Marionette (band)
Encyclopedia
Marionette is a Swedish melodic death metal
band. They hail from Gothenburg
, Sweden, formed in 2005. The band achieved recognition from placing high, and often winning, many national and international music contests. Inspired by the Japanese visual-kei scene and the brutality of Swedish hardcore and metal, Marionette has brought new light to the metal genre. When founded in 2005, when the average member’s age was 16, Marionette quickly made a name for themselves in the Swedish metal scene by winning and placing high in many national and international music contests. In support of the EP, Terror Hearts -which was mixed and mastered by Fredrick Nordström (In Flames
, At the Gates
) – Marionette shared the stage with some of the world’s most renowned metal acts including: Machine Head
, Slayer
, Mastodon
, Meshuggah
, and Candlemass
among others.
In January 2008, Marionette recorded its debut album, Spite, with a series of up-and-coming as well as established producers in Swedish music: including Simon Exner (As You Drown), and two time Swedish Grammy winner Åke Parmerud. Spite was mixed and mastered by Christian Silver (Sonic Syndicate
). Mixing elegance, darkness, power, aggression, and speed, Spite, hit the metal scene with the power of an atomic bomb in April 2008, receiving raving reviews from mainstream and underground publications around Europe. The album was released across North America in September of the same year via France's Listenable Records.
Marionette made its debut European tour in October 2008 following an exclusive showcase at PopKomm in Berlin, augmenting the band's growing prominence in the European metal scene. Marionette then hit the road with Die Apokalyptischen Reiter
for the month long, critically acclaimed, Reiterfestspiele 2008 tour. On the back of popular support from the bands growing UK fan base and acclaim from Metal Hammer and Kerrang! magazines, Marionette did a short headline tour in the UK in January 2009. Marionette then joined the Deathstars
and Sonic Syndicate
for the Scandinavian dates of the Death Syndicate European Tour in February and March 2009. In April 2009 Marionette was invited to join the Deathstars
on the UK leg of its Night Electric Night Tour. Following the aforementioned tour Marionette began writing material for its second full length album Enemies.
In keeping with the approach established for Spite, Marionette assembled a production team for Enemies which included Pontus Hjelm (Dead by April
) and two-time Swedish Grammy award winning producer Åke Parmerud. Fredrik Nordström
(In Flames
, At the Gates
, Bring Me the Horizon
) and Peter In De Betou (Dimmu Borgir
, Meshuggah
) handled mixing and mastering duties respectively. "Enemies" was born to critical acclaim upon its European release in late 2009 and early 2010 in North America and Japan. Special recognition was given to the band’s aggressive sound, “stylistic depth”, “technical cohesion”, and an intrinsic ability to walk the line between relentless heaviness and commercial appeal (Kerrang! magazine). Heavy touring followed including Scandinavian dates with Five Finger Death Punch
and Shadows Fall
in November 2009 and European and UK tour with Blessthefall
. "Enemies" was nominated for a Swedish Metal Award in the category of “Best Death Metal Album” of 2009.
In July 2010 Marionette entered Studio Fredman with producer Fredrik Nordström
to begin recording the band’s as yet unnamed third album, the first to feature new vocalist Alexander Andersson who replaced vocalist Axel Widén (ZombieKrig) in spring of the same year. The band took a brief break from recording in fall 2010 to perform on its headlining The SlaughTour 2010 of the U.K and Denmark and to support fellow Gothenburgers Dark Tranquillity
for the final Scandinavian dates of its Where Death Is Most Alive Part II Tour. In November 2010 Marionette signed a worldwide publishing deal with Warner Chappell Music, only the third metal band to have signed by the company's Swedish branch (the other two being Meshuggah
and Sabaton
). In January 2010 Marionette toured Europe as direct support for the Murderdolls
. In February 2011 Marionette completed the mix of its third album at PH Studio in Gothenburg with Pontus Hjelm, who the band had worked with previously on the Enemies album.
In May 2011 Marionette announced they would tour Europe and the UK on "The SlaughTour 2011" with Swedish pop-metallers Dead By April. "The SlaughTour 2011" will hit Denmark, Netherlands, Germany, Austria, France, and the UK in October and November 2011. Marionette plans to perform material from their third album on all shows of the tour.
