View source for Marduk (band)

{{Short description|Swedish black metal band}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2021}}
{{more citations needed|date=May 2015}}
{{Expand Swedish|date=November 2024}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name                = Marduk
| image               = Hellfest2017Marduk 03.jpg
| caption             = Marduk at [[Hellfest]] 2017
| landscape           = yes
| alias               = 
| origin              = [[Norrköping]], Sweden
| genre               = {{hlist|[[Black metal]]|[[death metal]] (early)}}
| years_active        = 1990–present
| label               = [[No Fashion Records|No Fashion]], [[Osmose Productions|Osmose]], [[Regain Records|Regain]], Blooddawn, [[Century Media Records|Century Media]]
| website             = {{URL|marduk.nu}}
| current_members     = Morgan<br />[[Daniel Rostén|Mortuus]]<br />Simon
}}

'''Marduk''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|m|ɑr|d|ʊ|k}}<ref>{{Cite Collins Dictionary|Marduk}}</ref>) is a Swedish [[black metal]] band formed in [[Norrköping]] in 1990. The band released their debut full-length album, ''[[Dark Endless]]'', in 1992 on [[No Fashion Records]]. Their name is taken from the [[Ancient Babylonia]]n deity, [[Marduk]].

==History==
Morgan Steinmeyer Håkansson, the band's guitarist, formed Marduk with the intention of being the "most blasphemous band in the world".<ref>{{cite web
| url=http://www.live-metal.net/features_marduk
| last=Maki
| first=Jeff
| quote=Guitarist Morgan Håkansson formed Marduk in 1990 with the vision to create the most satanic and blasphemous band, not only from the hallowed metal grounds of Sweden, but anywhere on the globe. In fact, he has said that death and violence are most inspirational to Marduk, with a particular focus on the violence in the Bible for lyrics
| title=Marduk – The fifteen year plague
| publisher=live-metal.net
| access-date=20 October 2008
| archive-date=6 November 2015
| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151106220500/http://www.live-metal.net/features_marduk
| url-status=usurped
}}</ref> Concerning the band's two initial releases, the 1991 EP, ''[[Fuck Me Jesus]]'', and their debut album, ''[[Dark Endless]]'', released the subsequent year, Marduk can be sonically defined as [[black metal]] which interwove significant influence from [[death metal]].<ref name="York">York, William "[{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p276123/biography|pure_url=yes}} Marduk Biography]", ''[[AllMusic]]'', Macrovision Corporation</ref> For both of these releases, the band's lineup consisted of the aforementioned Morgan, [[Andreas Axelsson|Andreas 'Dread' Axelsson]] as vocalist, Magnus 'Devo' Andersson as guitarist, Rikard Kalm as bassist, and Joakim 'Av Gravf' Göthberg as drummer, while [[Dan Swanö]] of [[Edge of Sanity]] mixed both albums.

Nonetheless, the stability of this line-up was ruptured following the release of ''Dark Endless'' when both Dread and Richard Kalm departed from the band. After which, Av Gravf assumed the additional position of vocalist while Roger 'B. War' Svensson assumed the position of bass player, consequently recording their second full-length album, ''[[Those of the Unlight]]'', in April 1993, again being mixed by the aforementioned Swanö. Subsequently, released on 1 October 1993, ''Those of the Unlight'' demarcated a noteworthy sonic excursion for the band, as this album manifested a more melodic black metal sound that repudiated the death metal undergirding of Marduk's body of work thusfar. The band elaborated upon this style on ''[[Opus Nocturne]]'', released on 12 December 1994, which, concerning personnel, was signified by the addition of Fredrik Andersson on drums, with Av Gravf forsaking this position to concentrate specifically on vocal delivery, and the departure of Devo.
[[File:Metalmania 2008 Marduk 03.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|Marduk performing live at Metalmania, 2008]]
Stability had not yet been attained by the band, however, as Av Gravf opted to depart from Marduk in 1995, citing boredom as the primary instigator for this decision.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.metal.de/death-metal/interview/dimension-zero/36899-dimension-zero-interview-mit-jocke-goethberg/ |title=Dimension Zero - Interview mit Jocke Göthberg zu "He Who Shall Not Bleed" - Interview - Death Metal - metal.de |website=[[Metal.de]] |access-date=11 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305113332/http://www.metal.de/death-metal/interview/dimension-zero/36899-dimension-zero-interview-mit-jocke-goethberg/ |archive-date=5 March 2016 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Wherefore, Marduk recruited Erik 'Legion' Hagstedt, formerly of Swedish black metal band [[Ophthalamia]], as vocalist. This development was further characterised by the band opting to record their fourth full-length album, ''[[Heaven Shall Burn... When We Are Gathered]]'', with [[Peter Tägtgren]] of [[Hypocrisy (band)|Hypocrisy]] fame at [[The Abyss (recording studio)|The Abyss Studio]] in January 1996, antecedent to the album's release on 1 July 1996.

