Narnia (band)
Encyclopedia
Narnia is a Christian
neo-classical
progressive
power metal
band founded by guitarist Carl Johan Grimmark
and singer Christian Liljegren
. The band formed in Sweden
in 1996. Their album themes heavily reference The Chronicles of Narnia
by C. S. Lewis
.
, a town in the south of Sweden. At this time Liljegren and his band Modest Attraction were just about to release their first album, The Truth in Your Face. Grimmark was a member of a band named Sentinel. They remained in contact over several years, during which both had trouble with their bands. Modest Attraction produced its second album Divine Luxury in 1996, at the same time as Grimmark decided to leave Sentinel. Liljegren phoned Grimmark and asked him whether he was interested in working together on a project. Liljegren had a passion for melodic hard rock, which he was not able to explore in the band Modest Attraction. Grimmark was instantly interested in a project along those lines.
A few months later Liljegren called Grimmark again and told him that Modest Attraction would go on tour to Germany and the guitar player Stephan Mohlin could not accompany them. Thus Grimmark replaced Stephan. Stephan soon left the band all together, and Grimmark was asked whether he would like to become a full-time band member. Grimmark accepted, thus giving Liljegren and Grimmark time to plan their project. They took a few old songs from other bands and altered them to their own preferences. In September 1996 they went into the Top Recording Studio. Grimmark played all of the instruments and Liljegren sang. The recordings took several months. They had several guests on the album, including Jakob Persson, who later played bass in Narnia. Janne Stark
(Overdrive
, Locomotive Breath
, Baltimoore
) was responsible for a guitar solos and Mart Hallek played the violin.
In January 1997, the recordings was finally finished. After hard work the album Awakening was mixed.
Thanks to their manager Magnus Söderkvist their album was taken up by ten Japanese labels. Nine of these labels wanted to take Narnia under contract, finally Narnia decided for Pony Canyon
. In May, Liljegren and Grimmark went on their last tour with Modest Attraction. They met Matthias Mittelstädt, who possessed an enterprise named MCM Music. Mittelstädt, along with his brother, Rainer Matthias, loved the album and Mittelstädt became their manager.
With a demo in hand and new management, they began to search for talented new members and finally Narnia was born.
Subsequently the group signed with Nuclear Blast Records, and would release the albums Long Live the King
(1999), Desert Land
(2001), and The Great Fall
(2003) on that label. They opened once for Stratovarius
during this time.
A live-DVD and live album was released of their concert in Germany, both titled At Short Notice... Live in Germany
(2006). The following album, Enter the Gate
(2006), was released on MCM Music, as was the compilation album Decade of Confession
(2007).
On April 9, 2008, Narnia began recording their latest album. On April 29, Liljegren announced his departure from the band. On August 29, the band announced on their official MySpace that the new vocalist is Germán Pascual. Germán grew up in Rio de Janeiro/Brazil, but moved to Sweden in his teens. Previously he has worked with various bands and artists, such as Minds Eye and Mendez. Course of a Generation was released in Europe by Massacre Records on July 24, 2009.
On April 15, 2010 the band announced that they would be breaking up. On October 20, 2010 they anounced that they would hold two final concerts - one in Germany
, and one in Mexico
. Original keyboardist Martin Claesson rejoined for the final two concerts.
Christian metal
Christian metal, also known as white metal, is a form of heavy metal music usually defined by its message in a song's lyrics as well as the band's dedication to Christianity...
neo-classical
Neo-classical metal
Neo-classical metal is a subgenre of heavy metal music that is heavily influenced by classical music. It refers to a very technical performanceExact quote from the french text: "L'arrivée du néoclassique remet au goût du jour la virtuosité et le travail de l'instrument", « Les secrets du metal-...
progressive
Progressive metal
Progressive metal is a subgenre of heavy metal originating in the United Kingdom and North America in the late 1980s...
