Ceremonial Oath is a Swedish
death metal
Death metal is an 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 growling vocals; aggressive, powerful drumming, fe ...
band who formed in 1989 under the name "Desecrator", changed their name to Ceremonial Oath in 1991 and disbanded in 1996.
During their short career they released three demos, one
EP and two albums.
Their influence is greater than their short lifespan suggests: several of the band members would later create or join metal bands that would gain fame and fortune on the future metal scene, such as
In Flames, an influential band to the
melodic death metal
Melodic death metal (also referred to as melodeath) is a subgenre of death metal that employs highly melodic guitar riffs, often borrowing from traditional heavy metal (including New Wave of British Heavy Metal). The genre features the heavi ...
genre; and
HammerFall
HammerFall is a Swedish power metal band from Gothenburg. The band was formed in 1993 by ex- Ceremonial Oath guitarist Oscar Dronjak.
History
Early days (1993–1996)
HammerFall was formed when rhythm guitarist Oscar Dronjak quit Cere ...
, a band who would greatly influence the awakened interest in
power metal
Power metal is a subgenre of heavy metal combining characteristics of traditional heavy metal with speed metal, often within symphonic context. Generally, power metal is characterized by a faster, lighter, and more uplifting sound, in contra ...
and
traditional heavy metal
Heavy metal (or simply metal) is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the United Kingdom and United States. With roots in blues rock, psychedelic rock and acid rock, heavy metal bands developed ...
.
Ceremonial Oath reunited for an appearance at the inaugural edition of The Gothenburg Sound festival on January 5–6, 2013 at Trädgår'n in
Gothenburg, Sweden, and also made appearances on a few other festivals later the same year. In addition to that, a remixed and remastered version of the 1993 album ''
The Book of Truth'' was re-released in the beginning of 2013.
Other than reuniting for a string of shows, Ceremonial Oath has no plans to record a new album.
Members
Current members
*
Oscar Dronjak – vocals, guitar (1989–1993, 2012–present)
*
Anders Iwers – guitar (1989–1996, 2012–present)
*Markus Nordberg – drums (1991–1996, 2012–present)
*
Jesper Strömblad
Clas Håkan Jesper Strömblad (born 28 November 1972) is a Swedish musician who is the guitarist of the bands The Halo Effect, Dimension Zero and Cyhra, and formerly of In Flames and The Resistance. He is best known as the founder and form ...
– bass (1991–1993, 2012–present)
Former members
*Ulf Assarsson – drums (1989–1991)
*Marcus Fredriksson – bass, vocals (1989–1990)
*Thomas Johansson – bass (1993–1996)
*Mikael Andersson – guitar (1993–1996)
*
Anders Fridén – vocals (1993–1996)
Session musicians
*
Tomas Lindberg – vocals (1993–1995)
*Peter Ekberg – bass (1990–1991)
*
Fredrik Nordström – keyboards (1992–1993)
Timeline
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id:vocals value:red legend:Vocals
id:bvocals value:pink legend:Backing_vocals
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id:keys value:purple legend:Keyboards,_piano
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bar:Marcus text:"Marcus Fredriksson"
bar:Jesper text:"Jesper Strömblad"
bar:Thomas text:"Thomas Johansson"
bar:Ulf text:"Ulf Assarsson"
bar:Markus text:"Markus Nordberg"
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bar:Oscar from:05/01/1990 till:07/01/1991 color:keys width:7
bar:Oscar from:07/01/1992 till:07/01/1993 color:keys width:7
bar:Oscar from:12/01/2012 till:end color:vocals
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bar:Anders2 from:07/01/1991 till:07/01/1992 color:bvocals width:3
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bar:Markus from:07/01/1991 till:01/01/1996 color:drums
bar:Markus from:07/01/1991 till:07/01/1992 color:bvocals width:3
bar:Markus from:12/01/2012 till:end color:drums
Discography
as Desecrator
* ''Wake the Dead'' (Demo, 1990)
* ''Black Sermons'' (Demo, 1990)
as Ceremonial Oath
* ''Promo 1991'' (Demo, 1991)
* ''Lost Name of God'' (EP, Corpse Grinder Records, 1992)
* ''
The Book of Truth'' (CD, Modern Primitive Records, 1993)
* ''
Carpet
A carpet is a textile floor covering typically consisting of an upper layer of pile attached to a backing. The pile was traditionally made from wool, but since the 20th century synthetic fibers such as polypropylene, nylon, or polyester hav ...
'' (CD, Black Sun Records, 1995)
References
{{Authority control
Swedish melodic death metal musical groups
Musical groups disestablished in 1996
Musical groups established in 1989
Musical quintets