Melodic death metal
Melodic death metal is a heavy metal music style that combines elements from the New Wave of British Heavy Metal with elements of death metal. The style was developed during the early and mid-1990s, primarily in England and Scandinavia...
band. They hail from Gothenburg
Gothenburg
Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...
, Sweden, formed in 2005. The band achieved recognition from placing high, and often winning, many national and international music contests. Inspired by the Japanese visual-kei scene and the brutality of Swedish hardcore and metal, Marionette has brought new light to the metal genre. When founded in 2005, when the average member’s age was 16, Marionette quickly made a name for themselves in the Swedish metal scene by winning and placing high in many national and international music contests. In support of the EP, Terror Hearts -which was mixed and mastered by Fredrick Nordström (In Flames
In Flames
In Flames is a Swedish heavy metal band from Gothenburg, formed in 1990. Since the band's inception in 1993, they have released ten studio albums and one live DVD...
, At the Gates
At the Gates
At the Gates is an extreme metal band from Gothenburg, Sweden, and a major progenitor of the Gothenburg death-metal sound. Their early albums lean towards a death metal sound, but later albums sound more like melodic death metal.Initially active from 1990 to 1996, the band reformed in 2007 for a...
) – Marionette shared the stage with some of the world’s most renowned metal acts including: Machine Head
Machine Head (band)
Machine Head is an American heavy metal band from Oakland, California. Formed on October 12, 1991, the group was founded by Robb Flynn and Adam Duce. There have been 4 member changes since their inception. The current lineup of the band comprises Flynn , Duce , ex-Vio-Lence guitarist Phil Demmel ,...
, Slayer
Slayer
Slayer is an American thrash metal band formed in Huntington Park, California, in 1981 by guitarists Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King. Slayer rose to fame with their 1986 release, Reign in Blood, and is credited as one of the "Big Four" thrash metal acts, along with Metallica, Megadeth and...
, Mastodon
Mastodon (band)
Mastodon is an American heavy metal band from Atlanta, Georgia, formed in 1999. The band is composed of bassist/vocalist Troy Sanders, guitarist/vocalist Brent Hinds, guitarist Bill Kelliher and drummer/vocalist Brann Dailor...
, Meshuggah
Meshuggah
Meshuggah is an extreme metal band from Umeå, Sweden, formed in 1987. Meshuggah's line-up has primarily consisted of founding members vocalist Jens Kidman and lead guitarist Fredrik Thordendal, drummer Tomas Haake, who joined in 1990, and rhythm guitarist Mårten Hagström, who joined in 1992...
, and Candlemass
Candlemass
Candlemass are an influential Swedish doom metal band established in 1984 by Leif Edling , their leader and songwriter. The band is originally from Stockholm. After releasing five full-length albums and touring extensively throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, Candlemass disbanded in 1994, but...
among others.
In January 2008, Marionette recorded its debut album, Spite, with a series of up-and-coming as well as established producers in Swedish music: including Simon Exner (As You Drown), and two time Swedish Grammy winner Åke Parmerud. Spite was mixed and mastered by Christian Silver (Sonic Syndicate
Sonic Syndicate
Sonic Syndicate is a melodic death metal band from Falkenberg, Sweden. They are influenced by Swedish melodic death metal bands such as In Flames, Soilwork and metalcore bands like Killswitch Engage.....
). Mixing elegance, darkness, power, aggression, and speed, Spite, hit the metal scene with the power of an atomic bomb in April 2008, receiving raving reviews from mainstream and underground publications around Europe. The album was released across North America in September of the same year via France's Listenable Records.
