Death can crush most any mainstream metal band, but the kings of grindcore are still up to their old tricks. They do sink into clichéd predictability in some spots, but overall, Diatribes is a worthwhile outing. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide [-] Hide

In the early '90s, Cannibal Corpse acquired a small cult in the death metal underground by embracing some of the most gruesome lyrics the subgenre had to offer. Thriving on shock value, the band inspires comparisons to GWAR and comes across as a parody of death metal and grindcore more than anything. Like its previous album, the equally twisted... [+] Read More

In the early '90s, Cannibal Corpse acquired a small cult in the death metal underground by embracing some of the most gruesome lyrics the subgenre had to offer. Thriving on shock value, the band inspires comparisons to GWAR and comes across as a parody of death metal and grindcore more than anything. Like its previous album, the equally twisted Eaten Back to Life, Butchered at Birth addresses such lurid topics as dismemberment, torture, and masochism. One will need the lyric sheet to know just how gross songs like "Under the Rotted Flesh," "Meat Hook Sodomy," "Covered With Sores," and "Rancid Amputation" are -- the grunting vocals are impossible to understand. Some retailers refused to carry this CD because of its depiction of a woman being mutilated by zombies, and Cannibal Corpse wasted no time getting as much publicity as possible from the controversy. The rockers are one-dimensional, but then, they never claimed to be anything else. This band's obvious goal was to deliver the musical equivalent of B-movie horror flick, and on that level, the album is outrageously successful. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide [-] Hide