Netherbird is a Swedish metal band from Stockholm. Their signature sound is heavily influenced by the early 1990s Scandinavian

black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ha ...

and

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 ...

, as well as elements of doom,

gothic Gothic or Gothics may refer to: People and languages *Goths or Gothic people, the ethnonym of a group of East Germanic tribes **Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths **Crimean Gothic, the Gothic language spoken b ...

and heavy metal present.

History

Early years, 2004–2009

left, upThe band logo Netherbird was formed in Stockholm, Sweden in 2004 by lyricist/vocalist Johan "Nephente" Fridell, composer/guitarist Pontus "Bizmark" Andersson and guitarist Torbjörn "Grim" Jacobsson. Their collaboration was already from the formative sessions which focused on writing harsh yet melodic metal to be recorded without any set line-up but instead utilizing session members. Netherbird's first single, ''Boulevard Black'' was followed up by the EPs ''Blood Orchid'' and ''Lighthouse Eternal (Laterna Magika)''. At this time, they remained strictly as a studio band and distributed their songs freely via the internet resulting in a fast growing following online. Consequently, they landed a record contract with Pulverised Records based in Singapore releasing the debut album ''The Ghost Collector'' in 2008. During this period Grim stepped down from the line-up and drummer

Adrian Erlandsson Adrian Erlandsson (born 27 October 1970) is a Swedish heavy metal drummer who is a member of At the Gates (1990–1996, 2007–2008, 2010–), the Haunted (1996–1999, 2013–), and Nemhain (2006–). He has also been a member of H.E.A.L ...

(

Paradise Lost ''Paradise Lost'' is an epic poem in blank verse by the 17th-century English poet John Milton (1608–1674). The first version, published in 1667, consists of ten books with over ten thousand lines of verse. A second edition followed in 1674 ...

Cradle of Filth Cradle of Filth are an English extreme metal band formed in Suffolk in 1991. The band's musical style evolved originally from black metal to a cleaner and more "produced" amalgam of gothic metal, symphonic metal and other metal genres. Their l ...

At the Gates At the Gates is a Swedish 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 the ...

) joined as a permanent member. Session members included Brice LeQlerc (

Nightrage Nightrage is a Greek/Swedish melodic death metal band originally from Thessaloniki. They later re-located to Gothenburg, Sweden. History Formation and ''Sweet Vengeance'' (2000–2003) Nightrage was founded by Marios Iliopoulos and his c ...

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 ...

), Janne Saarenpää (

The Crown The Crown is the state in all its aspects within the jurisprudence of the Commonwealth realms and their subdivisions (such as the Crown Dependencies, overseas territories, provinces, or states). Legally ill-defined, the term has differen ...

), Daniel "Mojjo" Moilanen (

Katatonia Katatonia are a Swedish heavy metal band formed in Stockholm in 1991 by Jonas Renkse and Anders Nyström. The band started as a studio-only project for the duo, as an outlet for the band's love of death metal. Increasing popularity led them ...

, Lord Belial), Jonas "Skinny" Kangur (

Deathstars Deathstars is a Swedish industrial metal band from Strömstad. Formed in 2000, the group are noted for their dark horror-themed lyrics, pessimistic and misanthropic social commentary, distinctive trademark face paint, dark stage uniforms and p ...

) and Kitty Saric (

Decadence The word decadence, which at first meant simply "decline" in an abstract sense, is now most often used to refer to a perceived decay in standards, morals, dignity, religious faith, honor, discipline, or skill at governing among the members ...

). As a tribute to some of the bands who had influenced Netherbird's song craft Netherbird released the online EP entitled ''Covered in Darkness'' in 2009 which include renditions of songs by

Sentenced Sentenced was a Finnish gothic metal band that played melodic death metal in their early years. The band formed in 1989 in the town of Muhos and broke up in 2005. History Early years (1988–1991) Sentenced started in 1988 as Deformity and ...

and Annihilator.

2010–2014

The second full-length album ''Monument Black Colossal'' was released in 2010 and the last recording session with Erlandsson on drums. Netherbird made their first live performance later the same year, now with a full line up featuring Nephente – vocals, Bizmark – guitar/keyboards, Johan Nord – guitar/vocals, Tobias Gustafsson (

Eucharist The Eucharist (; from Greek , , ), also known as Holy Communion and the Lord's Supper, is a Christian rite that is considered a sacrament in most churches, and as an ordinance in others. According to the New Testament, the rite was institu ...

