Mikael Stanne
Encyclopedia
Bengt Mikael Stanne is the vocalist (previously rhythm guitar
ist) for the Swedish
melodic death metal
band Dark Tranquillity
and the ex-vocalist for Swedish power metal
band HammerFall
.
formed Dark Tranquillity because they were bored, along with interest in metal from their influences. He played guitar
on Dark Tranquillity's first album, Skydancer
, as well as on their early demos, including Enfeebled Earth released under the name Septic Broiler. In 1994, Anders Fridén
, Dark Tranquillity's original vocalist left the band to join In Flames
. Stanne then became the new vocalist and discontinued playing guitar.
In addition to his usual growling
vocals, Dark Tranquillity's 1999 album, Projector
showcased his operatic "clean" singing abilities. After Projector, however, the clean style was mostly abandoned until the release of Fiction
in 2007.
in 1993. Contrary to popular belief, Stanne was never an official member of In Flames; he did the session vocals as a "favor" to In Flames, who did not have a vocalist at the time.
In 2005, Stanne provided a clean vocal passage on the Nightrage
song "Frozen," alongside former At the Gates
vocalist Tomas Lindberg
on their album Descent into Chaos
.
In 2008, Stanne did guest vocals in the band Scar of the Sun, for one track only, which is named Ode To a Failure.
In 2010 Stanne guested on Solution .45
's debut album by contributing the lyrics for most of the tracks and providing vocals on the tracks "Bladed Vaults" and "On Embered Fields Adust."
In 2010, Stanne provided vocals in the song Weather The Storm by Insomnium
.
In 2010, Nightrage
released the song Gallant Deeds, an unreleased track recorded by Stanne from the Descent into Chaos
sessions. It is now available on the Nightrage re-issue Vengeance Descending
.
In 2011, Stanne appeared on the track Wastelands Within by Mourning Caress, for their album Deep Wounds, Bright Scars.
Rhythm guitar
Rhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
ist) for the Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
melodic death metal
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 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....
and the ex-vocalist for Swedish power metal
Power metal
Power metal is a style of heavy metal combining characteristics of traditional metal with speed metal, often within symphonic context. The term refers to two different but related styles: the first pioneered and largely practiced in North America with a harder sound similar to speed metal, and a...
band HammerFall
HammerFall
HammerFall is a power metal band from Gothenburg, Sweden. The band was formed in 1993 by ex-Ceremonial Oath guitarist Oscar Dronjak.- Early days :...
.
Dark Tranquillity
Stanne along with Niklas SundinNiklas Sundin
Niklas Sundin , is a musician best known as the guitarist of bands Dark Tranquillity and Laethora. He also wrote some of the lyrics for the first three and recent two Dark Tranquillity albums and In Flames' album The Jester Race, and...
formed Dark Tranquillity because they were bored, along with interest in metal from their influences. He played guitar
Electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
on Dark Tranquillity's first album, Skydancer
Skydancer
Skydancer is the debut studio album by the Swedish melodic death metal band Dark Tranquillity.It is Dark Tranquillity's only album that does not feature Mikael Stanne as primary vocalist, as Anders Fridén, later of In Flames fame, sang on Skydancer.The album was re-released in 2000 by Century Media...
, as well as on their early demos, including Enfeebled Earth released under the name Septic Broiler. In 1994, Anders Fridén
Anders Fridén
Anders Fridén is the vocalist/lyricist of the Swedish band In Flames-Early career:Fridén was originally the vocalist for Dark Tranquillity. He performed on their debut album, Skydancer, but left the band soon after. Two years later he joined In Flames...
, Dark Tranquillity's original vocalist left the band to join 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...
. Stanne then became the new vocalist and discontinued playing guitar.
In addition to his usual growling
Death growl
A death growl, also known as death metal vocals, guttural vocals, death grunts, and harsh vocals among other names, is a vocalisation style usually employed by vocalists of the death metal and black metal music genre, but also used in a variety of heavy metal and hardcore punk subgenres.Death...
vocals, Dark Tranquillity's 1999 album, Projector
Projector (album)
-Release history:-Dark Tranquillity:* Mikael Stanne − vocals, lyrics* Niklas Sundin − lead guitar; layout design, cover art, image editing* Fredrik Johansson - rhythm guitar* Martin Henriksson − bass guitar* Anders Jivarp − drums-Guests:...
showcased his operatic "clean" singing abilities. After Projector, however, the clean style was mostly abandoned until the release of Fiction
Fiction (Dark Tranquillity album)
Fiction is the eighth studio album by the Swedish melodic death metal band, Dark Tranquillity.The earliest release date for the album was set for North America on April 17, 2007....
in 2007.
