METALLIAN - Morifade

May 20th, Anno 23

Possession Of Power - 1999 - Loud 'N' Proud
Imaginarium - 2002 - Hammerheart
Domi<.>nation - 2004 - Karmageddon
Empire Of Souls - 2011 - IceWarrior/Rock It Up

Members

Vocals

Christian Stinga-Borg - Savage Skull, Mind’s Eye, Cariese>>Stefan Petersson – Medow, Danger, Rising Faith>>KRISTIAN WALLIN

Guitar

Fredrik Johansson - Hipnos Kingdom, Devil’s Crown>>Jesper Johansson>>Devil’s Crown, Dawn Of Silence, Sadauk - Fatal Glory, Los Sin Nombre>>ROBIN ARNELL>>Los Sin Nombre, Prime Creation - Abemal, The Abyss, Nephenzy Chaos Order, Algaion, Hypocrisy>>MATHIAS KAMIJO>>Algaion, Hypocrisy, Prime Creation, Dead Earth

Bass

Thalion>>HENRIK WEIMEDAL>>Prime Creation

Drum

Sobre Nocturne, Nephenzy, Nephenzy Chaos Order, Devil’s Crown>>KIM ARNELL>>Nephenzy, Nephenzy Chaos Order, Devil’s Crown, Prime Creation

Keyboard

Solitude, Shape, Tad Morose>>FREDRIK ERIKSSON

History & Biography

This Linköping, Sweden-based band was formed as a fantasy heavy metal act in 1992. The band’s first demo was 1995’s The Hourglass. Fredrik Johansson sang and played guitar, while Jesper Johansson was also on guitar. Swedish label Loud ‘N’ Proud signed the band and released an EP, called Across The Starlit Sky, in late 1998. Christian Stinga-Borg was now on vocals, but left in 1998 due to a falling out within the group. The band’s debut full-length appeared on the same label a year later. Stefan Petersson was now singing. Fredrik was out.

The label issued an EP for the band in 2000, which was called Cast A Spell. The label and band parted ways. Imaginarium was on the Dutch label Hammerheart, which would later become Karmageddon. Domi<>nation was a concept based on 1984 by George Orwell and Brave New World by Aldous Huxley. Nonetheless, the group independently issued a video called Live At Storsjöyran in 2004. It marked singer Stefan Petersson’s departure.

Following 2005 demos the band would go into hiatus only to reappear in 2011 with Kristian Wallin on vocals and Kamijo on guitar. The group officially broke up in 2015 and Prime Creation was designated as the follow-up band.

Kim is Robin’s younger brother.

Reviews

MORIFADE - DOMI<>NATION - KARMAGEDDON/CANDLELIGHT
Keyboards do not belong to heavy metal. This is as simple a fact as blast beats do not belong to blues or growling vocals and lounge music do not belong to one another. It is a pity that Morifade chooses to cheapen its music with the keyboards. The band has good music and even better vocals. Furthermore, the album tackles the issue of mind control and submission to supremacy which in this day and age of intrusive governments and diminishing privacy is a timely theme. The band has written an album based on Aldous Huxley's Brave New World and George Orwell's 1984 (the biography mistakenly says H.G. Wells), which is worthwhile, but the label has not deemed it necessary to include a lyric sheet! Oh well, and back to the music, the band's approach is watered down, although good moments do exist. Tracks like Parallels and Cast A Spell sound like Hammerfall with synthesizers. Words I Never Speak sounds like something off a King Diamond album and the vocals on Dance With The Devil are stunning. Morifade has also chosen to include a cover version of Helloween's Judas. The choice is an interesting one given how Helloween's 1986 album, Walls Of Jericho, dealt with similar concepts as Domi<>nation, namely state control and lack of a free will.
Eliminate the keyboards and Morifade is a classy and stimulating heavy metal band. Keep the keyboards and Morifade is a wasted opportunity. - Ali "The Metallian"

Interviews

Morifade