Grand Magus
A riff-producing, bottom-heavy trio based out of Stockholm, Sweden, Grand Magus delivers a punitive yet melody-driven blend of hard rock, heavy metal, blues, and doom built from the sonic imprint of bands like Black Sabbath, Uriah Heep, Deep Purple, Manowar, and Rainbow. After issuing a string of well-received yet commercially inert LPs, the band went widescreen in 2008 with the release of Iron Will, which topped numerous critics' year-end lists. Subsequent outings like Hammer of the North (2010), Triumph and Power (2014), and Wolf God (2019) continued to pair seismic stoner rock with anthemic, Norse-fueled power metal. 2024's Sunraven saw the band return to the heroic trad-doom style of their early days. The seeds for Grand Magus were sewn when Janne "J.B." Christoffersson (guitar/vocals), Mats "Fox" Skinner (bass), and Iggy (drums) began playing together as Smack in their native Stockholm circa 1996. By 1999, new drummer Fredrik "Trisse" Liefvendahl had joined up and a couple of praiseworthy three-song demos convinced the band to go pro and adopt a new name. Their choice, Grand Magus, was actually much more fitting with their sonic identity, which consisted of both '70s hard rock and stoner rock influences and drew the attention of Rise Above label boss Lee Dorrian. At the beginning of 2001, they entered the local Das Boot Studios with Dismember drummer Fred Estby acting as producer, emerging a few weeks later with a self-titled debut. The following year saw "J.B." begin fronting fellow Swedish stoner metal enthusiasts Spiritual Beggars, while continuing to make Grand Magus a top priority -- he would stay with the Beggars until 2010, when he was usurped by Greek vocalist Apostolos "Apollo" Papathanasio. Monument (2003) and Wolf's Return (2005) saw Grand Magus moving toward a more traditional heavy metal approach while retaining the groove-laden attack of their debut. Trisse left the fold the following year, making space for new drummer Sebastian "Seb" Sippola, who made his studio debut on 2008's acclaimed Iron Will. Having crystallized their signature "doom blues" sound, the band inked a deal with Roadrunner Records and issued their fifth long-player, the punishing Hammer of the North, in 2010. Sippola departed in 2012 to focus on family life and was replaced by Spiritual Beggars kit man Ludwig "Ludde" Witt. The band transitioned to Nuclear Blast in the same year and released The Hunt, followed by the majestic Triumph and Power in 2014. Sword Songs (2016), while still rooted in Norse fantasy metal, adopted a more muscular tone, a trend that continued with 2019’s pummeling Wolf God. Forced into lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Grand Magus headed into the studio and honed their epic heroic metal style to a sharp point. They emerged in 2024 with the potent and remarkably concise (just 35-minutes long) Sunraven.
© James Christopher Monger /TiVo
Artistas similares
Discografía
10 álbum(es) • Ordenado por Mejores ventas
-
-
-
-
Hammer of the North
Metal - Editado por Golden Church el 18-06-2010
Disponible en16-Bit/44.1 kHz Estéreo -
Grand Magus
Metal - Editado por Rise Above Records el 01-11-2001
Disponible en16-Bit/44.1 kHz Estéreo -
Triumph and Power
Rock - Editado por Nuclear Blast el 31-01-2014
Disponible en16-Bit/44.1 kHz Estéreo -
-
Iron Will
Hard Rock - Editado por Rise Above Records el 09-06-2008
Disponible en16-Bit/44.1 kHz Estéreo -
Wolf's Return
Rock - Editado por Rise Above Records el 02-04-2013
Disponible en16-Bit/44.1 kHz Estéreo -