Grotesque was a 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 ...

black metal Black metal is an extreme metal, extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include Tempo#Beats per minute, fast tempos, a Screaming (music)#Black metal, shrieking vocal style, heavily distorted Electric guitar, guitars played with tr ...

band.Daniel Ekeroth
''Swedish Death Metal''
Second edition. Brooklyn, NY: Bazillion Points 2009, p. 249, accessed on 8 October 2012.

History

The band formed in

Gothenburg Gothenburg ( ; ) is the List of urban areas in Sweden by population, second-largest city in Sweden, after the capital Stockholm, and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated by the Kattegat on the west coast of Sweden, it is the gub ...

, Sweden in September 1988 by former members of Conquest: Kristian Wåhlin (Necrolord) and Per Nordgren (Virgintaker), with the addition of Tomas Lindberg (Goatspell). The band was, however, short-lived and recorded a few demos and an EP. The band's original drummer Shamaatae formed the black metal band

Arckanum Arckanum was a Swedish black metal solo band formed in 1993 by Johan "Shamaatae" Lahger, who was the only constant member. Arckanum ranks among the most influential and popular in the Swedish black metal scene. Shamaatae is also an author of ...

in 1993. After the demise of Grotesque, Lindberg and Svensson started

At the Gates At the Gates is a Swedish melodic death metal band from Gothenburg, formed in 1990. The band was a major progenitor of Gothenburg-style melodic death metal alongside In Flames and Dark Tranquillity. Prior to their first disbandment in 1996, At ...

, while Necrolord created his own band Liers in Wait and focused more on creating artwork for several bands including

Dissection Dissection (from Latin ' "to cut to pieces"; also called anatomization) is the dismembering of the body of a deceased animal or plant to study its anatomical structure. Autopsy is used in pathology and forensic medicine to determine the cause of ...

and

Emperor The word ''emperor'' (from , via ) can mean the male ruler of an empire. ''Empress'', the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), mother/grandmother (empress dowager/grand empress dowager), or a woman who rules ...

. In 1996, three members—Goatspell, Necrolord, and Offensor—got back together and recorded two songs for the release of a compilation album, which was later re-released as a split album with At the Gates EP '' Gardens of Grief''. Grotesque briefly reformed in 2007 for a single invite-only concert on January 26 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 ...

, to celebrate the publication of Daniel Ekeroth's book ''Swedish Death Metal''.

Nirvana 2002 Nirvana 2002 was a Swedish death metal band active between 1988 and 1991. The band was originally called Prophet 2002, but decided to change its name to Nirvana. However, it had to add the "2002" after seeing an advertisement for Nirvana's debut s ...

and Interment also reunited for the concert.

Members

Tomas Lindberg Tomas Lindberg (born 16 October 1972), also known as "Tompa" and "Goatspell", is a Swedish vocalist who has fronted many death metal bands, most notably At the Gates. He has been active as a musician and composer since the late 1980s. He also t ...

(Goatspell) - Vocals (1988–1990, 1996, 2007) *

Kristian Wåhlin Kristian Wåhlin (born 4 December 1971) is a Swedish musician, singer, graphic designer and album cover artist for many bands in the extreme metal scene worldwide. He is often credited under his pseudonym Necrolord. Biography Wåhlin's interes ...

(Necrolord) - Guitar (1988–1990, 1996, 2007) *Insultor - Guitar (2007) *Per Nordgren (Virgintaker) - Bass (1988, 2007) *Tomas Eriksson (Offensor) - Drums (1989–1990, 1996, 2007)

Former members

* Alf Svensson - Guitar (1990) *Nuctemeron - Bass (1988–1989) * Shamaatae - Drums (1988–1989)

Discography

*''Ripped from the Cross'' (demo, 1988) *''The Black Gate Is Closed'' (demo, 1989) *''Incantation'' (EP, 1990) *'' In the Embrace of Evil'' (compilation, 1996)

References

External links

Black Sun Records Page with biography, discography, and sample
- Currently Offlline * {{DEFAULTSORT:Grotesque (Band) Swedish black metal musical groups Swedish death metal musical groups Musical groups established in 1988 Swedish musical quintets Musical groups from Gothenburg