Eldkvarn

Eldkvarn, a Swedish rock group whose history stretches across multiple decades, first rose to prominence in the mid- to late 1980s after launching in the mid-1970s and later reclaimed strong chart momentum following the millennium. The band took shape in Norrköping in 1971, built around Per "Plura" Jonsson on vocals and guitar (born 1951), Carl "Carla" Jonsson on guitar (born 1953), Tony Thorén on bass (born 1952), Werner Modiggård on drums (born 1952), and Claes von Heijne on keyboards (born 1957). Numerous other drummers and keyboardists rotated through the lineup across the years. Their recording career opened in 1974 with the album Elisabet, issued while the group still performed as Piska Mig Hårt. After adopting the Eldkvarn name they issued En Lång Het Weekend in 1976 and began registering regular entries on the Swedish charts in the early 1980s. Top 20 placements arrived with Genom Ljuva Livet (1981), Tuff Lust (1983), and Barbariets Eleganter (1984), after which Utanför Lagen became their first Top Ten album in 1986. Subsequent releases Himmelska Dagar (1987), Kungarna Från Broadway (1988), Karusellkvällar (1989), and Legender Ur Den Svarta Hatten (1991) also reached the Top Ten, as did the compilation Den Ånga Färden 1971-1991 that surfaced amid this streak. Momentum eased during the 1990s and early 2000s, accompanied by fewer new releases. Atlantis reversed the trend in 2005, peaking at number two and standing as the band’s strongest album to that point while setting up Svart Blogg, their first chart-topping effort, in 2007. Hunger Hotell followed in 2008 and likewise landed inside the Top Ten.