The greatest Swedish metal band of all time?
I've just found this on X/Twitter:
And it made me wonder, what IS the greatest Swedish metal band of all time? Well we can't deny how legendary those bands are in their respective genres, such as Bathory in first-wave black/viking metal, Opeth in deathly progressive metal, and At the Gates, In Flames, and Amon Amarth in melodeath. But for me personally, it would be...
Meshuggah
They are quite ahead of their time, pushing boundaries further than any of those other bands in the 90s. How did they do that? By inventing the downtuned polyrhythmic prog-metal subgenre that is djent, thus paving the way for the wave of modern metal bands that I enjoy. And I mean bands that aren't just djent but can also be metalcore or industrial metal.
But I'm sure some of you have something to say about this topic. What do you think should be hailed as the greatest metal band from one of the most metal countries, Sweden? Discuss!
"Blood Fire Death" & "Under the Sign of the Black Mark" are my favourite Swedish metal records & I also regard "Hammerheart" as a genuine classic so Bathory are my pick. I've worshipped Quorthon for three & a half decades now & the output from the first half of his recording career has lost none of its potency or influence over time.
Based purely on how much I enjoy them, my pick would be Candlemass with an honourable mention for Grand Magus. Opeth's outstanding metal output would also secure them a spot among my top 3. Bathory, Marduk and Shining all deserve mentions too.
There are too many great Swedish bands to choose from. The first ones that come to mind for me are Opeth, Meshuggah, Katatonia, Draconian, Candlemass, Bathory, Shining and Trees of Eternity.
A while ago I developed a simple algorithm to allow me to compare the overall quality of bands' discographies and consulting my list of bands whose entire studio discography I have rated the Swedish winner is Grand Magus with a QR (Quality Rating) of 57.0. I also have Craft with 55.0, Candlemass with 53.5, Opeth with 52.0 and excellent space rockers Yuri Gagarin on 53.3
I don't see my beautiful baby THERION in that list.
Whilst I understand the lauding of Bathory that goes on, and I do rate some of their releases at four stars and above, I am rarely absorbed by the urge to revisit them often. I own Hammerheart on picture disc and to be honest I don't think it has been spun more than a handful of times in a decade. Therefore I would not put them high up any list in this circumstance. Opeth would get a high entry as I have spent many a fine hour with Blackwater Park, Ghost Reveries, Damnation, Deliverance and Orchid. Katatonia would only get included because of Fall of Hearts and Candlemass carry the accolade of having two of my favourite doom albums ever as their debut and sophomore. Grand Magus really only have Hammer of the North as my go to record for them.
No one gonna mention the likes of Dissection, Dismember, Edge of Sanity, Entombed, Cult of Luna, At the Gates or Tiamat then?
Cult of Luna is another contender for the greatest Swedish metal band, taking the post-sludge sound developed by Neurosis and Isis, and expanding it further, opening the gates for later bands like The Ocean and Rosetta.
No one gonna mention the likes of Dissection, Dismember, Edge of Sanity, Entombed, Cult of Luna, At the Gates or Tiamat then?
In all honesty, would not place them in my list. I only like Left Hand Path, Like an Everflowing Stream by the true Swede death bands in that list and I have never gotten with anything other than Crimson by EoS. Dissection are another one-album wonder in my book and I cannot attribute anything other than cultural significance to AtG. Tiamat aren't for me and I am yet to fully explore CoL.
No one gonna mention the likes of Dissection, Dismember, Edge of Sanity, Entombed, Cult of Luna, At the Gates or Tiamat then?
In all honesty, would not place them in my list. I only like Left Hand Path, Like an Everflowing Stream by the true Swede death bands in that list and I have never gotten with anything other than Crimson by EoS. Dissection are another one-album wonder in my book and I cannot attribute anything other than cultural significance to AtG. Tiamat aren't for me and I am yet to fully explore CoL.
I am kind of with Vinny on this one. The only ones of the above I would back as having a sustained quality, a requirement surely for a best band vote, is Cult of Luna.
No one gonna mention the likes of Dissection, Dismember, Edge of Sanity, Entombed, Cult of Luna, At the Gates or Tiamat then?
I keep a ranked chart of all my top artists based on top 3-5 averages. Here's the top five metal bands from Sweden, though I need to study Sweden some more. I'm a bit behind on that.
1. Therion: Celebrators of Becoming (Live) (100) : Theli (98) : Live Gothic (97) : Secret of the Runes (96) : Vovin (96). Average: 97.4
2. Opeth: Blackwater Park (98) : Ghost Reveries (97) : Watershed (95) : The Last Will and Testament (93) : My Arms, Your Hearse (93). Average: 95.2
3. Falconer: Black Moon Rising (95) : Among Beggars and Thieves (94) : Chapters From a Vale Forlorn (92) : Falconer (90) : From a Dying Ember (74). Average: 89
4. Cult of Luna: Somewhere Along the Highway (94) : Mariner (93) : Salvation (91) : Vertikal (85) : Cult of Luna (81). Average: 88.8
5. In Flames: The Jester Race (96) : Whoracle (95) : Colony (91) : Clayman (88) : Lunar Strain (73). Average: 88.6
I still need to hear more Candlemass and Edge of Sanity. Nut I'm largely good on Therion, Falconer and Opeth.
I went to the releases tag and put together a chart for the highest-rated Swedish albums with a 5 vote minimum.
Candlemass is the clear winner. Everything else is a bit scattered. I'm surprised Blackwater Park is so low, though.