Lowrider

In the mid-1990s, Sweden's Lowrider formed when bassist/vocalist Peder Bergstrand and vocalist/lead guitarist Ole Hellquist recruited guitarist Niclas Stalfors along with drummer Andreas Eriksson. After the 1998 split-CD with stoner rockers Nebula, the group issued its first full-length album, Ode to Io, in 2000. Reviewers heaped both lavish praise and sharp criticism on the record, yet its strong songwriting was eclipsed by an unmistakable debt to desert rock pioneers Kyuss. That debate has therefore continued to haunt and shape the band's identity.