The Bereaved

Swedish death metal outfit Bereaved first took shape in 1998 under the guidance of bassist Mikael Nilsson alongside guitarists Henrik Tranemyr and Johny Westerback. Persistent lineup instability, above all a rapid succession of fleeting singers, postponed any public exposure until 2003, when the group surfaced on a Blind Guardian tribute compilation. Westerback had by that point taken on lead vocals himself, and once drummer Tobhias Ljung locked into place the resulting four-piece cut the demo “Inverted Icons,” which secured a deal with Black Lotus Records. Their first full-length release, Darkened Silhouette, appeared in 2004.