The Bloody Birth of Swedish Death Metal: The Chaos, Rivalries, and Legacy of Nihilist, Unleashed, and Entombed

The Birth of Swedish Death Metal

While death metal as a genre first emerged in the swamps of Florida during the mid-1980s, a distinct and raw variation developed in Sweden toward the decade’s end. Unlike the technical and precision-focused approach of their American counterparts, Swedish death metal bands crafted a sound that was primitive, crushing, and heavily distorted. Pioneered by groups such as Nihilist, Entombed, Unleashed, and Grave, this new movement would go on to define extreme metal for generations.

During this era, Swedish death metal became synonymous with a signature tone—one that featured down-tuned guitars, heavy distortion, pounding drums, and an undeniable sense of groove. Unlike the increasingly complex structures of American death metal, Swedish bands retained a straightforward yet devastating approach, which set them apart and gave the scene a clear identity.

The Influence of Nicke Andersson and the Formation of Nihilist

One of the most significant figures in the emergence of Swedish death metal was Nicke Andersson. At the time, Andersson was still a teenager, juggling multiple bands including a hardcore punk group called Brainwarp. Through underground tape-trading, he became one of the first in Sweden to hear early American death metal bands like Death, Possessed, Repulsion, and Autopsy. These influences profoundly changed his musical perspective, leading him to abandon thrash metal in favor of something darker and heavier.

“Once you hear a good thing, you want your friends to listen to it,” Andersson recalled. “We were among the first in Sweden to pick up on underground American death metal. Before that, we listened to any fast music—Slayer, D.R.I., Kreator, Sodom, Testament. But when we got into death metal, there was no turning back. Thrash metal seemed silly, music for wimps.”

Still a high school student, Andersson formed Nihilist in 1987. While the band started as an attempt to replicate American death metal, their limited technical abilities resulted in something unique—what would eventually become known as the Swedish death metal sound.

The Sunlight Studios Sound and the Rise of Entombed

Nihilist’s 1988 demo Only Shreds Remain introduced the now-iconic Swedish death metal sound. This was largely due to the production techniques used at Stockholm’s Sunlight Studios. Producer Tomas Skogsberg, alongside Nihilist guitarist Leif “Leffe” Cuzner, pioneered a heavily distorted, midrange-heavy guitar tone using the Boss Heavy Metal pedal. This gritty sound would become a defining characteristic of the genre, influencing countless bands to follow.

Despite Nihilist’s rising popularity, internal conflicts led to its dissolution in 1989. The primary dispute was between Andersson and bassist Johnny Hedlund, with tensions arising over creative control. Rather than work through their differences, the band abruptly split. However, just days later, Andersson and his remaining bandmates reformed under a new name: Entombed. Retaining the same lineup and aesthetic, they effectively continued Nihilist’s legacy without Hedlund.

Hedlund, left out of the reformation, quickly founded his own band, Unleashed. Determined to carve his own path, he adopted a more Viking-themed approach to death metal, a concept that would later influence bands like Amon Amarth.

The Golden Era of Swedish Death Metal (1989–1991)

With Nihilist’s breakup giving birth to both Entombed and Unleashed, the Swedish death metal scene exploded. 1989 saw Entombed release their first demo under their new name, followed by their groundbreaking 1990 debut album, Left Hand Path, on Earache Records. This album became an instant classic, showcasing their trademark guitar tone, eerie melodies, and a grim atmosphere.

Unleashed also found success, signing with Century Media and releasing their own debut album, Where No Life Dwells, in 1991. Around the same time, Grave and Dismember released Into the Grave and Like an Ever Flowing Stream, respectively—two albums that further solidified Sweden’s dominance in the death metal underground.

The Shift Towards Melodic Death Metal

By the mid-1990s, the raw and dirty Stockholm sound began to decline as new bands, primarily from Gothenburg, introduced a more melodic approach to death metal. Bands like At the Gates, Dissection, Dark Tranquillity, and In Flames emphasized harmonized guitar leads and cleaner production, creating what would later be known as the Gothenburg sound. While this style gained mainstream success, it marked a significant departure from the brutality of early Swedish death metal.

Meanwhile, Entombed experimented with their sound. Their 1993 album, Wolverine Blues, incorporated a rock ‘n’ roll influence, which led to their brief signing with Columbia Records. Although they achieved some mainstream recognition, they ultimately faded from the spotlight as nu-metal began to dominate the heavy music scene in the late 1990s. Dissatisfied with the band’s direction, Andersson left Entombed in 1997, later forming the rock-oriented band The Hellacopters.

The Legacy of Swedish Death Metal

Despite the scene’s decline in the mid-to-late 1990s, Swedish death metal never truly disappeared. Many of the genre’s pioneers, including Entombed, Grave, Dismember, and Unleashed, continued releasing records, staying true to their original style.

In the 2000s, Nicke Andersson made a surprising return to death metal with his project Death Breath, featuring guest appearances from members of Merciless and Repulsion.

Reflecting on the genre’s legacy, Johnny Hedlund stated, “We still play the same style 20 years later. We’ve grown up together, but we’ve never treated each other as competitors. It’s more like a brotherhood. We’ll probably still be here in another 10 years, playing the same music, in the same bands.”

The influence of early Swedish death metal continues to be felt today, with new bands adopting the raw Sunlight Studios sound and paying homage to the pioneers who shaped extreme metal history. Whether through classic albums or modern revivalists, the spirit of Swedish death metal remains as relentless as ever.