Soilwork

Soilwork is a Swedish melodic death metal band from Helsingborg, formed in 1995 and active since then. The group begins under the name Inferior Breed, founded by Björn Strid and Peter Wichers, before adopting the name Soilwork in 1996. The name refers to the idea of building from the ground up.

Style and early development

The band’s early sound draws on Pantera, Meshuggah and Carcass, and then moves toward a more melodic approach after the name change. Soilwork records the demo In Dreams We Fall into the Eternal Lake, which leads to contact with Michael Amott of Arch Enemy and then to a recording contract with Listenable Records.

Albums and career

Soilwork releases its debut album, Steelbath Suicide, in 1998. Line-up changes follow, including drummer Jimmy Persson being replaced by Henry Ranta and guitarist Ludvig Svartz being replaced by Ola Frenning. The band then tours in Europe.

The Chainheart Machine appears in 1999 and brings critical attention, leading to a contract with Nuclear Blast. During this period, the band tours with Cannibal Corpse and Dark Tranquillity. A Predator’s Portrait follows, widening its recognition within the melodic death metal scene alongside bands such as In Flames, and the band also plays Wacken Open Air.

Natural Born Chaos is released in 2002 and is produced with Devin Townsend and Fredrik Nordström. It supports tours in Europe and North America. Figure Number Five follows in 2003, continuing the band’s commercial growth. After further changes, Dirk Verbeuren becomes full-time drummer.

In 2005, Soilwork releases Stabbing the Drama, which charts in Sweden and Finland and enters the Billboard Heatseekers and Independent Albums charts in the United States. The band appears at Ozzfest in 2005. Later that year Peter Wichers leaves and is replaced by Daniel Antonsson.

Sworn to a Great Divide is issued in 2007, with international touring including a North American run with Lamb of God and Killswitch Engage. In 2010 the band releases the compilation The Sledgehammer Files: The Best of Soilwork 1998–2008 and the studio album The Panic Broadcast.

After Peter Wichers leaves again in 2012, Soilwork releases the double album The Living Infinite in 2013 and the EP Beyond the Infinite in 2014. Longtime bassist Ola Flink leaves in 2015 and is replaced by Markus Wibom. Dirk Verbeuren departs in 2016 to join Megadeth, and the band releases the compilation Death Resonance.

The eleventh studio album, Verkligheten, is released in 2019 and introduces drummer Bastian Thusgaard. The EP Underworld also appears that year, followed in 2020 by A Whisp of the Atlantic. In 2022, bassist Rasmus Ehrnborn joins officially and the band releases its twelfth studio album, Övergivenheten.

Line-up

Across its history, Soilwork includes Björn Strid, Peter Wichers, Carlos Del Olmo Holmberg, Henry Ranta, Ola Frenning, Ola Flink, Sven Karlsson, Dirk Verbeuren, Daniel Antonsson, Sylvain Coudret, David Andersson, Markus Wibom, Bastian Thusgaard, Taylor Nordberg, Rasmus Ehrnborn and Simon Johansson. Guitarist and songwriter David Andersson dies in 2022. Touring guitarist Simon Johansson, who has performed with the band since 2019, becomes a permanent member in 2023.