Destiny (band)

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Destiny
Origin Gothenburg
Genre(s) Heavy metal
Years active 1982 - present
Label(s) Powerline Records
Website Destiny
Members
Stefan Björnshög
Michael Åberg
Birger Löfman

Destiny is a heavy metal / progressive metal band from Gothenburg, Sweden, founded by Stefan Björnshög. In 1982 Destiny, one of Sweden's very first real heavy metal bands first saw the light of day. Unlike the few other Swedish bands in the genre that were around back then Destiny still exists. Early influences included Black Sabbath, Savatage and Metal Church, but most of all Destiny have taken their influences one step further and added so much that the result is completely their own.

Contents

[edit] Biography

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Please improve this article if you can. (January 2007)

[edit] The Early Days

1980 The first incarnation of Destiny is formed in Gothenburg by bassist Stefan Björnshög together with guitarist John Prodén and drummer Peter Lundgren. The band only exists for a couple of months.

1981 Stefan Björnshög forms Refug together with Ulf Jenevall. The band’s history is short but intense. They break up as Stefan is summoned for military service.

1982 Stefan meets Magnus Österman, who is then the guitarist of Midnight. They decide to fire the other members and form the band Hexagon. They are joined by Björn Centergran /drums) and Therese Hanserot (vocals). When John Prodén joins them they change their name to Destiny.

1983 The first demo is recorded on a four channel studio. The resulting six track tape attracts some attention. The band makes their live debut at the R.P.M. Studio in Gårda, Gothenburg. During the fall Therese and Björn leave the band and are replaced with Håkan Ring and Peter Krigh.

[edit] "The Håkan Ring Era"

1984 Peter Krigh is replaced by Peter Lundgren behind the drums. New demos are recorded and the band signs a record deal with Musik Bolaget. Destiny do more and more live performances, including a show at a three day party arranged by MC club Hawks. The fall sees Destiny performing for the first time at a real rock club: the Octagon. The show is a sold out success. The media slowly awaken and there is an increase of Destiny coverage in the papers. At the turn of the year Destiny start recording their first album "Beyond All Sense" in Studio Bohus.

1985 The finished album "Beyond All Sense" is released in March. Destiny play legendary rock club Mudd Town in Gothenburg. Magnus Österman leaves the band and is replaced by Jörgen Pettersson, who is fired a couple of months later. During the fall the band writes new material and perform some more live shows. Jörgen Pettersson is engaged as a live guitarist and is soon given another chance as a permanent member. John Prodén drops out and is replaced by Gunnar Kindberg.

[edit] "The Zenny Gram Era"

1986 Jörgen Pettersson gets fired for the second time. Gunnar Kindberg leaves for Von Rosen. Jörgen Pettersson is given his third chance in Destiny. Floyd Konstantin, recently fired from King Diamond, enters Destiny as lead guitarist. New material is written, but soon Håkan Ring also leaves. Zenny Hansson joins the ranks of Destiny during the fall, and a new demo is recorded.

1987 The demo is greeted by brilliant reviews from all around the world and German company US Metal sign the band. Destiny play some shows around Sweden together with Maninnya Blade. Around the turn of the year the recording of "Atomic Winter" is commenced.

1988 The atmosphere in the band is increasingly strained, and soon after the album is finished Jörgen and Floyd leave Destiny. They are replaced by Gunnar Kindberg. Stefan manages to get in touch with Derek Riggs, the artist behind Iron Maiden’s record covers, who agrees to paint the cover for "Atomic Winter". During the fall Zenny and Stefan travel to Germany for a two week promotion tour. It is a huge success and Destiny get a lot of coverage in magazines, TV and radio before the release of "Atomic Winter". Most magazines reward the album with top grades. In prominent British hard rock magazine Kerrang it gets a KKKK½! The band play some more live shows in Sweden.

1989 New material is written and recorded as a demo. US Metal are amazed by the new songs, and ask Destiny to record another album. During the fall the Art Recording studio is hired and the recording of "Nothing Left To Fear" begins. Guitarist Knut Hassel joins the band but does not participate on the album.

1990 After a number of drum problems Peter Lundgren leaves the band halfway through the recording. US Metal are unhappy about the recording and refuse to pay the studio. Destiny sign a contract with British company Active Records. During the summer Ken Olsson remixes the album and Active are supposed to release it in October, but that doesn’t happen. Stefan Svensson becomes the new drummer in Destiny.

