Johan Patrik Mattias Liiva (born 18 November 1970) is a Swedish
extreme metal
Extreme metal is a loosely defined umbrella term for a number of related heavy metal music subgenres that have developed since the early 1980s. It has been defined as a "cluster of metal subgenres characterized by sonic, verbal, and visual tran ...
vocalist, most widely recognized as the founding vocalist of
melodic death metal band
Arch Enemy, as well as a former member of
Carnage, Furbowl and
NonExist. He is currently working as vocalist with
Hearse.
Personal life
Johan Liiva is married to Alexandra Adler, who is of Ukrainian origin. The wedding ceremony was held in Ukraine on 14 October 2015.
Career
Carnage
Johan Liiva formed
Carnage with his friend
Michael Amott in 1988, and appeared on two demo tapes "The Day Man Lost" and "Infestation Of Evil", but left the band before their debut album was recorded in 1990. He went on to form Furbowl as a guitarist/vocalist, with
Max Thornell
Max Thornell (born 1970) is a Swedish musician, most widely recognized as the drummer of Swedish death metal band Hearse.Hearse: Max Th ...
on drums. The band released their debut album ''Those Shredded Dreams'' as a two piece on Step One Records in 1992. The album also featured guest solos on two songs by
Michael Amott (who also produced the recording). Furbowl would add a guitarist, Nicklas Stenemo, and release their second full-length ''The Autumn Years'' in 1994 on Black Mark Production, but the project folded soon after.
Arch Enemy
After the demise of Furbowl in the mid 1990s, Liiva once again teamed up with
Michael Amott to form the band Arch Enemy in 1996. After releasing their first album ''
Black Earth'' in Japan that same year, the album became a success, receiving airplay on Japan's MTV Rocks! and in 1998 Arch Enemy were invited to tour Japan, and sign a new deal with
Toy's Factory records. Arch Enemy released ''
Stigmata'' worldwide in 1998, and the band toured for the first time. In 1999, the band released ''
Burning Bridges'', and ''
Burning Japan Live 1999
''Burning Japan Live 1999'' is a live album by the Swedish melodic death metal band Arch Enemy. Originally released in Japan only, the album was re-released worldwide in 2000 due to fan demand.
Reception
''Burning Japan Live 1999'' received mixed ...
'', the latter proved to be Liiva's last album with Arch Enemy.
After Arch Enemy
After parting ways with Arch Enemy in November 2000, Liiva went on to form the band
NonExist with guitarist
Johan Reinholdz (
Andromeda), and drummer Matte Modin (
Dark Funeral,
Defleshed). The band only released one album, ''Deus Deceptor'', in 2002 before parting ways.
Liiva soon formed the band
Hearse, with Mattias Ljung on guitar and ex-Furbowl bandmate
Max Thornell
Max Thornell (born 1970) is a Swedish musician, most widely recognized as the drummer of Swedish death metal band Hearse.Hearse: Max Th ...
on drums. The band have been very active ever since, releasing ''
Dominion Reptilian
''Dominion Reptilian'' is the first album by the Swedish melodic death metal band Hearse.
Track listing
# "Dominion Reptilian" - 03:50
# "Torch" - 04:43
# "Cosmic Daughter" - 04:14
# "Contemplation" - 04:43
# "Rapture In Twilight" - 04:53
# ...
'' in 2003 on
Hammerheart Records, ''
Armageddon, Mon Amour
''Armageddon, Mon Amour'' is the second album by the Swedish melodic death metal band Hearse
A hearse is a large vehicle, originally a horse carriage but later with the introduction of motor vehicles, a car, used to carry the body of a deceas ...
'' in 2004 on
Candlelight Records
Candlelight Records is a British record label based in England and founded by former Extreme Noise Terror bassist Lee Barrett, though it has had a division in the United States since January 2001. Candlelight Records specialises in black metal ...
, ''
The Last Ordeal
''The Last Ordeal'' is the third album by the Swedish melodic death metal band Hearse
A hearse is a large vehicle, originally a horse carriage but later with the introduction of motor vehicles, a car, used to carry the body of a deceased perso ...
'' in 2005 on Karmageddon Records, and ''
In These Veins
''In These Veins'' is the 4th album by the Swedish melodic death metal band Hearse.
Track listing
# "House of Love" - 06:07
# "Corroding Armor" - 05:07
# "Intoxication" - 03:28
# "Naked Truth" - 04:04
# "Crusade" - 02:56
# "Among The Forlorn" ...
'' on Dental Records in 2006.
Johan Liiva also was featured as guest vocalist on the Canadian Industrial Death Metal act Synastry's debut full length 'Blind Eyes Bleed' on the track 'Visions Of Anger' recorded in 2007 and to be released in 2008.
