Nocturnal Rites

Nocturnal Rites began life as the Swedish death metal outfit Necronomic, which released a demo tape titled The Obscure in 1991. Gradually, as the bandmembers realized they would prefer to play more melodic strains of the metal they had enjoyed growing up -- British and Gothic metal bands like <a href="spotify:artist:2tRsMl4eGxwoNabM08Dm4I">Judas Priest</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:6mdiAmATAx73kdxrNrnlao">Iron Maiden</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:4pQN0GB0fNEEOfQCaWotsY">Helloween</a> -- their own style shifted in that retro direction, and Nocturnal Rites was born. The original lineup included vocalist/guitarist Fredrik Mannberg, rhythm guitarist Mikael Söderstrom, bassist Nils Eriksson, and drummer Tommy Eriksson; Eriksson left quickly, however, and was replaced by <a href="spotify:artist:1zIuqrEfYW8OBjSnQ0uRBq">Ulf Andersson</a>, and in 1993, after a demo tape attracted some interest, Mannberg abdicated vocal duties to concentrate on lead guitar and make way for singer Anders Zackrisson. This lineup recorded In a Time of Blood and Fire in 1995 for the <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Megarocks%22">Megarocks</a> label; poor distribution, however, led the band to seek greener pastures. Söderstrom left the band at that point and was replaced by Nils Norberg in 1996, a guitarist talented enough to share lead duties with Mannberg. <a href="spotify:artist:0kV0e99xlTJcLKSu8KrLyp">Andersson</a> was forced to leave the band in the summer of 1998 due to a leg injury, and was replaced by Ove Lingvall. The group's sophomore album, Tales of Mystery and Imagination, was issued in 1998 by <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Century+Media%22">Century Media</a>; The Sacred Talisman followed a year later, featuring keyboardist Mattias Bernhardsson. 2000 found the band with a new lead vocalist, Jonny Lindkvist, who debuted that year on the <a href="spotify:artist:2TTfkn3oA5dSvqmvVxjUxR">Riot</a>/<a href="spotify:artist:6SLAMfhOi7UJI0fMztaK0m">Rainbow</a>-influenced Afterlife. 2004 saw the release of New World Messiah, which was followed by a tour with <a href="spotify:artist:3AGFqPP3gt5rMSvhR87Xxu">Edguy</a> and Brainstorm. The following year's ambitious Grand Illusion included guest spots from <a href="spotify:artist:731K8hmYLjjaLDXLuTaATP">Jens Johansson</a> (<a href="spotify:artist:1O8CSXsPwEqxcoBE360PPO">Stratovarius</a>), Henrik Danhage (<a href="spotify:artist:4S0foX2r0RlC12KBW8u73D">Evergrey</a>), Kristoffer W. Olivius (<a href="spotify:artist:1WV0pMUfO5UZ3MXfZrTohr">Naglfar</a>), and <a href="spotify:artist:7odIvU9cVpgP6vNfGYu7Vn">Stefan Elmgren</a> (<a href="spotify:artist:2o18h28enlHxj887tATc58">HammerFall</a>). 2007 saw the release of the band's eighth studio long-player, the aptly named The 8th Sin, but it would be over a decade before the band would release another one. In June 2017, the group dropped the single "Before We Waste Away," in anticipation of the release of their long-awaited ninth full-length Phoenix, which arrived later that September. ~ Steve Huey, Rovi