1991 Stefan Svensson is fired just before the shooting of Destiny’s first promotion video. The band offer Peter Lundgren to join for the shooting and later appoint him permanent member. "Nothing Left To Fear" is released in June. The album reaps mostly favourable reviews, but Active Records does not promote it in any media. During the summer Gunnar Kindberg leaves and is replaced by Bengt Olsson. The week before an important show with Savatage Bengt drops out and Destiny perform the show as a quartet.

1992 Bengt returns as guitarist in Destiny. The band performs a few shows, but after playing music TV station ZTV Zenny leaves to sing in a cover band.

1993 Destiny start looking for a new singer. However, Zenny promises to keep doing live shows until a sufficient replacement is found. After a performance at the Ed rock festival during the summer Peter also leaves the band. New material is written and recorded, sans vocals, for a demo.

1994 Håkan Svantesson, drums, joins Destiny. Finally a new singer, Daniel Heiman (later with Lost Horizon and the Heed), is found. Unfortunately he only remains in the band for a few months and three live shows. Through Daniel Destiny get in touch with StudiOmega and Christian Silver. Zenny gets to hear the new material and offers to write lyrics and to sing for a new demo. The result is very successful and Zenny, who now has changed his last name to Gram, rejoins the band.

1995 Jörgen Cremonese accepts the offer to produce the new album "The Undiscovered Country". Recording of the album commences in Studiomega during the summer. Håkan Svantesson leaves Destiny, but stays for the recording. During the fall the band looks for a new record deal, but nothing interesting emerges. Knut begins a collaboration with Peter Lundgren (7:th Planet).

1996 Zenny Gram gets an offer to sing with Treasure Land, and since Destiny is presently at rest, he accepts. The search for a satisfactory record deal continues, but for the time being the record companies are interested in nothing but aggro and death metal. Zenny begins recording the Treasure Land debut album "Questions". Bengt Grönkvist, who has made the lay out for all theDestiny covers, starts "The Official Destiny Home Page" on the Internet. Stefan temporarily leaves the world of commercial radio.

1997 Treasure Land release "Questions", but after only two live performances Zenny leaves the band. Stefan plans to start his own record company, but when new Gothenburg company GNW offer Destiny a deal, the band agrees to sign it. Since bands like HammerFall have become vastly successful, the metal scene seems to once again be ready for Destiny. Stefan initiate Rock Scene Göteborg to arrange monthly heavy metal shows, featuring Gothenburg bands, at Musikens Hus.

1998 Björn Öhrfeldt of Pagan accepts to be the live drummer of Destiny. In January the first Rock Scene Göteborg show is arranged. Stefan start the Internet-magazine RockZine to cover the Gothenburg rock scene on a monthly basis. Rehearsals with the new Destiny line-up commence and on May 22 (at Musikens Hus, Gothenburg) Destiny will be on stage for the first time since 1994. Gunnar Kindberg agrees to be a live guitarist with Destiny. "The Undiscovered Country" is set for a May/June release on GNW.

1999 Just a week before Destiny's concert with In Flames, in Gothenburg, Sweden February the 5:th, guitarist Knut Hassel decided to leave the band. Fortunately enough Pagan guitarist Anders "Fagge" Fagerstrand was available and after just two rehearsals with the band he was invited to replace Knut on a permanent basis. The concert, which was a success, was also the premier for the bands new drummer Tomas Fredén (now in Beyond Twilight).

2000 A turbulent year for Destiny. Former Biscaya drummer Birger Löfman joins the band. Gunnar Kindberg leaves Destiny to spend more time with his family concentrating on his work. Guitarist Niclas Granath, a friend of Tomas Fredén, joins Destiny. The recording of Future Of The Past starts. Fagge leaves Destiny as it was impossible to live 500 km away from Gothenburg and still be a member of the band. He still takes part of the recording of the album. Zenny get the basic tracks to work on the lyrics for the album. By the fall guitarist Janne Ekberg joins Destiny. The first recordings of Beyond All Sense 2005 starts. By the end of the year Zenny leaves Destiny as he no longer have the inspiration to keep going.

