From 1996 the band consisted solely of their founding guitarist, Quorthon, who played every instrument on Bathory’s songs. Their last appearance on stage was in 1985, before many people had even heard of them. Many metal fans consider this album, Hammerheart (1990) to be their best.īathory were unusual in that they refused to play live shows, much to the dismay of their fans. Their early sound was very heavy, but from their fifth album onwards, they switched to Viking Metal, adding a more melodious sound, and bringing onboard aspects of Norse mythology and Swedish history. One of the pioneers of the Swedish heavy metal scene and often credited with creating the black metal sound, Bathory were formed in 1983 and continued to be popular through the 1990s. They returned to the stage this year to perform during the interval of the Grand Final in Rotterdam, a competition which featured another Finnish heavy metal band Blind Channel, as well as eventual winners, Italian rock band Måneskin.įor all those who were introduced to Scandinavian heavy metal for the first time, here are some of the best bands you need to listen to. The true extent of Scandinavian Metal’s appeal came in 2006 when Finnish heavy metal outfit Lordi won the Eurovision Song Contest with their anthem Hard Rock Hallelujah. In fact, there’s even a form of heavy metal known as Viking metal which actively incorporates folk melodies and imagery from ancient mythology to evoke a totally unique sound. When you look at the history of some of the countries – Viking raiders, mystical runes, battling Norse gods – it becomes easier to understand why these crashing guitars and guttural screams rouse something within the population. There are even casino slots based around heavy metal bands like Twisted Sister and Motorhead! A surge in popularity caused the genre to burst from the Swedish underground scene in the 1980s and it has been influencing popular culture all over the world ever since. A surprisingly large percentage of heavy metal bands hail from the harsh Scandinavian climate. However, the region has contributed a lot more to the world’s music scene in the form of Heavy Metal. When most people picture refer to Scandinavian music, it is the cheerful melodies of Abba or the eclectic tune of Bjork.