Count Raven
| Count Raven | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Stockholm, Sweden |
| Genres | Doom metal |
| Years active | 1989–1999, 2003–present |
| Labels | Hellhound, Nuclear Blast, I Hate |
| Associated acts | Saint Vitus, Abramis Brama, Lord Vicar, Semlah, Doomsday Government |
| Members |
Dan "Fodde" Fondelius Jens Bock Samuel Cornelsen |
| Past members |
Christer "Renfield" Pettersson Christian Linderson Fredrik Jansson Tommy "Wilbur" Eriksson Patrick Lundin |
Count Raven are a doom metal band established in 1989 in Sweden.[1] In 1990-1996 Count Raven released four studio albums, then broke up in 1999.[2] In 2003 the band reunited and in 2009 released their fifth album, Mammons War, "timeless" and living up "to this outfit's reputation as doom metallers par exellence", according to Kerrang! magazine.[3]
Band history
The band, formed in 1987 by vocalist Christian Linderson, guitarist Dan Fondelius, bassist Tommy Eriksson and drummer Christer Pettersson, was called originally Stormvarning. In 1989 they changed their name to Count Raven. A year later, the group released its first album, Storm Warning, for the Hellhound label, which received positive reviews from the European metal press (4 K's in Kerrang!, 10/10 in Rock Hard, 6/7 in Metal Hammer)[4] Then Linderson left to join Saint Vitus (in 2007 he became the member of Lord Vicar), and Fondelius became the frontman, beginning with 1992's Destruction of the Void, released by Nuclear Blast Records[1] to be declared 'Doom Album of the Year' by Rock Hard magazine.[4] Third album High on Infinity appeared one year later, after which the band took a three-year break before returning in 1996 with Messiah of Confusion[1] which dealt with the band's outlook on society and its dubious ways. "The album's name is our bass player's nickname, but when the album began to see the light of day, we thought the title was a good idea. There's a lot of 'messiahs of confusion' out there", drummer Pettersson explained.[4]
In 1998 Count Raven broke up. Fondelius formed a new doom metal band Doomsday Government,[5] Eriksson joined Semlah in 2001. In 2003 the trio reformed, broke up again in 2006 and revived instantly with Fondelius at the helm, Fredrik Jansson (ex-Abramis Brama) on bass and Jens Bock on drums.[2] In 2009 Count Raven's fifth album Mammons War produced by Zeb King and released by I Hate came out, "a killer rebirth", according to Kerrang! which gave it a 4K rating.[3]
Members
Current
- Dan "Fodde" Fondelius - guitars, keyboards, vocals, bass (1989-1998; 2003-present)[6]
- Jens Bock - drums (2006-2009; 2011-present)
- Samuel Cornelsen - bass guitar (2016-present)
Former
- Christian Linderson - vocals (1989-1992)
- Christer "Renfield" Pettersson - drums (1989-1998; 2003-2006)
- Fredrik Jansson - bass guitar (2006-2011)
- Tommy "Wilbur" Eriksson - bass guitar (1989-1998; 2003-2006; 2011-2016)
- Patrick Lundin - drums (2009-2011)
Discography
Demos
- Demo 89 (1989)
- Indignus Famulus (1989)
Split albums
- Wolfmoon/Wedded to Grief (Split album w/Griftegård, 2010)
Studio albums
- Storm Warning (Hellhound/Phantom Import, 1990)
- Destruction of the Void (Nuclear Blast, 1992)
- High on Infinity (Hellhound, 1994)
- Messiah of Confusion (Hellhound, 1996)
- Mammons War (I Hate, 2009)[7]
References
- 1 2 3 John Bush. "Count Raven". AllMusic. Retrieved 2011-10-10.
- 1 2 "Count Raven". www.tartareandesire.com. Retrieved 2011-10-10.
- 1 2 Olly Thomas. Kerrang! Magazine, No. 1308, April 17, 2010. Albums. Killer rebirth for Swedish Sabbath acolytes. P.54.
- 1 2 3 "Count Raven". www.geocities.ws. Retrieved 2011-10-10.
- ↑ "Mammons War". www.onemetal.com. Retrieved 2011-10-10.
- ↑ http://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Count_Raven/764
- ↑ "Count Raven discography". AllMusic. Retrieved 2011-10-10.