Mikael Stanne | |
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Background information | |
Birth name | Bengt Mikael Stanne |
Born | Gothenburg, Sweden | 20 May 1974
Genres | Melodic death metal, gothic metal |
Occupations |
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Years active | 1989–present |
Member of |
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Formerly of |
Bengt Mikael Stanne [1] (born 20 May 1974) is a Swedish musician, best known as the vocalist, primary lyricist and a former rhythm guitarist for the melodic death metal band Dark Tranquillity. Since the departure of original drummer Anders Jivarp in 2021, Stanne is the only remaining original member of the band. Stanne is also the vocalist for bands Grand Cadaver, The Halo Effect and Cemetery Skyline, which formed in 2020, 2021 and 2023, respectively. He was also an ex-vocalist for HammerFall and In Flames.
Stanne, along with Niklas Sundin, formed Dark Tranquillity because they were bored, along with interest in metal from their influences. He played guitar and performed clean backing vocals 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 Haven , however, the clean style was mostly abandoned until the release of Fiction in 2007.
Stanne is the vocalist for death metal band Grand Cadaver (formed in 2020) and for gothic metal band Cemetery Skyline (formed in 2024).
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.
Stanne is married to Pipsa Piipari since 1999. [2] The couple have one daughter. [3]
Lunar Strain is the debut studio album by Swedish heavy metal band In Flames, released in April 1994. The album is known for its "folky elements", with the inclusion of violins and acoustic guitars along with influences from black metal.
Dark Tranquillity is a Swedish melodic death metal band from Gothenburg. They are considered one of the pioneering acts of the Gothenburg metal scene, which also includes bands such as In Flames and At the Gates - regarded as the Gothenburg fathers in the film entitled Out of Nothing: A DT Documentary released by Century Media, which was filmed in their home town in April 2009. After a nearly three-decade long collaboration of four founding members frequent lineup changes between 2016 and 2021 have left only vocalist Mikael Stanne as an original member, together with long-time keyboardist Martin Brändström.
In Flames is a Swedish heavy metal band, formed by guitarist Jesper Strömblad in Gothenburg in 1990 out of the Swedish death metal scene. Their lineup has changed several times, with vocalist Anders Fridén and guitarist Björn Gelotte being the only consistent members since 1995. In Flames helped pioneer melodic death metal along with fellow Swedish bands At the Gates and Dark Tranquillity. As of 2008, has sold over two million records worldwide.
Damage Done is the sixth studio album by Swedish melodic death metal band Dark Tranquillity. Here, the band returns to a more classic style while holding the changes made in their albums Haven and Projector, especially in the keyboards, but this is the first record since The Mind's I that does not feature clean vocals. Martin Henriksson started doing some "lead guitar riffs" on the record, so the band showed influences from The Gallery in the duality of lead guitars. Mikael Stanne said that the lyrics on this album are about the frailty of life.
Haven is the fifth studio album by Swedish melodic death metal band Dark Tranquillity, released on 25 July 2000. This release is the first recorded as a six-piece, the first to feature Mikael Niklasson and Martin Brändström, and the first release with Martin Henriksson on guitar, switching from his previous position on bass.
Projector is the fourth studio album by Swedish melodic death metal band Dark Tranquillity.
Exposures – In Retrospect and Denial is the first compilation album by Swedish melodic death metal band Dark Tranquillity, that was released in 2004.
Pär Anders Fridén is a Swedish vocalist, best known as the lead singer of the melodic death metal band In Flames. He was also the vocalist of Dark Tranquillity and side project Passenger.
Lost to Apathy is the fifth EP by Swedish melodic death metal band Dark Tranquillity. It was released on 15 November 2004 through Century Media Records. All songs were recorded from the Character album, except the live version of "Undo Control" which is from the previously released Live Damage DVD. The album also includes the video for "Lost to Apathy", produced by Roger Johansson and a Dark Tranquillity screensaver.
The Gallery is the second studio album by Swedish melodic death metal band Dark Tranquillity, released on 27 November 1995 by Osmose. It was the first full-length release to feature Mikael Stanne on vocals, as he was previously the rhythm guitarist.
Nightrage is a Greek/Swedish melodic death metal band originally from Thessaloniki. They later re-located to Gothenburg, Sweden.
Skydancer is the debut studio album by Swedish melodic death metal band Dark Tranquillity. This release was the last recorded output to feature vocalist Anders Fridén, later of In Flames, who was fired and replaced by then rhythm guitarist, Mikael Stanne. Incidentally, Mikael Stanne was the lead vocalist on the first In Flames studio album, Lunar Strain.
Of Chaos and Eternal Night is the second EP by Swedish melodic death metal band Dark Tranquillity. It is the first studio recording by the band featuring Mikael Stanne as the lead vocalist, who switched from playing rhythm guitar to singing after the firing of original vocalist Anders Friden. Consequently, it is also the band’s first studio recording to feature Fredrik Johansson on rhythm guitar. The EP would be Dark Tranquillity’s final release with Spinefarm Records, whose contract with the band expired after its release. The album is made up of three newly-written songs, as well as a new version of the song “Alone” from their debut album Skydancer with re-recorded vocals by Stanne.
Niklas Sundin is a Swedish musician, best known as a founding member and former lead guitarist of the melodic death metal band Dark Tranquillity from 1989–2020. In 2019, he founded his own band called Mitochondrial Sun, which has released two full-length studio albums to date. He was also one of the guitarists in Laethora from 2005–2010.
Björn Tom Fredrik Nordström is a Swedish musician and record producer, best known as the guitarist of heavy metal band Dream Evil. Nordström is one of the leading melodic death metal and power metal producers in Sweden and has worked with some of said genres' top acts, including At the Gates, Arch Enemy, Nightrage, Dark Tranquillity, In Flames, Soilwork, Opeth, and Powerwolf.
Fiction is the eighth studio album by Swedish melodic death metal band Dark Tranquillity. It was released by Napalm Records on 19 April 2007, and by Century Media in the UK on 23 April, and in the US on 24 April.
Fredrik Johansson was a Swedish guitarist.
For Aeons Past is the debut studio album by Swedish metal band Solution .45. It was released in Europe on 24 March 2010 and in North America on 11 May 2010. On 15 February 2010, Solution .45 released the track "Gravitational Lensing" for free download.
Vengeance Descending is a double CD reissue by the Greek/Swedish melodic death metal band, Nightrage. It was released by Century Media Records on 19 November 2010. The Sweet Vengeance disc features the bonus track "Gloomy Daydreams" which is a demo version from either their first or second demo which was only for Japanese releases. The Descent into Chaos disc features the song "Black Skies" which was also the Japanese bonus track for that album. This disc also comes with the previously unreleased track "Gallant Deeds" which was sung entirely by Mikael Stanne.
The Halo Effect is a Swedish melodic death metal band formed by former members of In Flames. They are signed to the Nuclear Blast label.