Nocturnal Rites

Biography

Nocturnal Rites is a Swedish power metal band formed in 1990. They have released nine studio albums.

History

The band started off under the name Necronomic playing death metal, as can be heard on their demo (The Obscure, 1991). This attracted some independent labels' attention, but they turned them down in the hope of a better opportunity. On the two-track promo that was recorded in 1992, their style had evolved into a slightly more melodic, Iron Maiden-influenced sound.
The band initially consisted of Fredrik Mannberg (guitar and vocals) and Tommy Eriksson (drums), who then hired bassist Nils Eriksson. Following their change of style, the band hired vocalist Anders Zackrisson, whose voice was more adapted than Fredrik Mannberg's to power metal. Tommy Eriksson was soon after replaced by Ulf Andersson. The band also added a second guitarist, Mikael Söderström. By this time, they had fully evolved into the Helloween-style power metal sound of their first three albums.
In 1994, the band signed with Swedish label Dark Age, and the first album In a Time of Blood and Fire×In a Time of Blood and Fire1995 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 9 tracks1Sword of Steel3:222Skyline Flame5:303Black Death4:084In a Time of Blood and Fire5:015Dawnspell5:386Lay of Ennui5:017Winds of Death4:178Rest in Peace3:389Dragonisle6:53 was released in collaboration with Megarock Records in 1995. After this, guitarist Mikael Söderström decided to leave the band and was replaced by Nils Norberg. Despite being a replacement for the band's rhythm guitarist, Norberg became their lead player, with Mannberg switching almost entirely to rhythm from then on. The second album, Tales of Mystery and Imagination×Tales of Mystery and Imagination19 November 1997 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1Dark Secret5:042Lost in Time3:003Test of Time5:004Change the World3:475End of the World3:236The Vision4:217Warriors Return4:428Pentagram3:489Eye of the Demon4:4410Ring of Steel7:1311The Curse4:0312Burn in Hell3:3813Living for Today (demo)4:37, was first released in Japan in late 1997. It was released in United States in April 1998 on Century Media. The band toured Europe with Overkill and Angel Dust.
The third album, The Sacred Talisman×The Sacred Talisman10 February 1999 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Destiny Calls3:582The Iron Force4:203Ride On3:164Free at Last3:495Hold on to the Flame4:086Eternity Holds4:007When Fire Comes to Ice3:498The Legend Lives On5:479The King's Command3:2510Unholy Powers (Night of the Witch)3:1211Glorious3:24 was released in 1999 and featured a new drummer, Owe Lingvall due to a leg injury of Ulf Andersson. The album entered the Japanese charts at No. 83. Only 2 weeks after the release, the band toured Europe with Nevermore, Morgana Lefay and Sacred Steel and participated in Open air festivals such as 1999's Dynamo festival. After this, singer Anders Zackrisson was replaced by former Mogg frontman Jonny Lindqvist, a former bandmate of Owe Lingvall. His voice was quite different from his predecessor's, which gave the band a new face on their next album, Afterlife×Afterlife23 August 2000 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Afterlife5:272Wake Up Dead3:493The Sinners Cross3:484Hell and Back3:405The Sign3:506The Devil's Child3:187Genetic Distortion Sequence4:028Sacrifice3:219Temple of the Dead4:4810Hellenium4:47, released in 2000. The band then toured Europe once again with Iron Savior.
2004 saw the release of the album New World Messiah×New World Messiah3 March 2004 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1New World Messiah4:082Against the World4:183Avalon4:194Awakening5:285Egyptica5:526Break Away4:347End of Days4:478The Flame Will Never Die4:209One Nation4:2910Nightmare4:3611The Iron Force (2002 version)4:10, followed by a six-week tour with Edguy and Brainstorm. Two videos were also released in December, Awakening and Against the World, both of them produced by drummer Owe Lingvall.
In 2005, the 10th anniversary was celebrated with the re-release of the two first albums and some bonus material on the Lost in Time double CD. The band also played a live show, Demons at the Opera with a 55-piece orchestra at the Umeå Opera House. A documentary about the show was broadcast on Swedish national television.
The album Grand Illusion×Grand Illusion19 September 2005 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Fools Never Die3:552Never Trust4:443Still Alive4:034Something Undefined4:085Our Wasted Days5:186Cuts Like a Knife5:107End of Our Rope5:278Never Ending4:309One by One4:2410Deliverance5:01, out in 2006, featured many special guests, including Jens Johansson (Stratovarius), Henrik Danhage (Evergrey), Kristoffer W. Olivius (Naglfar), Stefan Elmgren (HammerFall), and, more surprisingly, the Swedish world champion of cross-country skiing (three times world cup gold winner), Per Elofsson, who comes from the same town as the band, Umeå.
The band also toured with such acts as Nightwish, Gamma Ray, HammerFall and Labyrinth, and played in festivals such as Wacken Open Air, Sweden Rock, Gates of Metal, etc.
A new studio album, The 8th Sin×The 8th Sin28 May 2007 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Call Out to the World3:482Never Again3:193Not the Only5:174Tell Me4:145Not Like You4:266Leave Me Alone3:007Till I Come Alive3:478Strong Enough3:139Me4:1310Pain & Pleasure3:5311Fools Parade2:38, was released in 2007. Nils Norberg left the band the following year for personal reasons. He was replaced by Christoffer Rörland.
Mannberg and Erikson are also members of the thrash metal band Guillotine, and Rörland has joined Sabaton as of 2012.
On 29 September 2017, Nocturnal Rites released their first new album in 10 years titled Phoenix×Phoenix20 September 2017 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1A Heart as Black as Coal4:212Before We Waste Away4:453The Poisonous Seed4:304Repent My Sins3:485What's Killing Me4:206A Song for You3:507The Ghost Inside Me5:348Nothing Can Break Me4:229Flames4:0810Used to Be God3:1711Welcome to the End4:0512Before I Go2:56. The cover artwork was created by Claudio Bergamin.

Band members

Current

Fredrik Mannberg – guitars (1990–present), vocals (1990–1993)
Nils Eriksson – bass (1990–present)
Owe Lingvall – drums (1998–present)
Jonny Lindqvist – vocals (2000–present)
Per Nilsson – lead guitar (2017–present)
Former

Tommy Eriksson – drums (1990–1992)
Ulf Andersson – drums (1992–1998)
Mikael Söderström – rhythm guitar (1992–1997)
Anders Zackrisson – vocals (1993–2000)
Mattias Bernhardsson – keyboards (1995–1998, session) (1999–2003)
Nils Norberg – lead guitar (1997–2008)
Christoffer Rörland – lead guitar (2008–2012)

Other

Lost in Time – The Early Years of Nocturnal Rites (best-of/compilation, 2005)
Nocturnal Rites/Falconer (split album, 2005)