Johan Liiva
Encyclopedia
Johan Patrik Mattias Liiva (born November 18, 1970 in Helsingborg
) is a Swedish
extreme metal
vocalist, most widely recognized as the founding vocalist of popular melodic death metal
band Arch Enemy, as well as a former member of Carnage
, Furbowl, and NonExist
. He is currently working as vocalist with the band Hearse
.
with his friend Michael Amott
in 1988, and appeared on two demo tapes "The Day Man Lost" and "Infestation Of Evil", but left the band before their debut album was recorded in 1990. He went on to form Furbowl as a guitarist/vocalist, with Max Thornell
on drums. The band released their debut album Those Shredded Dreams as a two piece on Step One Records in 1992. The album also featured guest solos on two songs by Michael Amott
(who also produced the recording). Furbowl would add a guitarist, Nicklas Stenemo, and release their second full length The Autumn Years in 1994 on Black Mark Productions, but the project folded soon after.
to form the band Arch Enemy in 1996. After releasing their first album Black Earth
in Japan that same year, the album became a success, receiving airplay on Japan's MTV Rocks! and in 1998 Arch Enemy were invited to tour Japan, and sign a new deal with Toy's Factory
records. Arch Enemy released Stigmata worldwide in 1998, and the band toured for the first time. In 1999, the band released Burning Bridges, and Burning Japan Live 1999
, the latter proved to be Johan's last album with Arch Enemy.
with guitarist Johan Reinholdz
(Andromeda
), and drummer Matte Modin (Dark Funeral
, Defleshed
). The band only released one album, Deus Deceptor, in 2002 before parting ways.
Johan soon formed the band Hearse
, with Mattias Ljung on guitar and ex-Furbowl bandmate Max Thornell
on drums. The band have been very active ever since, releasing Dominion Reptilian
in 2003 on Hammerheart
Records, Armageddon, Mon Amour
in 2004 on Candlelight Records
, The Last Ordeal in 2005 on Karmageddon Records, and In These Veins
on Dental Records in 2006.
Johan Liiva also was featured as guest vocalist on the Canadian Industrial Death Metal act Synastry's debut full length 'Blind Eyes Bleed' on the track 'Visions Of Anger' recorded in 2007 and to be released in 2008.
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Helsingborg
Helsingborg is a city and the seat of Helsingborg Municipality, Skåne County, Sweden with 97,122 inhabitants in 2010. Helsingborg is the centre of an area in the Øresund region of about 320,000 inhabitants in north-west Scania, and is Sweden's closest point to Denmark, with the Danish city...
) is a Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
extreme metal
Extreme metal
Extreme metal is a loosely defined umbrella term for a number of related heavy metal music subgenres that have developed since the early 1980s. The term usually refers to a more abrasive, harsher, underground, non-commercialized style or sound nearly always associated with genres like black metal,...
vocalist, most widely recognized as the founding vocalist of popular melodic death metal
Melodic death metal
Melodic death metal is a heavy metal music style that combines elements from the New Wave of British Heavy Metal with elements of death metal. The style was developed during the early and mid-1990s, primarily in England and Scandinavia...
band Arch Enemy, as well as a former member of Carnage
Carnage (band)
Carnage was a Swedish death metal band whose members later went on to found Dismember, Arch Enemy and the Grindcore band Carcass. The band was formed by Michael Amott and Johan Liiva in 1988. They released only one album before dissolving in 1991.-History:...
, Furbowl, and NonExist
NonExist
NonExist was a Swedish death metal group formed by former Arch Enemy vocalist, Johan Liiva. Liiva, guitarist/bassist Johan Reinholdz , and drummer Matte Modin began playing together as NonExist in 2000; in May 2002, they released their debut album, Deus Deceptor, on New Hawen Records in Europe...
. He is currently working as vocalist with the band Hearse
Hearse (band)
Hearse is a Swedish Melodic death metal band,founded by vocalist Johan Liiva and drummer Max Thornell in 2001. The band have released five albums to date.-History:...
.