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 founded by guitarist Carl Johan Grimmark
Carl Johan Grimmark
Carl Johan Grimmark is a Christian guitarist born in Gothenburg, Sweden October 14, 1977. He has appeared with several influential Christian metal bands including Narnia, Saviour Machine, and Rob Rock. He recently joined the band Beautiful Sin in 2006. He also has been a special guest guitarist on...
and singer Christian Liljegren
Christian Liljegren
Per Christian Liljegren, is best known as the lead vocalist and primary lyricist for the Swedish Christian melodic power metal band Narnia.Liljegren is also the frontman of the metal bands Audiovision, Divinefire, Flagship, and Wisdom Call...
. The band formed in 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....
in 1996. Their album themes heavily reference The Chronicles of Narnia
The Chronicles of Narnia
The Chronicles of Narnia is a series of seven fantasy novels for children by C. S. Lewis. It is considered a classic of children's literature and is the author's best-known work, having sold over 100 million copies in 47 languages...
by C. S. Lewis
C. S. Lewis
Clive Staples Lewis , commonly referred to as C. S. Lewis and known to his friends and family as "Jack", was a novelist, academic, medievalist, literary critic, essayist, lay theologian and Christian apologist from Belfast, Ireland...
.
History
Liljegren and Grimmark met for the first time in 1993 in JönköpingJönköping
-Notable people:*Lillian Asplund, RMS Titanic survivor*John Bauer, illustrator, painter*Amy Diamond, singer*Agnetha Fältskog, ABBA*Carl Henrik Fredriksson, editor-in-chief and co-founder of Eurozine*Anders Gustafsson, kayaker, Olympian...
, a town in the south of Sweden. At this time Liljegren and his band Modest Attraction were just about to release their first album, The Truth in Your Face. Grimmark was a member of a band named Sentinel. They remained in contact over several years, during which both had trouble with their bands. Modest Attraction produced its second album Divine Luxury in 1996, at the same time as Grimmark decided to leave Sentinel. Liljegren phoned Grimmark and asked him whether he was interested in working together on a project. Liljegren had a passion for melodic hard rock, which he was not able to explore in the band Modest Attraction. Grimmark was instantly interested in a project along those lines.
A few months later Liljegren called Grimmark again and told him that Modest Attraction would go on tour to Germany and the guitar player Stephan Mohlin could not accompany them. Thus Grimmark replaced Stephan. Stephan soon left the band all together, and Grimmark was asked whether he would like to become a full-time band member. Grimmark accepted, thus giving Liljegren and Grimmark time to plan their project. They took a few old songs from other bands and altered them to their own preferences. In September 1996 they went into the Top Recording Studio. Grimmark played all of the instruments and Liljegren sang. The recordings took several months. They had several guests on the album, including Jakob Persson, who later played bass in Narnia. Janne Stark
Janne Stark
Janne Stark is a Swedish guitarist, writer and author.-Biography:Stark recorded his first 7" single with the band Paradize in 1979, then formed the band Overdrive in 1980. He released the 12" MLP Reflexions in 1981, after which the band was signed by Planet Records and released the albums Metal...
(Overdrive
Overdrive (band)
- History :The band was formed in 1992 by Dragan Midorović . The band performed as a cover band with various band lineups until the arrival of Damir Milutinov and Aleksandar Midorović , when they started writing their own material. The band released their debut album No More Words through the...
, Locomotive Breath
Locomotive Breath
"Locomotive Breath" is a song by the English progressive rock band Jethro Tull from their 1971 album, Aqualung. It is notable for a long bluesy piano introduction and its flute solo by rock flute virtuoso Ian Anderson...
, Baltimoore
Baltimoore
Baltimoore is a Swedish rock band, led by Swedish singer Björn Lodin. Lodin was originally approached by Elektra Records in 1987 to record a solo album, but Lodin opted to use the moniker Baltimoore rather than his own name....
) was responsible for a guitar solos and Mart Hallek played the violin.
In January 1997, the recordings was finally finished. After hard work the album Awakening was mixed.