On 10 October 2015 in Japan Johan Liiva along with former
Arch Enemy guitarist
Christopher Amott were special guests and performed in Arch Enemy as the original band lineup. They played three songs such as ''"Bury Me an Angel"'', ''"The Immortal''" and ''"Fields of Desolation"''. ''"Fields of Desolation"'' was performed by both original and newest lineup.
Discography
Max and the Chainsaws
* ''Max and the Chainsaws 7" EP'' (1989)
Carnage
* ''The Day Man Lost – Demo'' (1989)
* ''Infestation of Evil – Demo'' (1989)
Furbowl
* ''Those Shredded Dreams'' (1992)
* ''The Autumn Years'' (1994)
Arch Enemy
* ''
Black Earth'' (1996)
* ''
Stigmata'' (1998)
* ''
Burning Bridges'' (1999)
* ''
Burning Japan Live 1999
''Burning Japan Live 1999'' is a live album by the Swedish melodic death metal band Arch Enemy. Originally released in Japan only, the album was re-released worldwide in 2000 due to fan demand.
Reception
''Burning Japan Live 1999'' received mixed ...
'' (2000)
* ''
Wages of Sin
''Wages of Sin'' is the fourth studio album by the Swedish melodic death metal band Arch Enemy. It is the first Arch Enemy album to feature the vocals of Angela Gossow. It is also the first album they use Standard-C tuning, which they still use ...
'' (disc 2) (2001)
NonExist
* ''
Deus Deceptor
''Deus Deceptor'' is the first full-length album by the Sweden, Swedish Death metal band NonExist.
Track listing
Credits
* Johan Liiva - Vocals
* Johan Reinholdz - Guitar/Bass guitar, Bass
* Matte Modin - Drum kit, Drums
2002 albums
No ...
'' (2002)
* ''
From My Cold Dead Hands'' (2012)
* ''Throne of Scars'' (2015)
Hearse
* ''
Dominion Reptilian
''Dominion Reptilian'' is the first album by the Swedish melodic death metal band Hearse.
Track listing
# "Dominion Reptilian" - 03:50
# "Torch" - 04:43
# "Cosmic Daughter" - 04:14
# "Contemplation" - 04:43
# "Rapture In Twilight" - 04:53
# ...
'' (2003)
* ''
Armageddon, Mon Amour
''Armageddon, Mon Amour'' is the second album by the Swedish melodic death metal band Hearse
A hearse is a large vehicle, originally a horse carriage but later with the introduction of motor vehicles, a car, used to carry the body of a deceas ...
'' (2004)
* ''
The Last Ordeal
''The Last Ordeal'' is the third album by the Swedish melodic death metal band Hearse
A hearse is a large vehicle, originally a horse carriage but later with the introduction of motor vehicles, a car, used to carry the body of a deceased perso ...
'' (2005)
* ''
In These Veins
''In These Veins'' is the 4th album by the Swedish melodic death metal band Hearse.
Track listing
# "House of Love" - 06:07
# "Corroding Armor" - 05:07
# "Intoxication" - 03:28
# "Naked Truth" - 04:04
# "Crusade" - 02:56
# "Among The Forlorn" ...
'' (2006)
* ''Single Ticket to Paradise'' (2009)
Guest appearances
* Necrony — vocals on ''Pathological Performances'' (1993)
* Birdflesh — ''Alive Autopsy/Trip to the Grave'' (2001/2004)
* Manipulated Slaves — backing screams on ''The Legendary Black Jade'' (2002)
* Legen Beltza — vocals on ''Dimension of Pain'' (2006)
* Synastry — vocals on track "Visions of Anger" from album ''Blind Eyes Bleed'' (2008)
*
Oceans of Sadness
Oceans of Sadness was a progressive metal band from Belgium.
History
Oceans of Sadness were featured in 1996 with a ''Demo of the Month'' in the Dutch metal magazine '' Aardschok'' .
They released their first album, ''For We Are'', in 2000. On ...
— on track "In the End" from album ''The Arrogance of Ignorance'' (2008)
* Betrayer – on track "In My Heart" from the album ''Too Loud'' (2013)
External links
Official website(archived)
Official Arch Enemy websiteProfileon
Encyclopaedia Metallum
Encyclopaedia Metallum: The Metal Archives (commonly known as Metal Archives per the URL or abbreviated as MA) is an online encyclopedia based upon musical artists who predominantly perform heavy metal music along with its various sub-genres. E ...
Interview with Metal-Rules, 2004
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Liiva, Johan
1970 births
Death metal musicians
Living people
Swedish heavy metal singers
Arch Enemy members
People from Helsingborg
Swedish people of Estonian descent
21st-century Swedish singers
21st-century Swedish male singers
Carnage (band) members