Other projects
Stanne was the original vocalist for HammerFall from 1993 until 1996, after which he was replaced because he couldn't perform with HammerFall due to his commitment to Dark Tranquillity.Guest appearances
Stanne was a session vocalist for the Swedish, melodic death metal band In Flames, during their early career. He provided the lead vocals for In Flames' debut album Lunar StrainLunar Strain
Lunar Strain is the debut album by Swedish melodic death metal band In Flames. In this release, vocals were sung by Mikael Stanne, the vocalist of Dark Tranquillity, who was a session musician for In Flames at the time. The album is known for its "folky elements" with the inclusion of violins and...
in 1993. Contrary to popular belief, Stanne was never an official member of In Flames; he did the session vocals as a "favor" to In Flames, who did not have a vocalist at the time.
In 2005, Stanne provided a clean vocal passage on the Nightrage
Nightrage
Nightrage is a Greek/Swedish melodic death metal band formed by guitarist Marios Iliopoulos and his close friend Gus G. who later re-located to Gothenburg, Sweden.-Sweet Vengeance:...
song "Frozen," alongside former 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...
vocalist Tomas Lindberg
Tomas Lindberg
Tomas "Tompa" Lindberg is a Swedish musician who has fronted many heavy metal bands. He has been active as a musician and composer since the late 1980s. He teaches at a high school.-Career:...
on their album Descent into Chaos
Descent into Chaos (Nightrage album)
Descent into Chaos is the second full-length studio album by the Greek/Swedish melodic death metal band Nightrage. It was released by Century Media Records on 21 February 2005 in Europe, on 5 April 2005 in the US and by King Japan on 27 April 2005 in Japan...
.
In 2008, Stanne did guest vocals in the band Scar of the Sun, for one track only, which is named Ode To a Failure.
In 2010 Stanne guested on Solution .45
Solution .45
Solution .45 is a metal supergroup from Sweden and Finland, created by guitarist Jani Stefanovic . Their current lineup includes vocalist Christian Älvestam , guitarists Stefanovic, Patrik Gardberg and Tom Gardiner , bassist Anders Edlund , and...
's debut album by contributing the lyrics for most of the tracks and providing vocals on the tracks "Bladed Vaults" and "On Embered Fields Adust."
In 2010, Stanne provided vocals in the song Weather The Storm by Insomnium
Insomnium
Insomnium is a Finnish melodic death metal band from Joensuu, Finland. Their new album "One for Sorrow" was released October 2011. On September 9th, 2011 Insomnium released the music video Through The Shadows from their 2011 album One For Sorrow....
.
In 2010, Nightrage
Nightrage
Nightrage is a Greek/Swedish melodic death metal band formed by guitarist Marios Iliopoulos and his close friend Gus G. who later re-located to Gothenburg, Sweden.-Sweet Vengeance:...
released the song Gallant Deeds, an unreleased track recorded by Stanne from the Descent into Chaos
Descent into Chaos (Nightrage album)
Descent into Chaos is the second full-length studio album by the Greek/Swedish melodic death metal band Nightrage. It was released by Century Media Records on 21 February 2005 in Europe, on 5 April 2005 in the US and by King Japan on 27 April 2005 in Japan...
sessions. It is now available on the Nightrage re-issue Vengeance Descending
Vengeance Descending (Nightrage album)
Vengeance Descending is a double CD reissue by the Greek/Swedish melodic death metal band, Nightrage. It was released by Century Media Records on November 19th, 2010. The Sweet Vengeance disc features the bonus track "Gloomy Daydreams" which is a demo version from either their first or second demo...
.
In 2011, Stanne appeared on the track Wastelands Within by Mourning Caress, for their album Deep Wounds, Bright Scars.