What is the deal with Sweden?

[chrisdoig24k]

Same for me, I live in Canada and I am a bit disappointed of the local scene. It happened many times in the past that I been hooked on a metal band and checking out the label : Finland or Sweden.

Im impressed by the talent out there...I hope it's not going to die soon.

SHAME! I love Canada

My big problem with Sweden is that there were a few bands that were doing original stuff back in the early days, but now, so much of it is absolutely completely derivative (if you hadn't guessed, I'm talking about the hyper-saturated melodeath market)

However, bands like Opeth, Dawn, Dissection and Edge of Sanity make it one of the best places in da world.

 

[Stilgar]

A drummer friend of my that loves meshuggah once told me: "You have to think that they have 6 months of winter, all they can do is to play this kind of music"
lol

Up in northern Sweden we don't even have 2 months of summer and the spring and fall are really short, so I guess that means the people living there basically have 10 months of winter.

 

[in_my_time_of_disease]

Any Swedes out there with a theory as to why their country is leading the way in terms of quality music...?

I'm just constantly amazed at how many great bands keep launching out of there. Dang, my newest fave is In Mourning, and of course I check the label and - yep - they're from some place called Falun, Sweden.

Just doing a quick IPOD search, and look what I find:
- Katatonia
- Anekdoten
- Shining
- In Mourning
- Opeth
- Meshuggah

Contrast that with Vancouver, Canada, where I come from.
Big city.
Lotsa cool music venues.
Yet, virtually no local talent crushing the world.
Yeah, we have Black Mountain. Devin Townsend. And, that's it.

What is the deal with Sweden?

Add Paatos and Cult of Luna to that list.

 

[Opethian Samurai]

Don't forget Lullacry..

 

[mexicola]

We have a horrible (but cool) english accent. That's why we make metal so people cant hear it.

Haha

 

[Serhan_pnr]

Some of you are onto the answer I think ...

One reason for the successful Swedish music scene is surely that there are plenty of possibilities to study music, and to learn how to play instruments from a very young age. Not only metal music, but also world known pop bands (ABBA, Roxette, etc) and producers (Max Martin + many more who produces songs for Madonna and Britney Spears among others). I'm not saying that they write good music, but they cash in some serious money ...

When it comes to the reason for the many metal bands that come out of here, I think it's quite simply what Stilgar said. Scandinavians in general are known for being melancholic, probably due to the long winters and many months of constant darkness. I'd be surprised if that hasn't got something to do with the often very dark/sad music produced in Norway, Sweden and Finland. The Danes are to close to the European continent, and enjoy fantastic beer in abundance, so apparently they are an exception ... = )

totally agreed

 

[akerfeldt.lover.nr.one.]

we drink a lot of alcohol.. then we get wasted and write cool riffs and stuff i dunno

 

[Vivören]

It's all in the climate. Just look at history.

The best and most heartfelt and emotionally engaging music has always been made where conditions and climate were shit: Detroit, Seattle, Birmingham, Manchester, Berlin, Sweden... the list goes on.

I mean, how many good bands have you heard from Buenos Aires? If you got nice weather and beaches, why stay inside and write songs?

 

[proggrl]

yeah but UK = 60 millions people
Sweden = 8 million

The ratio statistic is telling something here.

Yes, that UK is a bit bigger and the music there is so bad they spend their time screwing instead? Meanwhile, Swedes are out making and listening to awesome tunes!

They are masters of metal - but I always attributed that to the whole S.A.D. and a way to deal with the dark misery of 8 months of winter.

 

[Vivören]

8 months of winter

Pfft, motherfucker.

This year, we got NO months of winter. It barely dropped below zero, and I got no snow either. Motherfucking Al Gore might be on to something.

 

[aprez27]

more water for less people= more metal?

I think it's just less shit being crammed into your ears by radio stations and MTV...

 

[Stilgar]

Pfft, motherfucker.

This year, we got NO months of winter. It barely dropped below zero, and I got no snow either. Motherfucking Al Gore might be on to something.

As you know, Sweden is a pretty long country, stretched from north to south, so this is not true for all of Sweden. For example, in Northern Sweden it snowed last Monday. There were more than 5 centimeters of snow on the ground.

 

[Vivören]

North of Sweden doesnt count, that's Plupp Land.

South of Gävle is teh fucking shit and we have 25+.

 

[Vivören]