Diabolical

Diabolical are a Swedish death metal group from Sundsvall, active since 1996. The band forms around Sverker Widgren, who starts the project late in 1996 and remains the only original member in the line-up given in the band history. The group is identified with black metal and death metal, and is also described as a Swedish death/thrash metal band.

Style and influences

Diabolical draw influence from established thrash and death metal bands including Dark Tranquillity, Death, Carcass and At the Gates. Their music develops within the Swedish extreme metal scene, with later recordings described as more aggressive and direct than earlier material.

Recordings

The band records its first CD release, Deserts of Desolation, in January 2000. In April 2001 it returns to the studio for Synergy, an album shaped by what the band presents as contemporary Swedish metal. A second full-length, A Thousands deaths, follows after the response to the debut album and is described as more aggressive and straight to the point than Synergy.

The third full-length, The Gallery of Bleeding Art, is released in November 2008 through ViciSolum Productions. Ars Vitae appears in February 2011 via Abyss Records. In June 2012 the band enters Necromorbus Studio in Alvik, Sweden to record its fifth album, Neogenesis, which is produced by Widgren.

Line-up

The line-up listed for the band includes Sverker Widgren on vocals and guitars, Carl Stjärnlöv on drums and guitars, Per Ivy on drums, Tobias Jansson on guitars, and Dan Darforth on bass and vocals. Former members named in the band history include M. Oedling on lead vocals, H. Carlsson on lead and rhythm guitar, and R. Persson on bass. The authoritative membership list also includes Magnus Ödling and Henrik Ohlsson.