Mats Levén
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Mats Levén | |
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| Background information | |
| Born | Mölndal, Gothenburg on the west coast of Sweden. |
| Genre(s) | Heavy Metal Symphonic Metal Doom Metal |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals |
| Years active | 1986 - present |
| Associated acts | Yngwie Malmsteen Therion Krux Swedish Erotica Treat Abstrakt Algebra Dogface Pontus Norgren Fatal Force AB/CD At Vance Sabbtail Southpaw |
| Website | MatsLeven.com |
Mats Levén (born in Gothenburg, Sweden) is a prolific singer who has worked during the years with big names of the Swedish musical industry. His most notable recent collaborations have been with symphonic metallers Therion and doom metallers Krux. He is preparing a solo album that should be released some time in the next couple of years.
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[edit] Biography
Mats Levén started his career back in 1986 with a small band of friends, called Capricorn. Three years later, he joined chart-toppers Swedish Erotica, releasing an album and several singles.
The year 1992, found him collaborating with another Swedish well-known band, Treat with which he also released an album as lead vocalist and a single. In the mid 1990's he worked with Abstrakt Algebra (project band of Candlemass' bassist and composer Leif Edling) and did backing vocals for the band Lion's Share. He also joined an AC/DC cover band, called AB/CD, with which he keeps performing up to the present. In 1997, he teamed up with Swedish guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen, recording the album Facing the Animal and doing the promotional world tour for the named album, world tour which led to the release in 1998 of the album and DVD Live!!, featuring recordings from the shows. 1998 also found Levén collaborating with the project band Southpaw.
In 1999 came out yet another collaboration, this time with Pontus Norgren. A year later followed another project band called Dogface with which he released two albums. 2002 teamed him up again with Edling for a doom metal project entitled Krux. Another prominent collaboration came the following year when German guitarist Olaf Lenk asked Levén to join his band At Vance, as lead vocalist. He released two successful albums with At Vance, The Evil in You (2003) and Chained (2005). He also found time for recording an album with yet another project band, Sabbtail. The end of 2003 brought Mats Levén his most challenging offer ever, when Europe's biggest symphonic metal act, Therion, asked him to join them for the recording of their double album, Lemuria / Sirius B and also the one-year-and-a-half world tour to follow. Due to the successful collaboration between him and Therion the band has asked him to do lead vocals on their next album and world tour as well. The second half of 2005 has seen Levén working on a collaboration with drummer Snowy Shaw (Dream Evil, King Diamond, Mercyful Fate, Notre Dame) entitled S&M, which is most likely to be released sometime in 2008, and doing backing vocals for the new album of Swedish neo-classical metallers Narnia.
The first months of 2006 brought new perspectives for Levén: a special 5-song appearance on the Reflections of the Obscure album by Essence of Sorrow (new project band of guitarist Jani Stefanovic of Divinefire), lead vocals in another new project entitled Fatal Force (featuring Danish guitarist Torben Enevoldsen and drummer Daniel Flores) with whom he released a self-titled album in April 2006, and backing vocals for Swedish hard rock band The Poodles on their "Night of Passion" song, with which they won 4th place in the Swedish final qualifying round for the Eurovision song contest. He has also finished recording for the new Krux album which was released on October 18th 2006 and the new Therion album, entitled Gothic Kabbalah which was released on January 12th 2007. On December 9th 2006, Levén joined Therion in a special concert in Bucharest, Romania. It featured a full orchestra and choir as well as classical stars from Europe. The setlist included both Therion songs and famous classical pieces in Therion manner.
Starting from 2007, Mats shared vocal duties in Therion with Snowy Shaw and two female vocalists. One of them is Katarina Lilja who has also done vocals for the new album. The other one is Lori Lewis, vocalist of American band Aesma Daeva. After Graspop and Hellfest in June 2007, Mats ceased his collaboration with Therion to focus on his new projects. His place in the band was taken by Thomas Vikström. Mats recorded backing vocals for Apocalyptica's Worlds Collide album. He also appears on the Nuclear Blast 20-year anniversary compilation Into the Light, singing on the track Death is Alive. Currently Levén has involved himself in other projects: lead vocals for the upcoming trilogy based on the Holy Book by Israeli metal band Amaseffer and collaborations with Carl Westholm's band, Jupiter Society. He is also producing the upcoming Crucified Barbara album.