Marionette made its debut European tour in October 2008 following an exclusive showcase at PopKomm in Berlin, augmenting the band's growing prominence in the European metal scene. Marionette then hit the road with Die Apokalyptischen Reiter
Die Apokalyptischen Reiter
Die Apokalyptischen Reiter is a Weimar, Germany based heavy metal band signed to Nuclear Blast in Europe and The End Records in North America...
for the month long, critically acclaimed, Reiterfestspiele 2008 tour. On the back of popular support from the bands growing UK fan base and acclaim from Metal Hammer and Kerrang! magazines, Marionette did a short headline tour in the UK in January 2009. Marionette then joined the Deathstars
Deathstars
Deathstars is a Swedish band from Stockholm that perform industrial and gothic metal. Formed in 2000, the group are noted for their dark horror-themed lyrics, pessimistic and misanthropic social commentary, distinctive trademark face paint, dark stage uniforms and physical appearances that...
and Sonic Syndicate
Sonic Syndicate
Sonic Syndicate is a melodic death metal band from Falkenberg, Sweden. They are influenced by Swedish melodic death metal bands such as In Flames, Soilwork and metalcore bands like Killswitch Engage.....
for the Scandinavian dates of the Death Syndicate European Tour in February and March 2009. In April 2009 Marionette was invited to join the Deathstars
Deathstars
Deathstars is a Swedish band from Stockholm that perform industrial and gothic metal. Formed in 2000, the group are noted for their dark horror-themed lyrics, pessimistic and misanthropic social commentary, distinctive trademark face paint, dark stage uniforms and physical appearances that...
on the UK leg of its Night Electric Night Tour. Following the aforementioned tour Marionette began writing material for its second full length album Enemies.
In keeping with the approach established for Spite, Marionette assembled a production team for Enemies which included Pontus Hjelm (Dead by April
Dead by April
Dead by April is a Swedish metal band from Gothenburg, formed in February 2007. The band consists of Jimmie Strimell, Zandro Santiago, Marcus Wesslén and Alex Svenningsson. They released their self-titled debut album in May 2009. In 2010 the two guitarists, Pontus Hjelm and Johan Olsson, left the...
) and two-time Swedish Grammy award winning producer Åke Parmerud. Fredrik Nordström
Fredrik Nordström
Björn Tom Fredrik Nordström, born on 5 January 1967, is a Swedish record producer and guitar player for the heavy metal band Dream Evil. Nordström is one of the leading melodic death metal producers in Sweden, and he has worked with some of the genre's top acts, including At the Gates, Arch Enemy,...
(In Flames
In Flames
In Flames is a Swedish heavy metal band from Gothenburg, formed in 1990. Since the band's inception in 1993, they have released ten studio albums and one live DVD...
, At the Gates
At the Gates
At the Gates is an extreme metal band from Gothenburg, Sweden, and a major progenitor of the Gothenburg death-metal sound. Their early albums lean towards a death metal sound, but later albums sound more like melodic death metal.Initially active from 1990 to 1996, the band reformed in 2007 for a...
, Bring Me the Horizon
Bring Me the Horizon
Bring Me the Horizon are a British metalcore band from Sheffield, Yorkshire, who formed in 2004. Bring Me the Horizon constits of Oliver Sykes as the lead vocalist, lead guitarist Lee Malia, rhythm guitarist Jona Weinhofen, bassist Matt Kean and drummer Matt Nicholls...
) and Peter In De Betou (Dimmu Borgir
Dimmu Borgir
Dimmu Borgir is a Norwegian black metal band from Oslo, Norway, formed in 1993. Dimmu borgir means "dark cities" or "dark castles/fortresses" in Icelandic, Faroese and Old Norse. The name is derived from a volcanic formation in Iceland, Dimmuborgir...
, Meshuggah
Meshuggah
Meshuggah is an extreme metal band from Umeå, Sweden, formed in 1987. Meshuggah's line-up has primarily consisted of founding members vocalist Jens Kidman and lead guitarist Fredrik Thordendal, drummer Tomas Haake, who joined in 1990, and rhythm guitarist Mårten Hagström, who joined in 1992...
