Zonaria is a
melodic death metal
Melodic death metal (also referred to as melodeath) is a subgenre of death metal that employs highly melodic guitar riffs, often borrowing from traditional heavy metal (including New Wave of British Heavy Metal). The genre features the heavines ...
band from
Umeå
Umeå ( , , , locally ; South Westrobothnian: ;). fi, Uumaja; sju, Ubmeje; sma, Upmeje; se, Ubmi) is a city in northeast Sweden. It is the seat of Umeå Municipality and the capital of Västerbotten County.
Situated on the Ume River, Umeà ...
, Sweden, formerly known as Seal Precious. The band is currently signed to
Century Media Records
Century Media Records is a heavy metal record label with offices in the United States, Germany and London. In August 2015, Century Media was acquired by Sony Music for US$17 million.
Background
Century Media was founded by Robert Kampf and Oli ...
.
Background
Formed in 2001 by Simon Berglund, Christoffer Vikström, and Mikael Hammarberg, the band originally went under the name Seal Precious. Initially the band's style was
power metal
Power metal is a subgenre of heavy metal combining characteristics of traditional heavy metal with speed metal, often within symphonic context. Generally, power metal is characterized by a faster, lighter, and more uplifting sound, in contra ...
, with clean vocals. Several line-up changes prevented the band from recording, but after 2003, with the addition of second guitarist, Emil Nyström, and the band's name changed to Zonaria, they spent two years playing gigs in and around Umeå before recording and releasing, in 2005, what would be ''
Evolution Overdose''.
New material and touring
In the spring of 2006, Zonaria recorded the CD single "
Rendered in Vain" (and later shot a video for it). After that, Zonaria toured outside of Sweden, opening for
Finnish
Finnish may refer to:
* Something or someone from, or related to Finland
* Culture of Finland
* Finnish people or Finns, the primary ethnic group in Finland
* Finnish language, the national language of the Finnish people
* Finnish cuisine
See also ...
black metal
Black metal is an extreme metal, extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include Tempo#Beats per minute, fast tempos, a Screaming (music)#Black metal, shrieking vocal style, heavily distorted Electric guitar, guitars played with t ...
band
Impaled Nazarene on a European tour. In October, Zonaria announced they had signed a record deal with
Swedmetal Records to release "Rendered in Vain"; later, the song was included in the video game ''
The Darkness''.
Record label and debut album
In November 2006, Pivotal Rockordings signed Zonaria, and soon after, the band entered Black Lounge Studios with Per Nilsson and Jonas Kjellgren of
Scar Symmetry
Scar Symmetry is a Swedish melodic death metal band from Avesta, formed in 2004. The band has released six albums, with seven released singles. They are signed to Nuclear Blast Records.
History
Formation and ''Symmetric in Design'' (2004−200 ...
to begin recording their debut album; ''
Infamy and the Breed'' which was released September 2007.
In late July, bassist Jerry Ekman announced his departure and was replaced by Markus Ã…kebo. The band shot a video for the lead single, "The Armageddon Anthem," then toured much of Europe in the beginning of 2008 opening up for
Marduk
Marduk (Cuneiform: dAMAR.UTU; Sumerian: ''amar utu.k'' "calf of the sun; solar calf"; ) was a god from ancient Mesopotamia and patron deity of the city of Babylon. When Babylon became the political center of the Euphrates valley in the time of ...
.
Century Media and beyond
On 8 June 2008, Zonaria announce that they had signed a deal with
Century Media Records
Century Media Records is a heavy metal record label with offices in the United States, Germany and London. In August 2015, Century Media was acquired by Sony Music for US$17 million.
Background
Century Media was founded by Robert Kampf and Oli ...
. They toured Europe in support of the new album with
Satyricon
The ''Satyricon'', ''Satyricon'' ''liber'' (''The Book of Satyrlike Adventures''), or ''Satyrica'', is a Latin work of fiction believed to have been written by Gaius Petronius, though the manuscript tradition identifies the author as Titus Petro ...
and then joined
Vader and
Septic Flesh
Septicflesh (formerly known as Septic Flesh) are a Greek death metal band from Athens, founded in 1990.
History
Septicflesh were formed in Athens in March 1990 by Sotiris Vayenas (guitar), Spiros Antoniou (bass and vocals), and Christos Anto ...
throughout November and December 2008 as part of Vader's 25th anniversary tour. Their new album, ''
The Cancer Empire'', was released on 17 October 2008, was produced by
Fredrik Nordström
Björn Tom Fredrik Nordström (born 5 January 1967) 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 ...
at
Studio Fredman.
They are currently writing for their new album. On 16 January it was announced that Zonaria would support Dark Funeral on their Declaration of Hate tour through mainland UK and Europe in March/April 2010.
In early 2011, bassist Markus Ã…kebo left the band, and was replaced by Max Malmer (formerly of Swedish death metal band Death Maze) on a sessional basis. Later, an announcement was made that guitarist Caleb Bingham (ex-
Five Finger Death Punch
Five Finger Death Punch, also abbreviated as 5FDP or FFDP, is an American heavy metal band from Las Vegas, Nevada, formed in 2005. The band originally consisted of vocalist and keyboardist Ivan Moody, rhythm guitarist Zoltan Bathory, lead gui ...
) had been hired on a sessional basis to allow Simon Berglund to concentrate on singing. In May 2011 the band announced that session bassist Max Malmer will join as permanent band member. In the summer of 2012 the band released their third album Arrival Of The Red Sun. On 30 November 2012 it was reported on Zonaria's
Facebook
Facebook is an online social media and social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. Founded in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with fellow Harvard College students and roommates Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin M ...
page that guitarist Emil Nyström and drummer Emanuel Isaksson had departed from the band.
In 2013, drummer Rickard Lundmark joined Zonaria. Also, it was announced that Bingham had relocated to Sweden and had joined Zonaria permanently as lead guitarist.
In the late fall of 2013 it became apparent that Caleb Bingham had become indebted by the Swedish state and could no longer stay in Sweden. This in turn led to Zonaria parting ways with him in March 2014. He has since been replaced with Sebastian Westermark.
Members
Current members
*Simon Berglund – lead vocals (2001 – present), guitar (2001–2011, 2012–present)
*Max Malmer – bass, backing vocals (2011–present; session member 2010–2011)
*Rickard Lundmark – drums (2013–Present)
*Sebastian Westermark – guitar (2014–present)
Former members
*Christoffer Vikström – bass (2001–2003)
*Emil Nyström – guitar, backing vocals (2003–2012)
*Emanuel Isaksson – drums (2005–2012)
*Mikael Hammarberg – vocals (2001–2004)
*Claes-Göran Nydahl – drums (2001–2003)
*Niklas Lindroth – drums (2003–2004)
*Johan Aronsson – keyboards (2003–2004)
*Simon Carlén – drums (2004–2005)
*Karl Flodin – bass (2003–2005)
*Jerry Ekman – bass (2005–2007)
*Markus Åkebo – bass (2007–2011)
*Caleb Bingham – guitar (2011–2014)
Session members
Gustav Svensson – keyboards (2004–2005)
Timeline
Discography
Singles
Albums
References
External links
*
{{Authority control
Swedish melodic death metal musical groups
Musical groups established in 2002
Century Media Records artists
2002 establishments in Sweden
Listenable Records artists