Nightrage

Biography

Nightrage is a Greek/Swedish melodic death metal band from Thessaloniki. They later re-located to Gothenburg, Sweden.

Formation and Sweet Vengeance (2000–2003)

Marios Iliopoulos and Gus G founded Nightrage in June 2000. They made three demos from 2001 to 2002.
Their debut album, Sweet Vengeance×Sweet Vengeance29 July 2003 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1The Tremor3:172The Glow of the Setting Sun4:103Hero3:584Elusive Emotion3:455Gloomy Daydreams4:136Macabre Apparition3:317In My Heart3:208Ethereal4:519Circle of Pain4:2210At the Ends of the Earth4:3511The Howls of the Wolves1:4112Gloomy Daydreams (extended demo version)5:32, was released in 2003, and featured drummer Per Möller Jensen (The Haunted) and bassist Brice Leclercq. They also enlisted vocalist Tomas Lindberg (ex At the Gates). Sweet Vengeance featured guest clean vocals by Tom S. Englund of Evergrey on a few tracks. The album was proceeded by their first video for the track "Gloomy Daydreams" on an earlier edit, with Gus G. on vocals.

Descent into Chaos and departure of Lindberg & Gus G (2004–2006)

Their second release, Descent into Chaos, was released in 2005 and had a more permanent rhythm section. Fotis Benardo (Septic Flesh, ex-Innerwish) took over on drums and Henric Carlsson, who plays in the band Cipher System, on bass. Mikael Stanne, of Dark Tranquillity, provided a clean vocal section on "Frozen". Tomas Lindberg left the band so that a more full-time vocalist could accompany them on tours and studio albums.
When Gus G was performing with Arch Enemy at Ozzfest 2005, he was replaced with Pierre Lysell for Nightrage's tours. For some of Nightrage's tour in support of Bolt Thrower, Gus G was again unavailable and his place was taken by Christian Muenzer, of Necrophagist. In March 2006, Gus G. permanently left Nightrage to focus on Firewind (later, in 2009, he became the guitarist for Ozzy Osbourne). At this time, Benardo left Nightrage to focus on the reunited Septic Flesh. Alex Svenningson replaced him.

A New Disease Is Born (2007–2008)

Their third release, A New Disease Is Born, was released in 2007. Gus G. was replaced with Dragonland/Amaranthe guitarist Olof Mörck. The song "Scathing" was chosen for the band's second video, directed by Bob Katsionis.
After the release of A New Disease Is Born, Alex Svenningson and Jimmie Strimell left to form melodic metalcore band Dead by April. Longtime bassist Henric Karlsson left the band due to family obligations.

Wearing a Martyr's Crown and Vengeance Descending (2009–2010)

Vocalist Antony Hämäläinen, bassist Anders Hammer, and drummer Johan Nunez joined the band in the summer of 2007. Their fourth album, Wearing a Martyr's Crown, was recorded, produced, and mixed by Fredrik Nordström at Studio Fredman for a 2009 release date.
On 18 February 2010, Nightrage released their third music video for the song "Wearing a Martyr's Crown." Bob Katsionis directed the video.
"A Grim Struggle", "Collision of Fate", "Shed the Blood", and "Wearing a Martyr's Crown" were available as downloadable content for the Rock Band video game series on Xbox. On 30 June 2011, "A Grim Struggle" was available for download on the PlayStation 3 console.
Vengeance Descending is a double CD reissue of albums Sweet Vengeance×Sweet Vengeance29 July 2003 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1The Tremor3:172The Glow of the Setting Sun4:103Hero3:584Elusive Emotion3:455Gloomy Daydreams4:136Macabre Apparition3:317In My Heart3:208Ethereal4:519Circle of Pain4:2210At the Ends of the Earth4:3511The Howls of the Wolves1:4112Gloomy Daydreams (extended demo version)5:32 and Descent into Chaos×Descent Into Chaos5 April 2005 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Being Nothing3:112Phantasma3:333Poems3:014Descent Into Chaos3:065Frozen4:056Drug4:067Silent Solitude3:348Omen3:449Release3:0810Solus3:0211Jubilant Cry4:4612Reality vs. Truth3:34. The first disc features the bonus track "Gloomy Daydreams", and the second one features "Black Skies", also a bonus track. Both tracks were previously only available in Japanese releases.

Insidious and World Tour (2011–2012)

