Heavy Load

Heavy Load

Heavy Load is a Swedish heavy metal band from Stockholm. It forms in 1976 around the brothers Ragne Wahlquist, who sings and plays guitar, and Styrbjörn Wahlquist, who sings and plays drums, with bassist Michael Backlund in the original line-up. The group is active from 1976 to the present and is associated with heavy metal, metal and power metal.

Early recordings and releases

The band records its first album, Full Speed at High Level, in 1977, with the release following in 1978. By then Dan Molén is on bass. After the debut, the line-up expands to include Ex-Highbrow guitarist and Torbjörn Ragnesjö, a cousin of the Wahlquist brothers, replacing Molén on bass. This version of the band releases the EP Metal Conquest and the full-length albums Death or Glory and Stronger than Evil.

Band history

Heavy Load issues these records on its own label. Stronger than Evil includes a guest appearance by Phil Lynott on the track “Free”. The band builds a reputation in Sweden and also develops a following in Japan, but does not achieve a major commercial breakthrough. After a further single, “Monsters of the Night”, recorded in 1985 with bassist Andreas Fritz, the group splits up shortly afterwards.

Later activity and related work

In 1987, the Wahlquist brothers restart the band and record an album with former UFO bassist Paul Gray and guitarist Patrik Karlsson, although the album is not released. Later, Hammerfall record a cover of “Run with the Devil” and feature backing vocals from the Wahlquist brothers.