Carnage
Johan Liiva formed CarnageCarnage (band)
Carnage was a Swedish death metal band whose members later went on to found Dismember, Arch Enemy and the Grindcore band Carcass. The band was formed by Michael Amott and Johan Liiva in 1988. They released only one album before dissolving in 1991.-History:...
with his friend Michael Amott
Michael Amott
Michael Amott is a Swedish guitarist, songwriter, founding member of the bands Arch Enemy, Spiritual Beggars, and Carnage, as well as a member of the death metal band Carcass. He is the older brother of Christopher Amott...
in 1988, and appeared on two demo tapes "The Day Man Lost" and "Infestation Of Evil", but left the band before their debut album was recorded in 1990. He went on to form Furbowl as a guitarist/vocalist, with Max Thornell
Max Thornell
Max Thornell is a Swedish musician, most widely recognized as the drummer of Swedish death metal band Hearse. Also with Johan Liiva from Hearse, he played drums, keyboards and performed some backing vocals in early 90s death metal band Furbowl...
on drums. The band released their debut album Those Shredded Dreams as a two piece on Step One Records in 1992. The album also featured guest solos on two songs by Michael Amott
Michael Amott
Michael Amott is a Swedish guitarist, songwriter, founding member of the bands Arch Enemy, Spiritual Beggars, and Carnage, as well as a member of the death metal band Carcass. He is the older brother of Christopher Amott...
(who also produced the recording). Furbowl would add a guitarist, Nicklas Stenemo, and release their second full length The Autumn Years in 1994 on Black Mark Productions, but the project folded soon after.
Arch Enemy
After the demise of Furbowl in mid 1990s, Johan once again teamed up with Michael AmottMichael Amott
Michael Amott is a Swedish guitarist, songwriter, founding member of the bands Arch Enemy, Spiritual Beggars, and Carnage, as well as a member of the death metal band Carcass. He is the older brother of Christopher Amott...
to form the band Arch Enemy in 1996. After releasing their first album Black Earth
Black Earth (Arch Enemy)
Black Earth is the first album by the Swedish melodic death metal band Arch Enemy. The album was reissued on April 24, 2007 on Regain Records, featuring "Losing Faith", two Iron Maiden covers and the video for "Bury Me an Angel"....
in Japan that same year, the album became a success, receiving airplay on Japan's MTV Rocks! and in 1998 Arch Enemy were invited to tour Japan, and sign a new deal with Toy's Factory
Toy's Factory
is a Japanese record label founded in 1990 as a VAP subsidiary, based in Japan. It has since become an independent company.-Sub-Labels:* bellissima!* Carnage* Deep Blue* Idyllic* Kimi* Meme Tokyo* -Artists:*Aobozu*Armageddon*Bump of Chicken...
records. Arch Enemy released Stigmata worldwide in 1998, and the band toured for the first time. In 1999, the band released Burning Bridges, and Burning Japan Live 1999
Burning Japan Live 1999
-Reception:Burning Japan Live 1999 received mixed reviews by critics. Metal Rules's El Cid criticized mainly the crowd writing that "the Japanese crowd doesn't help much in this matter, no offense to anyone but it does seem like everyone is just sitting down listening and doing nothing else during...
, the latter proved to be Johan's last album with Arch Enemy.
After Arch Enemy
After parting ways with Arch Enemy in November 2000, Johan went on to form the band NonExistNonExist
NonExist was a Swedish death metal group formed by former Arch Enemy vocalist, Johan Liiva. Liiva, guitarist/bassist Johan Reinholdz , and drummer Matte Modin began playing together as NonExist in 2000; in May 2002, they released their debut album, Deus Deceptor, on New Hawen Records in Europe...
with guitarist Johan Reinholdz
Johan Reinholdz
Johan Reinholdz is a progressive metal artist best known for his work with the Swedish progressive metal band Andromeda, Swedish death metal band NonExist and the melodic death metal band Skyfire. He composed Andromeda's debut album, Extension of the Wish.- Biography :Reinholdz was born on June...
(Andromeda
Andromeda (Swedish band)
Andromeda are a progressive metal band from Sweden formed in 1999. They are currently signed to Massacre Records, Replica Records and Avalon/Marquee. The style emphasizes on strong keyboards and technical drumming. The band is also well known for the smooth vocals of David Fremberg.They have...
), and drummer Matte Modin (Dark Funeral
Dark Funeral
Dark Funeral is a black metal band from Stockholm, Sweden, founded by guitarists Blackmoon and Lord Ahriman in 1993. They are one of the bands to have emerged in Sweden during the Second wave of black metal....
, Defleshed
Defleshed
Defleshed was a Swedish death/thrash metal band. The group was formed by Lars Lofven, formerly of Convulsion and Inanimate. They have released several albums on high-profile metal labels...
). The band only released one album, Deus Deceptor, in 2002 before parting ways.
Johan soon formed the band Hearse
Hearse (band)
Hearse is a Swedish Melodic death metal band,founded by vocalist Johan Liiva and drummer Max Thornell in 2001. The band have released five albums to date.-History:...
