Soilwork

Soilwork performing at Festimad in Madrid. Image taken by Sylvia Gutiérrez.
Background information
Origin	Helsingborg, Sweden
Genre(s)	Melodic death metal Alternative metal
Years active	1996 – present
Label(s)	Nuclear Blast Century Media Listenable
Associated acts	In Flames Disarmonia Mundi Dimension Zero Scarve
Website	www.soilwork.org
Members
Björn "Speed" Strid Ola Frenning Daniel Antonsson Sven Karlsson Ola Flink Dirk Verbeuren
Former members
Peter Wichers Henry Ranta Carlos Del Olmo Holmberg Ludvig Svartz Jimmy Persson Carl-Gustav Döös Mattias Nilsson

Soilwork are a Swedish melodic death metal band from Helsingborg. They are currently signed to Nuclear Blast. Formed in late 1995, originally under the name Inferior Breed, the band changed their name in late 1996 to Soilwork (a play on words meaning, "working from the ground up")^[1] to better fit their sound. Their sound is a fusion of the classic Gothenburg metal sound with power-groove riffs of late 1970s, early 1980s British, and European metal. However, in their most recent albums Soilwork have also introduced elements from American alternative metal and adopted a more melodic sound. Their most recent work has more singing and lighter melodies than their earlier work, as well as a more polished production.^[2] Because of their more recent changes in sound, they have been likened to their label mates In Flames, labeled metalcore in some instances and even faced scrutiny for "selling out" by fans.^[3][4]

Background

Formative years

Formed in late 1995, originally under the name Inferior Breed. Their sound, as explained by "Speed" was influenced by such bands as Pantera, Meshuggah and Carcass.^[2] Upon changing the band their name in late 1996 to Soilwork they began to make music more influenced by melody.^[2] Soilwork began work on a demo entitled In Dreams We Fall into the Eternal Lake. Before the recording ever took place, bassist Carl-Gustav Döös left the group. Guitarist Peter Wichers handled the bass tracks on the demo. In a chance encounter, Soilwork would meet Michael Amott of Arch Enemy fame, who owned a record store in Helsingborg and would give him a copy of their demo.^[2] This ultimately led the band to signing with Listenable Records. In 1998, Soilwork added keyboardist Carlos Holmberg and bassist Ola Flink to complete their line-up. The band recorded and released their debut album Steelbath Suicide in May of that year. Soon after, guitarist Ludvig Svartz and drummer Jimmy Persson departed the band, citing "different musical opinions."^[5] Persson was replaced by Henry Ranta, while Svartz was replaced by none other than Peter Wichers' uncle, Ola Frenning.^[6] The band toured throughout Europe in support of the album with bands such as Darkane, Naglfar and Krisiun.^[7] In 2000, Soilwork laid down their second full length LP, The Chainheart Machine. The album received critical acclaim and eventually landed them a recording contract with major label Nuclear Blast, allowing the band to tour with acts such as Defleshed, Cannibal Corpse and even a short tour with fellow melodic death metallers Dark Tranquillity.^[3]

Breakthrough

In 2000, after exhausting themselves with touring, Soilwork once again entered the studio to record their third full length album, A Predator's Portrait. The release was well received and brought Soilwork to the forefront of the melodic death metal scene, alongside label mates In Flames.^[8] The band played that year's installment of the Wacken Open Air Festival along with touring extensively with Annihilator and Nevermore. Following up on their success, Soilwork entered the studio again in late 2001 to record the follow-up to A Predator's Portrait with Devin Townsend (Strapping Young Lad) and Fredrik Nordstrom.^[9] Natural Born Chaos was released in early 2002, to much acclaim as well. Soilwork again toured throughout Europe in support of the effort. They also toured throughout the United States for the first time. First with bands Hypocrisy, Scar Culture and Killswitch Engage during the summer,^[10] then alongside label mates In Flames during the fall.^[11] After touring, the band commenced once again, shifting their focus on writing and recording their fifth album.

