Mefisto is a Swedish
extreme metal
Extreme metal is a loosely defined umbrella term for a number of related heavy metal music subgenres that have developed since the early 1980s. It has been defined as a "cluster of metal subgenres characterized by sonic, verbal, and visual tran ...
band formed in
Stockholm
Stockholm (; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, most populous city of Sweden, as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in the Nordic countries. Approximately ...
in 1984.
History
After changing its name from ''Torment'', Mefisto was one of the first Swedish extreme bands to follow
Bathory. They had a big influence on early Swedish
death metal
Death metal is an extreme metal, extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. It typically employs heavily distorted and low-tuned guitars, played with techniques such as palm muting and tremolo picking; deep death growl, growling vocals; aggressive ...
, along with Obscurity as well as
Merciless shortly thereafter.
Mefisto originally consisted of three members: guitarist Omar Ahmed, drummer Robert "Thord" Granath, and singer Sandro Cajander. Cajander, who later joined
Morbid
A disease is a particular abnormal condition that adversely affects the structure or function of all or part of an organism and is not immediately due to any external injury. Diseases are often known to be medical conditions that are asso ...
, had a deep, harsh vocal style comparable to but more extreme than peers Bathory or
Venom
Venom or zootoxin is a type of toxin produced by an animal that is actively delivered through a wound by means of a bite, sting, or similar action. The toxin is delivered through a specially evolved ''venom apparatus'', such as fangs or a sti ...
, which was developed further by
LG Petrov of
Nihilist
Nihilism () encompasses various views that reject certain aspects of existence. There have been different nihilist positions, including the views that life is meaningless, that moral values are baseless, and that knowledge is impossible. Thes ...
(later
Entombed).
Mefisto released two
cassette
Cassette may refer to:
Technology
* Cassette (format) (or ''cassette tape''), a format that contains magnetic tape for audio, video, and data storage and playback
* Compact Cassette, a worldwide standard for analog audio recording and playback ...
demos, "Megalomania" in May 1986 and "The Puzzle" in November 1986. However, after just two demos Mefisto disbanded in 1987, getting little support. The band has since gained cult status, heavily influencing the upcoming extreme music underground, especially the Stockholm death metal scene. These demos, which were reissued as a compilation CD entitled "The Truth" on
Regain Records
Regain Records is a Swedish-based independent record label. The label predominantly released death metal and black metal albums. Regain Records was founded from what remained of the former label, Wrong Again Records, by Per Gyllenbäck in 1997. ...
in 1999 form a prototype for Swedish death metal. As of December 2014, they have reformed.
Their debut album was released on 20 February 2016.
Band members
* Omar Ahmed – guitar (1984–1987);
guitar, vocals (2014
[–present)][
* Morgan Myhrberg – bass (2014–present)][
* Sandro Cajander – vocals (1984–1987)][
]
Discography
* ''Megalomania'' (demo, 1986)[
* ''The Puzzle'' (demo, 1986)][
* ''2.0.1.6: This Is the End of It All... The Beginning of Everything...'' (studio album, 2016)
* ''Mefisto'' (studio album, 2017)]
References
External links
Mefisto at The Metal Archives
*
Mefisto at AllMusic
1984 establishments in Sweden
Musical groups disestablished in 1987
Musical groups established in 1984
Musical groups from Stockholm
Swedish musical trios
Regain Records artists
Swedish black metal musical groups
Swedish death metal musical groups
Swedish thrash metal musical groups
{{sweden-band-stub