Thanks to their manager Magnus Söderkvist their album was taken up by ten Japanese labels. Nine of these labels wanted to take Narnia under contract, finally Narnia decided for Pony Canyon
Pony Canyon
is a Japanese company, established on October 1, 1966 , which publishes music, DVD and VHS videos, movies and video games. It is a subsidiary of Japanese Media Group, Fujisankei Communications Group.-History:...
. In May, Liljegren and Grimmark went on their last tour with Modest Attraction. They met Matthias Mittelstädt, who possessed an enterprise named MCM Music. Mittelstädt, along with his brother, Rainer Matthias, loved the album and Mittelstädt became their manager.
With a demo in hand and new management, they began to search for talented new members and finally Narnia was born.
Subsequently the group signed with Nuclear Blast Records, and would release the albums Long Live the King
Long Live the King
Long Live The King is the second album by the Power metal band Narnia.Some versions of Long Live the King omit track 7 but some versions have a bonus track: "Star Over Bethlehem"...
(1999), Desert Land
Desert Land
This article is about the album by the band Narnia. For the Super Mario Bros. 3 World, see Super Mario Bros. 3.Desert Land is the third album by the Swedish Christian power metal band Narnia...
(2001), and The Great Fall
The Great Fall
The Great Fall is the fourth album by the Power metal band Narnia.This is the only Narnia album not released in Japan.-Track listing:#"War Preludium" - 1:41#"The Countdown Has Begun" - 5:12#"Back from Hell" - 7:31#"No Time to Lose" - 6:27...
(2003) on that label. They opened once for Stratovarius
Stratovarius
Stratovarius are a Finnish power metal band that formed in 1984. Since their formation they have released 13 studio albums and one live album. Along with Helloween, Blind Guardian, Rhapsody of Fire and Gamma Ray, Stratovarius are considered one of the leading groups of the power metal and symphonic...
during this time.
A live-DVD and live album was released of their concert in Germany, both titled At Short Notice... Live in Germany
At Short Notice... Live in Germany
At Short Notice... Live in Germany is the first live album by the Power metal band Narnia.-Track listing:#"Introduction" - 2:23#"Inner Sanctum" - 5:49#"The Mission" - 4:04#"The Countdown Has Begun" - 5:05#"Back from Hell" - 7:26...
(2006). The following album, Enter the Gate
Enter the Gate
Enter the Gate is a 2006 album by the Swedish Christian melodic metal band Narnia.-Track listing:# "Into this Game" - # "People of the Bloodred Cross" - # "Another World" - # "Show all the World" - # "Enter the Gate" -...
(2006), was released on MCM Music, as was the compilation album Decade of Confession
Decade of Confession
Decade of Confession is a compilation album by the Swedish Christian power metal band Narnia.- Disc 1 :#"In His Majesty's Service"#"Into This Game"#"Show All the World"#"Judgement Day"#"Innocent Blood"#"The Countdown Has Begun"...
(2007).
On April 9, 2008, Narnia began recording their latest album. On April 29, Liljegren announced his departure from the band. On August 29, the band announced on their official MySpace that the new vocalist is Germán Pascual. Germán grew up in Rio de Janeiro/Brazil, but moved to Sweden in his teens. Previously he has worked with various bands and artists, such as Minds Eye and Mendez. Course of a Generation was released in Europe by Massacre Records on July 24, 2009.
On April 15, 2010 the band announced that they would be breaking up. On October 20, 2010 they anounced that they would hold two final concerts - one in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, and one in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. Original keyboardist Martin Claesson rejoined for the final two concerts.
Current
- Germán Pascual - vocals (2008–2010)
- Carl Johan GrimmarkCarl Johan GrimmarkCarl Johan Grimmark is a Christian guitarist born in Gothenburg, Sweden October 14, 1977. He has appeared with several influential Christian metal bands including Narnia, Saviour Machine, and Rob Rock. He recently joined the band Beautiful Sin in 2006. He also has been a special guest guitarist on...
- 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...
, 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...
(1996–2010) - Andreas OlssonAndreas OlssonAndreas Passmark is a bassist. He is best known for playing bass in such bands as Narnia, Divinefire, Harmony and Rob Rock.-References:...
- BassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
(2001–2010) - Andreas Johansson - 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 ....
(1997–2010) - Martin Claésson (now Härenstam) - keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA 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...
(1997–2003, 2010)
Former
- Christian Liljegren - 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...
(1996–2008) - Jakob Persson - BassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
(1997–2001) - Linus Kåse - keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA 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...
(1999–2004) - Fredrik Junhammar - 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 ....
(1997) - Sonny Larsson - Backing vocals (1997–2000)
Original
- Christian Liljegren - 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...
- Carl Johan GrimmarkCarl Johan GrimmarkCarl Johan Grimmark is a Christian guitarist born in Gothenburg, Sweden October 14, 1977. He has appeared with several influential Christian metal bands including Narnia, Saviour Machine, and Rob Rock. He recently joined the band Beautiful Sin in 2006. He also has been a special guest guitarist on...
- 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...
, BassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA 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...
, DrumDrumThe drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
-Programming
Discography
- Awakening (19981998 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1998.-Events:*January 28 – "Weird Al" Yankovic gets LASIK surgery to cure his myopia...
) - Long Live the KingLong Live the KingLong Live The King is the second album by the Power metal band Narnia.Some versions of Long Live the King omit track 7 but some versions have a bonus track: "Star Over Bethlehem"...
(19991999 in music-Events:*January 7**After eight years of marriage, Rod Stewart and supermodel wife Rachel Hunter announce their separation.**Paul McCartney attends the first of his stepdaughter Heather's first housewares collection in Georgia....
) - Desert LandDesert LandThis article is about the album by the band Narnia. For the Super Mario Bros. 3 World, see Super Mario Bros. 3.Desert Land is the third album by the Swedish Christian power metal band Narnia...
(20012001 in musicSee also:* 2001 in music Record labels established in 2001-Events:*January 1**Comeback of Guns N' Roses in House of Blues**Hum disbands.*January 17 – Bass player Jason Newsted leaves Metallica after 14 years with the band....
) - The Great FallThe Great FallThe Great Fall is the fourth album by the Power metal band Narnia.This is the only Narnia album not released in Japan.-Track listing:#"War Preludium" - 1:41#"The Countdown Has Begun" - 5:12#"Back from Hell" - 7:31#"No Time to Lose" - 6:27...
(20032003 in music-January:* January – following an investigation by The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry and London detectives, police raids in England and the Netherlands recover nearly 500 original Beatles studio tapes, recorded during the Let It Be sessions. Five people are arrested...
) (Not released in JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
) - At Short Notice... Live in GermanyAt Short Notice... Live in GermanyAt Short Notice... Live in Germany is the first live album by the Power metal band Narnia.-Track listing:#"Introduction" - 2:23#"Inner Sanctum" - 5:49#"The Mission" - 4:04#"The Countdown Has Begun" - 5:05#"Back from Hell" - 7:26...
(20062006 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 2006.-January:*January 10 – Eric Burdon releases his album Soul of a Man and begins touring with a new band....
) - Enter the GateEnter the GateEnter the Gate is a 2006 album by the Swedish Christian melodic metal band Narnia.-Track listing:# "Into this Game" - # "People of the Bloodred Cross" - # "Another World" - # "Show all the World" - # "Enter the Gate" -...
(20062006 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 2006.-January:*January 10 – Eric Burdon releases his album Soul of a Man and begins touring with a new band....
) - Decade of ConfessionDecade of ConfessionDecade of Confession is a compilation album by the Swedish Christian power metal band Narnia.- Disc 1 :#"In His Majesty's Service"#"Into This Game"#"Show All the World"#"Judgement Day"#"Innocent Blood"#"The Countdown Has Begun"...
(20072007 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 2007.-January:*January 1 - George Shearing is knighted for services to music in the Queen's New Year Honours List. Evelyn Glennie becomes a Dame...
) - Course of a Generation (2009)
External links
- Official Narnia Myspace
- Narnia at Metal Archives
- Narnia at nolifetilmetal.com