[edit] "The Kristoffer Göbel Era"

2001 The search for a new vocalist starts as well as more recordings for BAS2005. By the summer the band contacts Kristoffer Göbel and asks him to audition for Destiny. Unfortunately Kristoffer Göbel had just strained his voice and had to wait a couple of months for a proper audition. Kristoffer Göbel agrees to join Destiny as the bands new vocalist and immediately starts to work on the lyrics for Future Of The Past.

2002 Destiny completes the recording of Future Of The Past and the mixing takes place in Studiomega by Chris Silver. The bands debut gig is together with Dream Evil. Later the same year Destiny plays the Sweden Rock Festival. The search for a new record company starts. Kristoffer Göbel still in Destiny joins Falconer and records an album with them. Stefan becomes a father for the first time to a pair of twins, Felix and Nova.

2003 Destiny signs a new record contract with GMR. Future Of The Past is supposed to be released in October but is constantly delayed. Fatherhood takes up almost all of Stefan's time.

2004 In March Future Of The Past is finally released. The album gets lots of good reviews. A video is of the song Shadow Of The Rainbow is produced by Astronaut and Magnus Oliv. Destiny starts to play live again. During the summer Kristoffer Göbel gets ill and the band has to cancel some shows. Niclas Granath leavs Destiny. By the fall Destiny headlines the Pounding Metal Attack in Germany. Fredrik Olsson (Lost Horizon and Heed) helps out as a temporary live guitarist. This year also showed shows with Wold and Notre Dame. Beyond All sense is completed and once again the mixing takes place in Studiomega by Chris Silver.

2005 Stefan becomes ill and is out of action for the first quarter of the year. Beyond All Sense 2005 is released on May 11. Fredrik Olsson guests on two tracks. Michael Åberg (Nostradameus) replaces Niclas Granath. Destiny plays at Sticky Fingers and the Gothenburg Metal Festival. Janne Ekberg leavs Destiny during the fall.

2006 Pre production for the new album Cold Fire is interrupted when an offer to support former Black Sabbath singer Tony Martin on his Swedish tour. During these dates former member Floyd Konstantin returns to the band as a temporary live guitarist. After the tour Destiny plays Gothenburg Metal Festival as a four piece with Michael Åberg as the only guitarist. Kristoffer Göbel leves Destiny.

[edit] Current members

  • Stefan Björnshög - Bass
  • Michael Åberg - Guitar
  • Birger Löfman - Drums

[edit] Former members

  • Kristoffer Göbel: Vocals (On Future Of The Past, Beyond All Sense 2005)
  • Zenny Gram: Vocals (On Atomic Winter, Nothing Left To Fear, The Undiscovered Country)
  • Håkan Ring: Vocals (On Beyond All Sense)
  • Janne Ekberg: Guitar (On Future Of The Past, Beyond All Sense 2005)
  • Niclas Granath: Guitar (On Future Of The Past)
  • Anders Fagerstrand: Guitar (On Future Of The Past)
  • Thomas Fredén: Drums
  • Knut Hassel: Guitar (On The Undiscovered Country)
  • Bengt Olsson: Guitar
  • Gunnar Kindberg: Guitar (On Nothing Left To Fear)
  • Floyd Konstantin: Guitar (On Atomic Winter)
  • Jörgen Pettersson: Guitar (On Atomic Winter)
  • John Prodén: Guitar (On Beyond All Sense)
  • Magnus Österman: Guitar (On Beyond All Sense)
  • Håkan Svantesson: Drums (On The Undiscovered Country)
  • Peter Lundgren: Drums (On Beyond All Sense, Atomic Winter, Nothing Left To Fear)
  • Therese Hanseroth: Vocals
  • Björn Centergran: Drums

[edit] Guest musicians

  • Fredrik Olsson - Guitars (Beyond All Sense 2005)
  • Linus Wikström - Harmony guitar (Beyond All Sense 2005')
  • Mathias Rosén - Keyboards (Beyond All Sense 2005)
  • Mats Olauseon - Keyboards (Future of The Past)
  • Ken Olsson - Keyboards (Nothing Left To Fear, Beyond All Sense)
  • Henryk Lipp - Keyboards (Atomic Winter)
  • Daniel Heiman - Backing vocals (The Undiscovered Country)
  • Fredrik Johansson: Growl Vocals (Future of The Past)

[edit] Discography

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