Steel (band)
Encyclopedia
Steel is a one-off power metal
project from Sweden
that featured Dan Swanö
and members of Opeth
. Started in 1996, this collaboration emerged during the recording sessions for Opeth
's Morningrise
album. During a jam session, when the band were soundchecking the drums, they hit upon an idea to record a short piece for fun, entitled Guitars and Metal. This gave birth to Steel. Subsequently, they were asked to record more songs and when they did, the songs which were originally meant for a demo, actually appeared on a limited picture 7" EP, entitled Heavy Metal Machine released by Near Dark Productions. To this date, it remains their sole record.
Featuring only two songs, Heavy Metal Machine sounds very much like a typical 80s power metal
band, with high-pitched vocals, shredding solos, pounding bass lines and even 80s-style sound effects (police sirens, etc). However, the record is not meant to be taken as a serious power metal attempt, explaining Swanö's extremely high-pitched vocals. As limited release, Heavy Metal Machine remains a collectors' item and is hard to come by.
Released on a limited edition 7" EP
The entire EP, along with one more song, Say Goodbye (to Love), was later released on the internet for free download.
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...
project from Sweden
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....
that featured Dan Swanö
Dan Swanö
Dan-Erland Swanö is a Swedish musician who is currently the vocalist, guitarist, ex-bassist and ex-drummer for the band Nightingale as well as the Owner of Unisound but he achieved fame as the vocalist and songwriter of progressive death metal band Edge of Sanity.As a multi-instrumentalist he is...
and members of Opeth
Opeth
Opeth is a Swedish heavy metal band from Stockholm, formed in 1990. Though the group has been through several personnel changes, singer, guitarist, and songwriter Mikael Åkerfeldt has remained Opeth's driving force throughout the years...
. Started in 1996, this collaboration emerged during the recording sessions for Opeth
Opeth
Opeth is a Swedish heavy metal band from Stockholm, formed in 1990. Though the group has been through several personnel changes, singer, guitarist, and songwriter Mikael Åkerfeldt has remained Opeth's driving force throughout the years...
's Morningrise
Morningrise
Morningrise is the second studio album by Swedish progressive metal band Opeth. It was released on June 24, 1996 in Europe by Candlelight Records and on June 24, 1997 in the United States by Century Black. The recording sessions took place at Unisound studio, in Örebro, between March and April...
album. During a jam session, when the band were soundchecking the drums, they hit upon an idea to record a short piece for fun, entitled Guitars and Metal. This gave birth to Steel. Subsequently, they were asked to record more songs and when they did, the songs which were originally meant for a demo, actually appeared on a limited picture 7" EP, entitled Heavy Metal Machine released by Near Dark Productions. To this date, it remains their sole record.
Featuring only two songs, Heavy Metal Machine sounds very much like a typical 80s 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, with high-pitched vocals, shredding solos, pounding bass lines and even 80s-style sound effects (police sirens, etc). However, the record is not meant to be taken as a serious power metal attempt, explaining Swanö's extremely high-pitched vocals. As limited release, Heavy Metal Machine remains a collectors' item and is hard to come by.
Heavy Metal Machine (1998)
- Heavy Metal Machine - 3:34
- Rock Tonite - 4:11
Released on a limited edition 7" EP
The entire EP, along with one more song, Say Goodbye (to Love), was later released on the internet for free download.
Line-up
- Dan SwanöDan SwanöDan-Erland Swanö is a Swedish musician who is currently the vocalist, guitarist, ex-bassist and ex-drummer for the band Nightingale as well as the Owner of Unisound but he achieved fame as the vocalist and songwriter of progressive death metal band Edge of Sanity.As a multi-instrumentalist he is...
- vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - Mikael ÅkerfeldtMikael ÅkerfeldtLars Mikael Åkerfeldt is a Swedish musician who achieved fame as the lead vocalist, guitarist and songwriter of progressive death metal band Opeth as well as the lead vocalist of death metal band Bloodbath. He was the vocalist and guitarist for the band Sörskogen and the guitarist of the band Steel...
- GuitarGuitarThe 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... - Peter LindgrenPeter Lindgren (musician)Peter Lindgren is a Swedish musician and songwriter. He is best known as the former guitarist of Swedish progressive death metal band Opeth...
- Bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - Anders NordinAnders NordinAnders Nordin is a Brazilian drummer , best known for his work with progressive death metal band Opeth.Nordin was asked to join Opeth by Mikael Åkerfeldt, having previously played with him in another death metal band, Eruption...
- drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....