Биография

Sweden's proto power metal sextet Astral Doors offer a sound whose production ideas are rooted in the present, while their crushingly heavy songs emerge from the tropes and schematics of heavy metal history: the pioneering riffs of Black Sabbath, the dark, melodic drama of Ronnie James Dio, the bluesy urgency of Rainbow, and the instrumental flash of Deep Purple. Beginning with 2003's Of the Son and the Father, the Swedes developed a rocking musical persona that offered a logical and exciting continuum in the genre's legacy while also becoming a touring juggernaut. 2010's Requiem of Time upped the power in a bombastic yet nuanced attack led by the arresting wail of frontman Nils Patrik Johansson. There have been lineup changes throughout their history, but two-thirds of the original band remain together. Astral Doors were formed in 2002 in the Swedish town of Borlänge to honor and evoke the spirit of pioneering heavy metal and hard rock acts like Black Sabbath, Rainbow, and Deep Purple. Founding members were drummer Johan Lindstedt, guitarist Joachim Nordlund, and singer Nils Patrik Johansson, whose flight-of-fantasy vocals often garnered comparisons to legendary metal frontman Ronnie James Dio. Joined by bassist Martin Haglund and organist Jocke Roberg, Astral Doors quickly rose to acclaim, with their new songs reminiscent of the best of '70s and early-'80s metal. Their debut album, Of the Son and the Father, was released in 2003 and the band toured often, faring well on the festival circuit. By this time, Haglund had moved to the role of second guitarist and Mika Itäranta came in to take over on bass. The band honed their cosmic metal sound with constant touring and a string of inspired recordings, including second album Evil Is Forever in 2005, Astralism in 2006, New Revelation in 2007, and the increasingly power metal sound of Requiem of Time in 2010. Shortly after the release of Requiem of Time, both Haglund and Itäranta left the band to focus on family life. New bassist Ulf Lagerström joined the band, but no second guitarist took Haglund's place, leaving more room for Roberg's organ to fill the songs. The newly configured lineup offered up sixth album Jerusalem in 2011. In 2014, additional guitarist Mats Gesar joined the band, and amid their regular touring and festival appearances, Astral Doors set to work on material for a new album. Their seventh album, Black Eyed Children, a riff-heavy return to their more melodic early metal sound, arrived in the spring of 2017. The band shifted their focus a bit for 2019's Worship or Die, their third outing for Metalville, adding the influence of NWOBHM bands such as Saxon and Iron Maiden, and more modern influences like Dream Evil, Firewind, and Hammerfall to their original material, and they somehow managed to come off sounding like no one but themselves. ~ Fred Thomas