Anders Nyström

Biography

Anders Nyström (born 22 April 1975), also known as Blakkheim (or formerly Blackheim), is a Swedish musician, best known as a founding member of Katatonia and Bloodbath alongside Jonas Renkse.

Career

Nyström founded the Swedish metal band Katatonia with Jonas Renkse in 1991. Nyström is involved in the songwriting, guitars, backing vocals, keyboards, programming, arrangements, art direction and production of Katatonia along with Renkse.
He used to be a member of the metal band Bewitched from 1995 to 1997 and is a member of the death metal project Bloodbath. He has released four albums as the solo black metal act Diabolical Masquerade (1993–2004).
On March 17, 2025 Renkse announced that Anders had departed Katatonia, Nyström stated that his departure was because of the band's disregard of earlier material. He felt that the band's name should have been retired when the band departed from their death-doom roots. Fellow Katatonia guitarist Roger Öjersson had previously stated that Nyström hadn't contributed guitars to the band's two previous albums.

Artistry

Nystrom says he perceives heavy metal guitar riffs as "small themes" fit for a horror film soundtrack. He has cited Entombed vocalist/drummer Nicke Andersson's approach to death metal as having significantly influenced him. He said, "[Andersson] wanted to view his death metal in the same way, which was just fantastic for me because I view riffs as small themes that could be suitable for a horror score if you transcribe them for an orchestra. They have so much in common. In death metal, you strip it down to just a few instruments and have the guitars lead you through." Regarding his approach to equipment and guitar tone, he said, "It’s all about experimenting. Imagine if the guy from Nihilist hadn’t have crossed that HM-2 pedal with that amp to find that overload of sound?"

With Bewitched

Diabolical Desecration CD 1996
Encyclopedia of Evil MCD 1996
Pentagram Prayer CD 1997

Guest appearances

Cancer – guitar on the track "Ballcutter" from the album Shadow Gripped (2019)
Novembre – guest lead guitar on "Annoluce" from the Peaceville release URSA