[edit] Discography
[edit] Bands/Projects
- Swedish Erotica - Swedish Erotica (1989)
- Treat - Treat (1992)
- Abstrakt Algebra - Abstrakt Algebra (1995)
- AB/CD - Cut the Crap (1995)
- Yngwie Malmsteen - Facing the Animal (1997)
- Southpaw - Southpaw (1998)
- Yngwie Malmsteen - Live!! (1998)
- Treat - Muscle In Motion (1999 - bootleg)
- Pontus Norgren - Damage Done (1999)
- Dogface - Unleashed (2000)
- Dogface - In Control (2002)
- Krux - Krux (2002)
- At Vance - The Evil in You (2003)
- Sabbtail - Nightchurch (2004)
- Therion - Lemuria / Sirius B (2004)
- At Vance - Chained (2005)
- Swedish Erotica - Too Daze Gone (2005)
- Fatal Force - Fatal Force (2006)
- Krux - II (2006)
- Abstrakt Algebra - II (recorded 1997 - released 2006 as Bonus CD with the re-release of Candlemass album Dactylis Glomerata)
- Therion - Gothic Kabbalah (2007)
- Amaseffer - Slaves For Life (2008)
[edit] Guest Vocals/Tributes
- Various Artists - A Salute To AC/DC (1999 - vocals on Riff Raff)
- Various Artists - Power From The North (1999 - vocals on Disciples of Hell)
- Various Artists - A Tribute To Grand Funk Railroad (2000 - backing vocals on Upsetter)
- Various Artists - The Spirit Of The Black Rose (2001 - vocals on Suicide)
- Various Artists - Bajen Forever (2001 - vocals on Victory)
- Various Artists - Blackmore's Castle (2003 - vocals on Space Truckin)
- Svullo - För Fet För Ett Omslag (2003 - vocals on 2 songs)
- Leif Edling - The Black Heart Of Candlemass (2003 - vocals on 6 Abstrakt Algebra demos including White Heat Red Hot)
- Various Artists - The Sweet According To Sweden (2004 - vocals on Sweet Fanny Adams)
- Audiovision - The Calling (2005 - lead and backing vocals)
- The Bear Quartet - Eternity Now (2006 - vocals on 2 songs)
- Essence Of Sorrow - Reflections Of The Obscure (2007 - vocals on 5 songs)
- Nuclear Blast Allstars - Into The Light (2007 - vocals on Death Is Alive)
[edit] Backing Vocals
- Lion's Share - Lion's Share (1994)
- Conny Bloom's Titanic Truth - Titanic Truth (1996)
- Lion's Share - Two (1996)
- Vildsvin - Iskallt Begär (1997)
- Zifa - The Last Dog (1997)
- John Norum - Slipped Into Tomorrow (1999)
- Jessica Folcker - Dino (2000)
- Alfonzetti - Ready (2000)
- Little Chris - At Last... (2002)
- Adam Thompson - Reconnected (2004)
- Gypsy Rose - Gypsy Rose (2005)
- Narnia - Enter The Gate (2006)
- Lion's Share - Emotional Coma (2007)
- Apocalyptica - Worlds Collide (2007)
[edit] DVD/Video
- Yngwie Malmsteen - Live!! (1998 - VHS)
- Yngwie Malmsteen - Live!! (2000 - DVD)
- Yngwie Malmsteen - Videoclips (2000 - appears on Alone in Paradise and Like an Angel)
- Krux - Live (2003)
- Monsters Of Metal - Live at Draken (2004)
- Therion - Celebrators of Becoming (2006)
- Candlemass - 20 Year Anniversary Party (2007 - appears on Black Dwarf)
- Therion - Live Gothic (2008)
[edit] External links
- Mats Levén Official Website
- Mats Levén Official MySpace
- Mats Levén Fanclub
- Krux Official Website
- Amaseffer Official Website
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| Therion |
| Members |
|---|
| Christofer Johnsson |
| Discography |
| Albums: Of Darkness... | Beyond Sanctorum | Symphony Masses: Ho Drakon Ho Megas | Lepaca Kliffoth | Theli | A'arab Zaraq - Lucid Dreaming | Vovin | Crowning of Atlantis | Deggial | Secret of the Runes | Live in Midgård | Sirius B | Lemuria | Gothic Kabbalah | Live Gothic |
| Compilations and box-sets: Bells of Doom | The Early Chapters of Revelation | Atlantis Lucid Dreaming | Celebrators of Becoming |
| Singles: "The Beauty in Black" | "The Siren of the Woods" | "Eye of Shiva" | "Wand of Abaris" | "The Wand of Abaris / Path to Arcady" |
| Demos: Paroxysmal Holocaust | Beyond the Darkest Veils of Inner Wickedness | Time Shall Tell |
