By Chad Bowar, About.com Guide
The country of Sweden has always been a hotbed of heavy metal, launching the careers of some of the most successful metal bands. There were so many amazing bands to choose from that some great groups didn't make the list. Here are the best metal bands that hail from Sweden, as selected by the About Guide To Heavy Metal.
1. Opeth
Not only are they the best band in Sweden, Opeth ranks right up there in the entire metal genre. They are an extremely diverse group, mixing death metal with many other styles, and even using acoustic instruments in some of their songs. The vocals are also diverse, and the lyrics are exceptional.
Recommended album: Ghost Reveries (2005)
2. In Flames
Even with multiple lineup changes In Flames continues to be at the top of the death metal genre. Mixing death metal growls with clean singing, they have a wide appeal that grows with each release.
Recommended album: The Jester Race (1996)
In Flames The Jester Race
Dark Tranquillity, formed in 1989, were another band at the beginning of the melodic death metal movement. And unlike some groups whose time in the sun has come and gone, Dark Tranquility continues to progress and release great albums.
Recommended album: The Gallery (1995)
4. Evergrey
In a country where melodic death metal reigns supreme, it may seem like an unusual choice to rank a progressive metal group like Evergrey so highly. But when you factor in their extraordinary musical ability and great songwriting, it's an easy choice. Tom S. Englund has one of the best voices in metal, and Evergrey are the complete package.
Recommended album: Recreation Day (2003)
5. Soilwork
It may seem strange, but Soilwork has been accused of being "too commercial." Their style of melodic death metal is very palatable compared to some bands in the genre, but I doubt you'll be hearing any of their music on your local pop station anytime soon. They write really good songs and have a great mix of the brutal and the melodic.
Recommended album: The Chainheart Machine (2000)
6. At The Gates
At The Gates were at the forefront of melodic death metal in the early '90s. Before disbanding in 1996 they recorded several influential and respected albums. Some of their members went on to form The Haunted. The band reunited in 2007 and did some touring.
Recommended album: Slaughter Of The Soul (1995)
7. Meshuggah
Meshuggah plays a really diverse form of metal that utilizes unusual time signatures and tempo changes combined with thrash and death metal elements and a lot of experimentation. They tend to be hit and miss, but when they're on, they are really good.
Recommended album: Destroy Erase Improve (1995)
8. Amon Amarth
Originally called Scum, the death metal band Amon Amarth incorporates Viking imagery into their lyrics and a lot of melodic elements into their music. They are rousing and fun, but still plenty heavy and extreme.
Recommended album: Fate Of Norns (2004)
Amon Amarth- Fate of Norns
9. Candlemass
Candlemass are one of the pioneers of doom metal. They've been doing it for over 20 years, and original vocalist Messiah Marcolin has once again left the band. He was replaced by Robert Lowe from Solitude Aeturnus.
Recommended album: Nightfall (1987)
10. Arch Enemy
Arch Enemy is unique in that they are a death metal band with a female vocalist. Angela Gossow screams with just as much fury as anyone else and after several years with the band has proven to be no novelty act.
Recommended album: Anthems Of Rebellion (2003)
11. Bathory
The metal world was thrown back by the ungodly sounds that the Swedish band Bathorylet out in the early 80s. Arguably one of the first true black metal bands, Bathory had a major influence on the sudden rise in the genre during the early 90s. Bathory would eventually evolve into an epic, Viking metal solo project that oozed a darkened atmosphere. The band ended with the death of front man Quorthon in 2004.
Recommended album: Under The Sign Of The Black Mark (1986)
12. Therion
Starting out as a no-frills death metal band, Therion would completely change their sound in the mid ‘90s, adding more operatic and classical influences. Choirs and orchestration would become the norm in Therion’s core sound. Even with many lineup changes, Therion has still kept to a symphonic metal sound, with the band’s mastermind Christofer Johnsson leading the way.
Recommended album: Theli (1996)
13. Katatonia
Katatonia is another band whose sound has evolved over the years. They started in the early '90s as more of a death/doom band, and these days their music is much more complex and dynamic, but still heavy. Jonas Renske's vocals have also evolved from being harsh to melodic.
Recommended album: Last Fair Deal Gone Down (2003)
14. Marduk
Marduk are in the vein of Norwegian black metal bands, but they are Swedish. They've been around since the early '90s and their music is fast and intense with lots of blastbeats and typical black metal shrieky vocals. Their lyrical topics are also typical black metal, focusing on evil and blasphemous subjects.
Recommended album: Heaven Shall Burn...When We Are Gathered (1996)
15. Entombed
Entombed is largely credited for starting the Swedish death metal sound. The band’s music is an amalgam of thrash metal, influenced by American death metal bands like Death and Morbid Angel. Relying on stout, primal riffs, Entombed eschewed many of the technical aspects entering into death metal at the time for a more stripped down and raw approach.
Recommended album: Wolverine Blues (1993)
16. Dissection
Dissection was another band whose musical accomplishments were overshadowed by their actions. They released two very influential death/black metal albums in the mid '90s, then frontman Jon Nödtveidt was jailed for murder in 1997. After he was released from jail, Dissection resumed, and 2006's Reinkaos got mixed reviews. Nödtveidt committed suicide in 2006.
Recommended album: Storm Of The Light's Bane (1995)
17. The Haunted
When At The Gates dissolved in 1996, three of the five members (the Björler brothers and drummer Adrian Erlandsson) formed a new band with guitarist Patrik Jensen and vocalist Peter Dolving. Dolving left for a few years, then returned in 2003. The band's heavy thrash sound and Dolving's penchant for speaking his mind has kept the band in the headlines and on the charts.
Recommended album: The Haunted Made Me Do It (2000)
18. HammerFall
Since their formation in 1993, HammerFall has been one of the leading bands in the power metal genre. Dark Tranquillity vocalist Mikael Stanne was also with HammerFall for their first few years, but was replaced by Joacim Cans before the band's 1997 debut.
Recommended album: Glory To The Brave (1997)
Hammerfall - Glory To The Brave (Video Clip)
19. Dark Funeral
Dark Funeral is a black metal band started in 1993 by Lord Ahriman and Blackmoon. Their full-length debut was 1996's The Secrets Of The Black Arts. Blackmoon and original vocalist Themgoroth left the band shortly thereafter. Themrogoth was replaced by current vocalist Emperor Magus Caligula. They are clad in corpsepaint and play fast, brutal and intense black metal.
Recommended album: Diabolis Interium (2001)
20. Vintersorg
Vintersorg is the creation of Andreas "Vintersorg" Hedlund, and blends a lot of different genres. Harsh black metal is combined with mellower folk metal and elements of more experimental and avant garde styles. Their music has shifted through the years as well, and Swedish lyrics gave way to English ones, but on 2007's Solens Rötter returned to the band's roots.
Recommended album: Odemarkens Son (2000)
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