Count Raven

Count Raven
Origin	Stockholm, Sweden
Genres	Doom metal
Years active	1989–1999 2003–present
Labels	Hellhound Nuclear Blast I Hate
Associated acts	Saint Vitus, Abramis Brama, Lord Vicar, Semlah
Members
Dan "Fodde" Fondelius Frederik Janssen Jens Block
Past members
Tommy "Wilbur" Eriksson Christer "Renfield" Pettersson Chritus Linderson

Count Raven are a doom metal band established in 1989 in Sweden.^[1] In 1990-1996 Count Raven released four studio albums, described as "classic" to the genre,^[2] then broke up in 1999.^[3] In 2003 the band reunited and in 2009 released their fifth album, Mammon's War, "timeless" and living up "to this outfit's reputation as doom metallers par exellence", according to Kerrang! magazine.^[4]

Band history

The band, formed in 1987 by vocalist Chritus Linderson, guitarist Dan Fondelius, bassist Tommy Erikkson and drummer Christer Pettersson, was called originally Stormvarning. In 1989 they changed their name to Count Raven.^[5] A year later, the group released its first album, Storm Warning, for the Hellhound label, which received great reviews from the European metal press (4 K's in Kerrang!, 10/10 in Rock Hard, 6/7 in Metal Hammer)^[6] Then Linderson left to join Saint Vitus (in 2007 he became the member of Lord Vicar), and Fondelius became the frontman, beginning with 1992's Destruction of the Void, released by Nuclear Blast Records^[1] to be declared 'Doom Album of the Year' by Rock Hard magazine.^[6] Third album High on Infinity appeared one year later, after which the band took a three-year break before returning in 1996 with Messiah of Confusion^[1] which dealt with the band's outlook on society and its dubious ways. "The album's name is our bass player's nickname, but when the album began to see the light of day, we thought the title was a good idea. There's a lot of 'messiahs of confusion' out there", drummer Pettersson explained.^[6]

In 1998 Count Raven broke up. Fondelius formed a new doom metal band Doomsday Government,^[2] Eriksson joined Semlah in 2001. In 2003 the trio reformed, broke up again in 2006 and revived instantly with Fondelius at the helm, Frederik Janssen (ex-Abramis Brama) on bass and Jens Block on drums.^[3] In 2009 Count Raven's fifth album Mammon’s War produced by Zeb King and released by I Hate Records came out, "a killer rebirth", according to Kerrang! which gave it a 4K rating.^[4]

Discography

• Storm Warning (Hellhound/Phantom Import, 1990)
• Destruction of the Void (Nuclear Blast, 1992)
• High on Infinity (Hellhound, 1994)
• Messiah of Confusion (Hellhound, 1996)
• Mammon's War (I Hate Records, 2009)^[7]

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} John Bush. "Count Raven". AllMusic. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/count-raven-p45126. Retrieved 2011-10-10. 
2. ^ ^{a b} "Mammons War". www.onemetal.com. http://www.onemetal.com/2010/01/07/count-raven-mammons-war/. Retrieved 2011-10-10. 
3. ^ ^{a b} "Count Raven". www.tartareandesire.com. http://www.tartareandesire.com/bands/Count_Raven/3974/. Retrieved 2011-10-10. 
4. ^ ^{a b} Olly Thomas. Kerrang! Magazine, #1308, April 17, 2010. Albums. Killer rebirth for Swedish Sabbath acolytes. P.54.
5. ^ "Count Raven". www.metal-archives.com. http://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Count_Raven/764. Retrieved 2011-10-10. 
6. ^ ^{a b c} "Count Raven". www.geocities.ws. http://www.geocities.ws/volosaty.geo/hmdb/c/count_raven.html. Retrieved 2011-10-10. 
7. ^ "Count Raven discography". AllMusic. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/count-raven-p45126/discography. Retrieved 2011-10-10.