The Crown

Sweden's Crown emerged from the densely populated extreme music underground to claim a leading position among Scandinavian death metal acts during the middle and later years of the 1990s. Rather than introducing novel elements to the style, the group distinguished itself through steadfast dedication to unrelenting, high-velocity, Satan-centric death metal laced with thrash and punk influences. Following a series of notable releases such as Eternal Death and Crowned in Terror, the outfit disbanded in 2004 before resuming activity in 2010. In subsequent years the band has stayed active within extreme metal circles, issuing well-received albums including Death Is Not Dead in 2015 and Royal Destroyer in 2021 that maintain an unwavering brutal approach.

Originally operating under the name Crown of Thorns, the unit came together around 1990 in Trollhättan, Sweden. After several years of refinement, vocalist Johan Lindstrand, guitarists Marko Tervonen and Robert Österberg, bassist Magnus Olsfelt, and drummer Janne Saarenpää produced the 1993 demo Forever Heaven Gone. Österberg departed before the second demo, Forget the Light, with Marcus Sunesson stepping in on guitar; the improved recording secured a contract with Black Sun Records ahead of the 1995 debut album The Burning. That ferocious, melody-free collection of dark death metal destruction combined fresh material with reworked demo tracks and proved difficult for many listeners, yet it generated sufficient acclaim to earn a contribution to the Slayer tribute album Slaytanic Slaughter. Continued road work accelerated the band's development, resulting in 1997's Eternal Death, after which a Christian rock act sharing the Crown of Thorns moniker prompted the shortened name The Crown. Undeterred, the musicians committed to greater speed, aggression, and volume on their Metal Blade debut, 1999's Hell Is Here. Further European touring alongside Emperor and Morbid Angel led to a standout performance at Wacken Open Air. Buoyed by expanding support, the group quickly tracked 2000's Deathrace King, another high-speed metal onslaught featuring guest appearances by Impaled Nazarene's Mika Luttinen and former At the Gates vocalist Tomas Lindberg. After an extensive tour that included their initial American dates, founding singer Lindstrand exited. The vacancy proved advantageous when Lindberg joined as replacement; his established reputation and ferocious delivery propelled the band's progress and propelled 2002's Crowned in Terror into the upper ranks of extreme metal releases. The album surpassed prior efforts in both sales and intensity while balancing manic pace with sharper songcraft and clearer dynamic range. Lindberg's well-documented unreliability soon resurfaced, however, and he departed at the close of 2002, prompting a return by original vocalist Johan Lindstrand. Although he accepted the invitation, 2003's Possessed 13 revealed to many followers that much of the preceding fire and focus had vanished with Lindberg; the sixth album remained capable yet fatigued, striking some as a regressive move. This perception was borne out when the Crown announced their dissolution after losing enthusiasm for the project. The members regrouped in 2009, signed with Century Media Records, and issued their eighth studio album, Doomsday King, the following year. Marking their 25th anniversary, the band delivered Death Is Not Dead in 2015. In 2017 they returned to Metal Blade, issued the single "Iron Crown," and followed with Cobra Speed Venom in early 2018. Three years afterward they presented Royal Destroyer, their twelfth studio long-player.