Unleashed (band)

Unleashed is a Swedish death metal band that was formed in 1989 by Johnny Hedlund in Stockholm. Common lyrical themes found in the band's music include Viking culture, recollection of a pre-Christian world, and Norse folklore. A number of their recent songs also contain references to J. R. R. Tolkien. Unleashed (along with Dismember, Entombed and Grave) is considered one of the "big four" of Swedish death metal.[1][2]

Unleashed
Unleashed live at With Full Force 2018
Background information
OriginStockholm, Sweden
GenresDeath metal
Years active1989–present
LabelsCentury Media, Steamhammer, Nuclear Blast
Associated actsNihilist, Entombed, Necrophobic
Websiteunleashed.se
MembersJohnny Hedlund
Fredrik Folkare
Tomas Olsson
Anders Schultz
Past membersRobert Sennebäck
Fredrik Lindgren

Biography

Unleashed was founded in 1989 by vocalist and bassist Johnny Hedlund. Unleashed recorded demos "Revenge" and "Utter Dark", which got them a record deal with the German label Century Media Records. In 1991, the band released their debut studio album, Where No Life Dwells, and toured with Morbid Angel in Europe and the United States.

In 1992, Unleashed released their second studio album, Shadows in the Deep, including a cover version of Venom's "Countess Bathory". Their next studio albums were Across the Open Sea in 1993 and Victory in 1995, the latter being the last album which guitarist Fredrik Lindgren played on. Lindgren began to focus strongly on playing punk rock, so Unleashed replaced him with Fredrik Folkare, who played guitar on the fifth Unleashed studio album Warrior in 1997.

Bassist/vocalist Johnny Hedlund, founder of the band

The band went on hiatus after 7–8 years of recording and touring. They were concentrating on life outside the music business, their musical side projects, and studying. After a reissue of the band's classics in 2002, the band released a new album called Hell's Unleashed in the same year, and they began to tour once again. This was also the same year Hedlund had come under scrutiny because of allegations that he was a Nazi sympathizer. Dave Grohl of Foo Fighters initially had intended to approach Hedlund, hoping he would contribute lead vocals to one of the songs for his Probot metal project, but the album producer, Matt Sweeney, discouraged him from doing so because of the rumors of Hedlund's alleged sympathies.[3] Hedlund quickly branded these accusations as false and stated, Unleashed praises nature, beast and man. Man....regardless of background, place of birth or color of the skin.[4][5]

In 2004, Unleashed released their seventh studio album, Sworn Allegiance. In October 2006, the band released their eighth studio album, Midvinterblot. Unleashed toured Europe in November 2006 as part of the Masters of Death tour, with Grave, Dismember, and Entombed. On February and March 2007, they headlined a North American tour with Krisiun and Belphegor. June 2008 saw the release of their ninth studio album entitled Hammer Battalion.

On 24 July 2009, Unleashed signed a contract with German label Nuclear Blast Records for the release of their tenth album entitled As Yggdrasil Trembles. In the press statement the band said, "We are very much looking forward to this new cooperation! The recording of the album is scheduled for October/November this year."[6]

In summer 2010, Unleashed was part of the Summer Breeze Open Air and the With Full Force heavy metal festivals in Germany.[7] The band's 11th studio album Odalheim was released also on Nuclear Blast Records in April 2012, and their twelfth record Dawn of the Nine was released 24 April 2015.

Members
  • Unleashed live at With Full Force 2018
  • Johnny Hedlund
  • Tomas Måsgard
  • Fredrik Folkare
  • Anders Schultz

Current members
  • Johnny Hedlund – vocals, bass (1989–present)
  • Anders Schultz – drums (1989–present)
  • Tomas Olsson – guitar (1990–present)
  • Fredrik Folkare – guitar (1995–present)

Former members
  • Fredrik Lindgren – guitar (1989–1995)
  • Robert Sennebäck – vocals, guitar (1989–1990)

Timeline

Discography

Studio albums

EPs and singles
  • ...And the Laughter Has Died (1991)

Live albums
  • Live in Vienna '93 (1993)
  • Eastern Blood Hail to Poland (1996)

Compilation albums
  • Masters of Brutality (Fnac Music, 1992)
  • Viking Raids (The Best Of 1991-2004) (2008)

Boxed sets
  • ...And We Shall Triumph in Victory (2003)
  • Immortal Glory (The Complete Century Media Years) (2008)

References
  1. "METAL RULES". 9 January 2017. Archived from the original on 9 January 2017. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
  2. "Grave Sign With Century Media". Terrorizer.com. Retrieved 22 March 2020.
  3. "DAVE GROHL NIRVANA 'Ripped Off' UNLEASHED Song". blabbermouth.net. 8 June 2005. Archived from the original on 16 January 2008. Retrieved 2 October 2007.
  4. "Unleashed Biography". Metalstorm.ee. Retrieved 2 October 2007.
  5. "UNLEASHED: We Are Not Nazi Sympathizers!". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. 23 October 2002. Retrieved 1 August 2017.
  6. "UNLEASHED Signs With NUCLEAR BLAST RECORDS - July 24, 2009". Archived from the original on 13 September 2012.
  7. "1349, REBELLION Confirmed For Germany's SUMMER BREEZE Festival". Blabbermouth.net. 17 December 2009. Archived from the original on 6 June 2011. Retrieved 24 March 2010.
  8. "Unleashed Announces Title, Album Concept - in Metal News". Metalunderground.com. 15 August 2011. Retrieved 22 March 2020.
  9. "Dawn Of The Nine by UNLEASHED - info and shop at Nuclear Blast - Nuclear Blast". Nuclearblast.de. Retrieved 22 March 2020.
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