) handled mixing and mastering duties respectively. "Enemies" was born to critical acclaim upon its European release in late 2009 and early 2010 in North America and Japan. Special recognition was given to the band’s aggressive sound, “stylistic depth”, “technical cohesion”, and an intrinsic ability to walk the line between relentless heaviness and commercial appeal (Kerrang! magazine). Heavy touring followed including Scandinavian dates with Five Finger Death Punch
Five Finger Death Punch
Five Finger Death Punch is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 2005, the group's name is derived from classic oriental martial arts cinema. The band originally consisted of vocalist Ivan Moody, guitarist Zoltan Bathory, guitarist Caleb Bingham, bassist Matt Snell,...
and Shadows Fall
Shadows Fall
Shadows Fall is an American heavy metal band from Springfield, Massachusetts, formed in 1995. They are one of the few contemporary metal bands who take their lyrical influence from Eastern philosophy and some references to the Rastafari culture...
in November 2009 and European and UK tour with Blessthefall
Blessthefall
Blessthefall is an American metalcore band from Phoenix, Arizona, currently signed to Fearless Records. The band was founded in 2003 by guitarist Mike Frisby, drummer Matt Traynor, and bassist Jared Warth. Their debut album, His Last Walk, with original vocalist Craig Mabbitt, was released April...
. "Enemies" was nominated for a Swedish Metal Award in the category of “Best Death Metal Album” of 2009.
In July 2010 Marionette entered Studio Fredman with producer Fredrik Nordström
Fredrik Nordström
Björn Tom Fredrik Nordström, born on 5 January 1967, is a Swedish record producer and guitar player for the heavy metal band Dream Evil. Nordström is one of the leading melodic death metal producers in Sweden, and he has worked with some of the genre's top acts, including At the Gates, Arch Enemy,...
to begin recording the band’s as yet unnamed third album, the first to feature new vocalist Alexander Andersson who replaced vocalist Axel Widén (ZombieKrig) in spring of the same year. The band took a brief break from recording in fall 2010 to perform on its headlining The SlaughTour 2010 of the U.K and Denmark and to support fellow Gothenburgers Dark Tranquillity
Dark Tranquillity
Dark Tranquillity is a Swedish melodic death metal band from Gothenburg. They are one of the longest-standing bands from the original Gothenburg metal scene, and are one of the most integral pioneers of the melodic death metal genre of music....
for the final Scandinavian dates of its Where Death Is Most Alive Part II Tour. In November 2010 Marionette signed a worldwide publishing deal with Warner Chappell Music, only the third metal band to have signed by the company's Swedish branch (the other two being Meshuggah
Meshuggah
Meshuggah is an extreme metal band from Umeå, Sweden, formed in 1987. Meshuggah's line-up has primarily consisted of founding members vocalist Jens Kidman and lead guitarist Fredrik Thordendal, drummer Tomas Haake, who joined in 1990, and rhythm guitarist Mårten Hagström, who joined in 1992...
and Sabaton
Sabaton (band)
Sabaton is a Grammis-nominated power metal band from Falun, Sweden formed in 1999. The band's main lyrical themes are those of historical wars. This is heard in albums Primo Victoria, Attero Dominatus and Coat of Arms where all of the songs, except final tracks, take inspiration from historical...
). In January 2010 Marionette toured Europe as direct support for the Murderdolls
Murderdolls
Murderdolls is an American horror punk supergroup, founded during 2002 in Hollywood, California. The band line-up consists of core members Wednesday 13 and Joey Jordison. Former members include Ben Graves, Acey Slade, Eric Griffin & Tripp Eisen....
. In February 2011 Marionette completed the mix of its third album at PH Studio in Gothenburg with Pontus Hjelm, who the band had worked with previously on the Enemies album.
In May 2011 Marionette announced they would tour Europe and the UK on "The SlaughTour 2011" with Swedish pop-metallers Dead By April. "The SlaughTour 2011" will hit Denmark, Netherlands, Germany, Austria, France, and the UK in October and November 2011. Marionette plans to perform material from their third album on all shows of the tour.
Current members
| Name | Instrument | Membership | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alexander Andersson | Vocals | 2010–present | |
| Mikael Medin | Bass guitar Bass guitar The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... |
2005–present | |
| Anton Modig | Guitar Guitar The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... |
2008–present | |
| Aron Parmerud | Guitar Guitar The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... , vocals |
2005–present | |
| Linus Johansson | Keyboard Keyboard instrument A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments... |
2005–present | |
| Jimmie Olausson | Drums | 2011—present |
Past members
| Name | Instrument | Membership | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|
| Axel Widén | Vocals | 2005–2010 | |
| Jimmy Olausson | Drums | 2005–2010 | |