Nocturnal Rites

Originally formed under the name Necronomic, the Swedish group issued its first demo, The Obscure, in 1991. Over time the musicians gravitated toward the melodic British and Gothic metal sounds of their youth—Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, and Helloween—prompting a stylistic evolution that led to the adoption of the Nocturnal Rites moniker. The founding roster featured vocalist and guitarist Fredrik Mannberg, rhythm guitarist Mikael Söderstrom, bassist Nils Eriksson, and drummer Tommy Eriksson; the latter departed shortly afterward and was succeeded by Ulf Andersson. Following the circulation of another demo in 1993, Mannberg stepped away from lead vocals to focus exclusively on guitar, clearing the path for Anders Zackrisson to join as frontman. That configuration tracked the debut album In a Time of Blood and Fire for Megarocks in 1995, though inadequate distribution prompted the search for a more effective label. Söderstrom exited around the same period, and Nils Norberg arrived in 1996 to share lead-guitar responsibilities with Mannberg. Andersson’s departure in the summer of 1998, precipitated by a leg injury, brought drummer Ove Lingvall into the lineup. Century Media released the second album, Tales of Mystery and Imagination, later that year, while the follow-up The Sacred Talisman appeared in 1999 and introduced keyboardist Mattias Bernhardsson. In 2000 Jonny Lindkvist assumed lead-vocal duties, making his recorded debut on the Riot- and Rainbow-influenced Afterlife. New World Messiah surfaced in 2004 and was supported by a tour alongside Edguy and Brainstorm. The next year’s Grand Illusion showcased contributions from Jens Johansson of Stratovarius, Henrik Danhage of Evergrey, Kristoffer W. Olivius of Naglfar, and Stefan Elmgren of HammerFall. The 8th Sin, the band’s eighth studio album, arrived in 2007. More than ten years would pass before new material emerged; the single “Before We Waste Away” preceded the September 2017 release of Phoenix.