It was announced via Blabbermouth.net that former At the Gates and Nightrage vocalist Tomas Lindberg would guest vocals for the album, Insidious×Insidious23 September 2011 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 15 tracks1So Far Away (intro)1:182Delirium of the Fallen4:143Insidious3:434Wrapped in Deceitful Dreams3:525Hate Turns Black4:316Sham Piety5:317Cloaked in Wolf Skin3:228This World Is Coming to an End3:279Utmost End of Pain4:2310Poignant Memories3:5511Hush of Night3:3812Poisoned Pawn3:5713Solar Eclipse (prelude)0:3514Solar Corona5:4115Emblem of Light (outro)1:05. A short video clip of the session was posted to YouTube. Other guests set to appear on the album were Gus G, Tom Englund, Apollo Papathanasio and John K. Insidious was the first album since Sweet Vengeance×Sweet Vengeance29 July 2003 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1The Tremor3:172The Glow of the Setting Sun4:103Hero3:584Elusive Emotion3:455Gloomy Daydreams4:136Macabre Apparition3:317In My Heart3:208Ethereal4:519Circle of Pain4:2210At the Ends of the Earth4:3511The Howls of the Wolves1:4112Gloomy Daydreams (extended demo version)5:32 to feature the original line up.
Antony Hämäläinen spoke briefly about the album's direction in a 2013 interview with Deathmetalbaboon.com, "It sounds really heavy. Stripped down and in your face. The songs are a bit shorter and with fewer acoustic guitars than Wearing a Martyr's Crown. It's a very pissed off sound, so it's going to be a really heavy record. Lots of guitar solos and melodies there too of course."
The album release dates were 26 September 2011 in Europe and 11 October 2011 in North America.
On 23 March, title track "Insidious" was available as downloadable content for the Rock Band video game series on Xbox.
On 21 May, the band released a video for the track "Delirium of the Fallen". The video was shot on 28 April at the Eightball Club in Thessaloniki, Greece. Gabriel Psaltakis directed the video.
Starting on 9 October 2011, the band supported the album on a North American tour with Firewind and Arsis, titled "Frets of Fury".
In late April 2012, a tour of Europe alongside Demon Hunter and Deadlock was scheduled.
August 2012 was the first time the band played in Asia, headlining the Daejeon Metal Festival in South Korea.
Announced in April 2013, the band would headline a tour of Japan for the first time in their career. The tour began on 5 November and was titled Extreme Metal over Japan. Support for the six date trek came from the Australian technical death metal band Psycroptic, American technical death band The Faceless and French deathcore act In Arkadia.
Olof Mörck has not been part of a live performance or band photography since 2011. It is assumed he has left the band to focus on his main project Amaranthe.

New members and releases (2013–present)

In 2013, Antony Hämäläinen officially left the band to pursue other musical ventures. Singer Ronnie Nyman was recruited to replace Hämäläinen. With Nyman, the band released their sixth studio album, The Puritan×The Puritan24 April 2015 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1The Puritan4:112With a Blade of a Knife2:513Desperate Vows4:114Endless Night4:095Foul Vile Life3:136Stare Into Infinity3:367Lone Lake2:148Son of Sorrow3:249When Gold Turns to Rust3:0810Fathomless3:3511Kiss of a Sycophant3:27, in 2015.
In July 2016, Magnus Söderman (guitars), Francisco Escalona (bass), and Lawrence Dinamarca (drums) were announced as members of Nightrage. The band recorded and released their seventh studio album, The Venomous×The Venomous22 March 2017 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1The Venomous4:312Metamorphosis/Day of Wrath3:513In Abhorrence3:374Affliction4:275Catharsis4:556Bemoan4:077The Blood4:128From Ashes Into Stone3:419Trail of Ghosts4:5010Disturbia4:2511Desolation and Dismay4:0312Denial of the Soul3:0213Denial of the Soul (alternative version)3:00, in 2017. Their next album, Wolf to Man×Wolf to Man29 March 2019 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Starless Night4:272Wolf to Man3:483Embrace the Nightrage3:004Desensitized4:265God Forbid3:396By Darkness Drawn3:287The Damned3:328Arm Aim Kill3:399Gemini4:1010Disconnecting the Dots3:5811Escape Route Insertion3:2612Lytrosis1:53, was released on 29 March 2019. Their ninth studio album, Abyss Rising×Abyss Rising18 February 2022 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1Abyss Rising3:292Swallow Me3:393Nauseating Oblivion3:154Dance of Cerberus3:345Falsifying Life3:366Portal of Dismay (interlude)0:597Shadows Embrace Me4:1489th Circle of Hell3:249The Divergent (instrumental)1:5410Cursed by the Gift of Sight3:1611False Gods3:4612Pest Ridden Tide2:4913Silence of the Darkened Soul1:01, was released on 22 February 2022.
On 30 June 2023, Nightrage announced on their Facebook and Instagram pages that Nyman would leave the band to focus on his other musical project, "Offerblod", and that singer Jimmie Strimell would rejoin the band. He was replaced with Konstantinos Togas. The band began recording their tenth studio album on 28 October 2023.
On 8 March 2024, the band announced their upcoming album, Remains of a Dead World×Remains of a Dead World31 May 2024 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Euphoria Within Chaos4:332Persevere Through Adversity4:393Nocturnal Thorns4:244A Throne of Melancholy3:595Dark Light3:516Echoes of Broken Words3:587Deadliest Sin4:108Pierce the Soul3:339Obey the Hand3:4510Remains of a Dead World4:44, would be released on 31 May.

Studio albums

Sweet Vengeance (2003)
Descent into Chaos (2005)
A New Disease Is Born (2007)
Wearing a Martyr's Crown (2009)
Insidious (2011)
The Puritan (2015)
The Venomous (2017)
Wolf to Man (2019)
Abyss Rising (2022)
Remains of a Dead World (2024)

Demo albums

Demo (2000)
Demo 2 (2001, 2020 (as an official compilation))
Demo 3 (2002)