, with Mattias Ljung on guitar and ex-Furbowl bandmate Max Thornell
Max Thornell
Max Thornell is a Swedish musician, most widely recognized as the drummer of Swedish death metal band Hearse. Also with Johan Liiva from Hearse, he played drums, keyboards and performed some backing vocals in early 90s death metal band Furbowl...
on drums. The band have been very active ever since, releasing Dominion Reptilian
Dominion Reptilian
Dominion Reptilian is the first album by the Swedish melodic death metal band Hearse.-Track listing:# "Dominion Reptilian" - 03:50# "Torch" - 04:43# "Cosmic Daughter" - 04:14# "Contemplation" - 04:43# "Rapture In Twilight" - 04:53...
in 2003 on Hammerheart
Hammerheart
Hammerheart is the fifth album released by Bathory. It continued Blood Fire Deaths transition away from black metal to what would become recognized as Viking metal, and is considered a cornerstone work of the genre.-Track listing:...
Records, Armageddon, Mon Amour
Armageddon, Mon Amour
Armageddon, Mon Amour is the second album by the Swedish melodic death metal band Hearse.-Track listing:...
in 2004 on Candlelight Records
Candlelight Records
Candlelight Records is an independent record label based in Europe founded by former Extreme Noise Terror bassist Lee Barrett, though it has had a division in the United States since January 2001. Candlelight Records specialises in black metal and death metal, having bands such as Emperor,...
, The Last Ordeal in 2005 on Karmageddon Records, and In These Veins
In These Veins
In These Veins is the 4th album by the Swedish melodic death metal band Hearse.-Track listing:# "House of Love" - 06:07# "Corroding Armor" - 05:07# "Intoxication" - 03:28# "Naked Truth" - 04:04# "Crusade" - 02:56# "Among The Forlorn" - 04:24...
on Dental Records in 2006.
Johan Liiva also was featured as guest vocalist on the Canadian Industrial Death Metal act Synastry's debut full length 'Blind Eyes Bleed' on the track 'Visions Of Anger' recorded in 2007 and to be released in 2008.
Arch Enemy
- Black EarthBlack Earth (Arch Enemy)Black Earth is the first album by the Swedish melodic death metal band Arch Enemy. The album was reissued on April 24, 2007 on Regain Records, featuring "Losing Faith", two Iron Maiden covers and the video for "Bury Me an Angel"....
(1996) - Stigmata (1998)
- Burning Bridges (1999)
- Burning Japan Live 1999Burning Japan Live 1999-Reception:Burning Japan Live 1999 received mixed reviews by critics. Metal Rules's El Cid criticized mainly the crowd writing that "the Japanese crowd doesn't help much in this matter, no offense to anyone but it does seem like everyone is just sitting down listening and doing nothing else during...
(2000) - Wages of SinWages of SinWages of Sin is the fourth studio album by the Swedish melodic death metal band Arch Enemy. It is the first Arch Enemy album to feature the vocals of Angela Gossow...
(Disc 2) (2001)
Hearse
- Dominion ReptilianDominion ReptilianDominion Reptilian is the first album by the Swedish melodic death metal band Hearse.-Track listing:# "Dominion Reptilian" - 03:50# "Torch" - 04:43# "Cosmic Daughter" - 04:14# "Contemplation" - 04:43# "Rapture In Twilight" - 04:53...
(2003) - Armageddon, Mon AmourArmageddon, Mon AmourArmageddon, Mon Amour is the second album by the Swedish melodic death metal band Hearse.-Track listing:...
(2004) - The Last Ordeal (2005)
- In These VeinsIn These VeinsIn These Veins is the 4th album by the Swedish melodic death metal band Hearse.-Track listing:# "House of Love" - 06:07# "Corroding Armor" - 05:07# "Intoxication" - 03:28# "Naked Truth" - 04:04# "Crusade" - 02:56# "Among The Forlorn" - 04:24...
(2006) - Single Ticket To Paradise (2009)
Guest appearances
- Necrony — vocals on Pathological Performances (1993)
- BirdfleshBirdfleshBirdflesh is a Swedish extreme metal/grindcore band, formed in 1992. The lyrics, members' alter egos, and stage outfits focus on the humorous and absurd...
— Alive Autopsy/Trip To The Grave (2001/2004) - Manipulated Slaves — backing screams on The Legendary Black Jade (2002)
- Legen Beltza — vocals on Dimension Of Pain (2006)
- Synastry — vocals on track "Visions of Anger" from album Blind Eyes Bleed (2008)
- Oceans of SadnessOceans Of SadnessOceans of Sadness was a progressive metal band from Belgium.-History:Oceans of Sadness caught their first bit of attention in 1996 when one of their demos was chosen Demo of the Month in the Dutch metal magazine Aardschok ....
— on track "In The End" from album The Arrogance of Ignorance (2008)
External links
- Official Website
- Official Arch Enemy Website
- Encyclopaedia Metallum
- Interview with Metal-Rules, August 2004
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