Figure Number Five

In December 2002, Soilwork entered Queenstreet Recording Studios to begin recording their fifth album. The guitars and keyboards were recorded at Queenstreet, while the drum tracking was handled at Dug Out Studios. The bass and vocal tracking was recorded at Studio Fredman, the same place the album was mixed at.^[12] After recording, the band began a European tour with Children of Bodom and Shadows Fall throughout April and May.^[13] That same month, Figure Number Five was released. In early June, Henry Ranta would leave the band, to focus more on his personal life. He would be replaced a week later by Richard Evensand.^[14] The band then embarked on another North American tour with In Flames, Chimaira and Unearth.^[15][16] In September, Soilwork toured Japan with Children of Bodom^[17] Merely days after a short mini-trek tour through Japan, Soilwork also toured Australia briefly.^[18] Later that year, they again toured North America with Chimaira, As I Lay Dying and Bleeding Through.^[19] After the tour Richard Evensand left the band to replace drummer Andy Herrick who had recently left Chimaira.^[20] Soilwork initially announced his "temporary" replacement as Dirk Verbeuren of Scarve;^[21] Verbeuren would later become the full time replacement.^[22] In early 2004, singer Björn "Speed" Strid laid down tracks with Italian melodic death metal band Disarmonia Mundi.^[23] During April, the band announced that it had extended its contract with record label Nuclear Blast Records.^[24] That same month the band again toured Australia alongside Anthrax, Embodiment and Killswitch Engage. In mid 2004, Soilwork toured Japan for a second time alongside Dark Tranquillity.^[25] In September, Soilwork entered the studio to record their sixth album, Stabbing the Drama.^[26]

Stabbing the Drama

Soilwork entered Dug Out Studios on September 14th to begin recording their sixth full length album. A week later the band changed venues and recorded at Fascination Street Studios.^[27] Stabbing the Drama was released in early March 2005. The album entered the Finnish charts at number 19, and in Sweden at number 14.^[28] The band also began to gain minor commercial success in the United States. Stabbing the Drama reached #12 and #21 on the Billboard Heatseeker and Independent album charts, respectively.^[29] The band partook in the 2005 Ozzfest, performing on the second stage.^[30] In November the band toured stateside with Fear Factory.^[31] In late 2005, guitarist Peter Wichers left the band due to tour exhaustion and other personal issues.^[22] The same month, Bjorn announced he was working on a second album with Disarmomia Mundi.^[32] In May 2006, Daniel Antonsson was announced as the replacement for Peter Wichers.^[33] Soilwork spent the summer appearing at festivals throughout Europe. In September they toured throughout the UK and Turkey.^[34] The band later pulled out of the Turkish dates, due to terrorist attacks and bombings that had recently occurred to tourists there.^[35] In October the band trekked North America, this time with Darkest Hour, Mnemic and Threat Signal.^[36][37] In March 2007, Soilwork began work on their seventh album.

Sworn to a Great Divide

In early March, Soilwork began laying down the tracks for their seventh album, Sworn to a Great Divide^[38] Late in June, Ola Frenning announced that the album was finished.^[39] Soilwork will tour in the fall alongside Caliban, Sonic Syndicate, and Dark Tranquillity in a tour dubbed, 'Eastpak Antidote' tour.^[40] The album was released on October 19, 2007 through Nuclear Blast Records. The album sports a sound closer to thrash than their previous albums, though still backed by their trademark synth elements. The band will be taking part on an American tour with co-headliners Lamb of God and Killswitch Engage, as well as DevilDriver. The tour begins on November 28, 2007 at the Tsongas Arena in Lowell, Massachusetts, and will end at the Santa Ana Star Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico on December 17, 2007. The tour, dubbed The Clash of the Titans Tour 2007, appeared in Grand Prairie,TX at the Nokia Live Theatre on December 8th, 2007 to play for the entire Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex.

Band members

Current members

Former members

Session members

Guest musicians

Discography

Studio albums

Demos/EPs

• In Dreams We Fall into the Eternal Lake (1997, demo)
• The Early Chapters (2003, EP)

Singles

• As We Speak (2002)
• Black Star Deceiver (2002)
• Light the Torch (2003)
• Rejection Role (2003)
• Stabbing the Drama (2005)
• Nerve (2005)
• Exile (2007)

References

External links

• Soilwork - official website
• Nuclear Blast - official website
• Soilwork's Myspace profile
• HardRadio.com interview with Bjorn Strid on Soilwork, Ozzfest, and Scandinavian Metal