) – bass/vocals and drummer Erik Röjås (Sterbhaus,

Ondskapt Ondskapt (Swedish for "created of evil") are a Swedish black metal band. They have previously shared members with other Swedish metal projects such as IXXI and Shining (Swedish band), Shining. History Ondskapt were formed in Stockholm in 2000 ...

). In 2011 Netherbird spurned two EPs entitled ''Shadows and Snow'' and ''Abysmal Allure'', revealing a distinctly more analogue and raw soundscape with less keyboards. Over the years that followed Netherbird made an increasing number of live shows including two tours throughout central and Eastern Europe in 2012–2014 along with a short tour in Russia. Their third album ''The Ferocious Tides of Fate'' was released in 2013. By the end of 2014, the band held a final 10-year celebration concert in Stockholm, Sweden at Kraken and simultaneously announced a hiatus on their live activity.

2016–present

After a two-year break, Netherbird returned with a new single/video ''Windwards'' followed by the single/lyric video for ''Pillars of the Sky''. The fourth album ''The Grander Voyage'' was released by label Black Lodge Records (Sound Pollution) at the end of October 2016. As many of their songs from the early days had only been released digitally and on limited edition CD's, Black Lodge Records released the compilation album ''Hymns from Realms Yonder'' in 2017. Around the same time ''The Ghost Collector'' was re-issued. More recently, Netherbird has appeared on festival stages including Norway's

Inferno Metal Festival Inferno Metal Festival is an annual extreme metal festival that takes place every year during Easter in Oslo, Norway. The festival was founded by Borknagar guitarist Jens F. Ryland in cooperation with Radar Booking in 2001 and takes place at Rock ...

in 2017 and Gamrocken Metal Festival in Sweden 2018. The 2018 line-up consists of Nephente (vocals), Bizmark (lead guitar), Johan Nord (guitar/vocals), Tobias Jakobsson (lead guitar), Micke André (bass) and Fredrik Andersson (Ex-

Amon Amarth Amon Amarth () is a Swedish melodic death metal band from Tumba, formed in 1992. The band takes its name from the Sindarin name of Mount Doom, a volcano in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth. Their lyrics mostly deal with Viking mythology and ...

; drums).

Members

upright=1.2, Netherbird in 2016

Band members

* Nephente (Johan Fridell) – vocals (2004–2014, 2016– ) * Bizmark (Pontus Andersson, a.k.a. "PNA") – guitar, keyboards, vocals (2004–2014, 2016– ) * Tobias Jakobsson – bass (2012–2014), lead guitar (2016– ) * Micke André – bass, vocals (2016– ) * Fredrik Andersson – drums (2016– )

Previous members

* Grim (Torbjörn Jacobsson) – guitar (2004–2008) *

– drums (2007–2010) * Tobias Gustafsson – bass (2009–2012) * Erik Röjås – drums (2010–2012) * Nils Fjellström – drums (2012–2014) * Stark (a.k.a. "Sev") – drums (2014) * Johan Nord – guitar, vocals (2009–2014, 2016–2020)

Session members

* Erik Molnar – bass (2011–2012) * Tinitus (Tobias Jacobsson) – bass (2012) * Ljusebring (Ibrahim Stråhlman) – drums (2012) * Robert Bäck – drums (2013)

Discography

Albums

* ''Arete'' (2021) * ''Into the Vast Uncharted'' (2019) * ''The Grander Voyage'' (2016) * ''The Ferocious Tides of Fate'' (2013) * ''Monument Black Colossal'' (2010) * ''The Ghost Collector'' (2008)

Collection albums

* ''Hymns from Realms Yonder'' (2017)

EPs

* ''Boulevard Black / Blood Orchid'' (2012) * ''Shadows and Snow'' (2011) * ''Abysmal Allure'' (2011) * ''Covered in Darkness'' (2009) * ''Blood Orchid'' (2007) * ''Lighthouse Eternal (Laterna Magika)'' (2007)

Singles

* "Boulevard Black Single" (2006) *"Elegance and Sin" (2013) *"Windwards" (2016) *"Pillars of the Sky" (2016) *"Saturnine Ancestry " (2019) *"Lunar Pendulum" (2019) *"Mercury Skies" (2019) *"Towers of the Night" (2021) *"Void Dancer" (2021)

References

External links

Official site
{{Authority control Swedish black metal musical groups Musical groups established in 2004 Swedish hard rock musical groups Swedish musical groups