Dismember (band)

Dismember
Background information
Origin	Stockholm, Sweden
Genres	Death metal
Years active	1988–2011
Labels	Regain Records Karmageddon Media Nuclear Blast
Website	www.dismember.se
Members
Matti Kärki David Blomqvist Martin Persson Tobias Cristiansson Thomas Daun
Past members
Fred Estby Sharlee D'Angelo Richard Cabeza Magnus Sahlgren Erik Gustafsson Johan Bergebäck Robert Sennebäck

Dismember was a Swedish death metal^[1][2] band that formed in 1988. They are well known in the death metal underground. They split up in October 2011.

History

The band formed in Stockholm in 1988. After a hiatus, during which several members joined Carnage, the band began recording in earnest in 1991 and released their debut, Like an Ever Flowing Stream in 1991. The album is today heralded as a milestone for the burgeoning Swedish death metal scene and established the band's fanbase, which was further bolstered by the controversy surrounding one song in particular, "Skin Her Alive." The song prompted an obscenity charge in the United Kingdom, against which the band successfully defended themselves.^[3][4]

In 1992, Dismember released the Pieces EP, and the following year continued with second full-length Indecent & Obscene which featured their song "Dreaming in Red"; the "Dreaming in Red" videoclip was shown in MTV's Headbanger's Ball. According to an interview with fellow Nuclear Blast group Benediction in metallian.com, Dismember and the said band got into a business dispute and eventually a fisticuff at this stage over tour arrangements and moneys owed.^{[citation needed]}

Like many of the other Scandinavian death metal bands, Dismember began softening their sound in the mid-1990s, with 1995's Massive Killing Capacity more melodic approaches, which had a good public response. Nevertheless, they attempted a return to style with 1997's Death Metal, which ultimately became a sales disappointment.

Dismember set a new path and signed for Karmageddon Records. In 2004, they released their sole album with that label titled Where Ironcrosses Grow which some thought sounds close to Hate Campaign and was inspired by Iron Maiden and Autopsy.

They switched record companies again in 2005, signing to Regain Records, which bought the rights to their earlier albums as well and released them as luxury digipak editions. In 2006, Dismember released their seventh album The God That Never Was continuing in the style of its predecessor. The band spent February on the road in Europe. In November 2006, Dismember toured Europe as part of the Masters of Death tour, with Grave, Unleashed, Entombed and Exterminator.

After the release of 'The God That Never Was' and some touring, Estby left the band "after long and careful consideration". In a posting on the official site on April 20, 2007, Estby cites the demands of touring and the needs of his family as key reasons for him leaving the band.^[5] His statements appears as "My decision to put my family in first hand makes it impossible to keep on touring and commit to the band full time. I want to thank all the fans, friends, bands and all the other cool people i've met through the years and I wish Dismember all the best in the future. Fred."

In April 2008, they released their eighth album, "Dismember".

Dismember released a two-disc DVD titled Under Bloodred Skies in late July 2009. The live concerts were filmed in the Netherlands and at the 2008 Party San Open Air Festival in Bad Berka, Germany. The DVD also included a documentary and interviews with band members. The cover art was created by Erik Danielsson of Trident Art.^[6]

Bassist Tobias Cristiansson has released the following statement: "After 23 years, Dismember have now decided to quit. We wish to thank all our fans for your support."^[7]

Discography

Demos

• Dismembered (1988)
• Last Blasphemies (1989)
• Rehearsal (1989)
• Reborn in Blasphemy (1990)

Full-lengths

• Like an Ever Flowing Stream (1991)
• Indecent & Obscene (1993)
• Massive Killing Capacity (1995)
• Death Metal (1997)
• Hate Campaign (2000)
• Where Ironcrosses Grow (2004)
• The God That Never Was (2006)
• Dismember (2008)

Singles and EPs

• Skin Her Alive (Single, 1991)
• Pieces (EP, 1992)
• Casket Garden (EP, 1995)
• Misanthropic (EP, 1997)

DVDs and videos

• Under Bloodred Skies (DVD, 2009)
• Live Blasphemies (DVD, 2004)
• Soon to Be Dead (promo)
• Skinfather (promo)
• Dreaming in Red (promo)
• Casket Garden (promo)
• Trail of the Dead (promo)

Final line-up

• Matti Kärki - Vocals
• David Blomqvist - Guitars
• Martin Persson - Guitars
• Tobias Cristiansson - Bass
• Thomas Daun - Drums

Former members

• Fred Estby - Drums
• Johan Bergebäck - Bass
• Sharlee D'Angelo - Bass
• Richard Cabeza(aka Richard Diamon/Daemon) - Bass
• Magnus Sahlgren - Guitar
• Robert Sennebäck - Vocals, Bass, Guitar
• Erik Gustafsson - Bass

Bibliography

• Daniel Ekeroth. Swedish Death Metal. Brooklyn: Bazillion Points Books, 2008.
• Mudrian, Albert. Choosing Death: the Improbable History of Death Metal and Grindcore. New York: Feral House, 2004.

References

1. ^ Mudrian, ch. 4, "Across the Open Sea," p. 102.
2. ^ Mudrian, ch. 6, "Mass Appeal Madness," p. 181.
3. ^ Ekeroth, chapter 3, "The Birth of Swedish Death Metal," p. 54-86.
4. ^ Mudrian, ch. 6, "Mass Appeal Madness," p. 181.
5. ^ Fred leaves Dismember - Official Statement
6. ^ DISMEMBER: DVD Artwork Unveiled
7. ^ http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=164728

External links

• Dismember on Myspace
• Dismember at WorldMusicDatabase