This line-up of the band, with the exception of Fredrik Andersson departing in 2002 only to be replaced by Emil Dragutinovic, remained largely unscathed, releasing ''[[Nightwing (album)|Nightwing]]'', ''[[Panzer Division Marduk]]'', ''[[La Grande Danse Macabre]]'', and ''[[World Funeral]]'', all of which the aforementioned Tägtgren mixed, in 1998, 1999, 2001, and 2003 respectively. Nonetheless, attributing his decision to both dissatisfaction with the band's musical direction and the diminishment of interpersonal relations within the band, Legion departed from the band in 2003, followed by B. War the subsequent year.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/singer-legion-says-he-left-marduk-because-of-all-the-shit-talking/|title = Singer Legion Says He Left Marduk Because of All the 'Shit-Talking'|date = 19 February 2005}}</ref> Consequently, Legion was replaced by [[Daniel Rostén|Daniel 'Mortuus' Rostén]], renowned for his work within [[Funeral Mist]], while Devo returned to the band, this time assuming the position of bassist.

In September 2016, Marduk intended to tour the United States with [[Carach Angren]], [[Rotting Christ]], and [[Necronomicon (band)|Necronomicon]] but was forced to cancel this endeavour as a result of unresolved delays in acquiring visas.<ref>{{cite web 
| url=http://www.metalinjection.net/latest-news/marduk-drops-off-us-tour-with-rotting-christ-and-carach-angren 
| title= Marduk Drops Off Its US Tour With Rotting Christ and Carach Angren
| date= 13 September 2016
| publisher= metalinjection.net}}</ref> In late February 2017, Marduk's prospective show at Oakland was cancelled by the venue for fears of security issues after a local [[anti-fascist]] group targeted the band and reportedly threatened the venue staff.<ref>{{cite web
| url=http://teamrock.com/news/2017-02-20/marduks-oakland-show-cancelled-due-to-security-concerns
| title= Marduk's Oakland show cancelled due to security concerns
| publisher=teamrock.com
| quote=Loudwire report that the band were last week targeted by the Anti-Fascist Action Bay Area, who, in a Facebook post that has now been taken down, called them a "black metal band with known white supremacist ties from Sweden that profits off of glorifying Nazi imagery and songs about Nazi SS officers and anti-semitism." But after researching Marduk, the venue found no indications that they were "white supremacists, nationalists, or anti-immigrant" and wanted the gig to go ahead. However, after staff were reportedly threatened, and in consultation with police, it was decided the show would be scrapped.
| date=20 February 2017
| access-date=21 February 2017}}</ref> In April 2018, accusations of neo-Nazi sympathies resurfaced after the news site {{ill|Dagens ETC|sv|ETC (tidskrift)}} published an article alleging that Fredrik Widigs and Daniel Rostén had placed orders from the [[Nordic Resistance Movement]] web shop, according to leaked files from NRM servers.<ref>{{cite web |title=Marduks kopplingar till nazistiska NMR avslöjade |url=https://gaffa.se/nyheter/2018/april/marduks-kopplingar-till-nazistiska-nmr-avslojade/ |date=2023-02-03 |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20230203175138/https://gaffa.se/nyheter/2018/april/marduks-kopplingar-till-nazistiska-nmr-avslojade/ |archivedate=2023-02-03 |language=sv |trans-title=Marduk's ties to nazi NRM revealed |website=Gaffa.se}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Black metal-band avslöjade med NMR-kopplingar |website=Dagens ETC |url=https://www.etc.se/inrikes/black-metal-band-avslojade-med-nmr-kopplingar |date=2023-02-03 |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20230203183516/https://www.etc.se/inrikes/black-metal-band-avslojade-med-nmr-kopplingar
 |archivedate=2023-02-03 |trans-title=Black metal band revealed with NRM ties |language=sv}}{{subscription required}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Members of Marduk Bought Nazi Propaganda Tied to National Socialist Party |url=https://www.metalsucks.net/2018/04/04/members-of-marduk-bought-nazi-propaganda-tied-to-national-socialist-party/ |date=2023-02-03 |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20230203185438/https://www.metalsucks.net/2018/04/04/members-of-marduk-bought-nazi-propaganda-tied-to-national-socialist-party/ |archivedate=2023-02-03 }}</ref> The band have denied these accusations, as well as any connection to the Nordic Resistance Movement.<ref>{{cite web |title=Marduk make a statement on recent Nazi propaganda accusations |url=https://metalinsider.net/news/marduk-make-a-statement-on-recent-nazi-propaganda-accusations |date=2023-02-03 |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20230203175835/https://metalinsider.net/news/marduk-make-a-statement-on-recent-nazi-propaganda-accusations |archivedate=2023-02-03 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Marduk Members Deny Purchasing Nazi Propaganda Tied to National Socialist Party |url=http://www.metalsucks.net/2018/04/04/marduk-members-deny-purchasing-nazi-propaganda-tied-to-national-socialist-party/ |date=2018-04-04 |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20180404232954/http://www.metalsucks.net/2018/04/04/marduk-members-deny-purchasing-nazi-propaganda-tied-to-national-socialist-party/ |archivedate=2018-04-04 }}</ref>

Marduk released their latest studio album, ''[[Viktoria (Marduk album)|Viktoria]]'', on 22 June 2018.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/viktoria-mw0003173313 |title=Victoria album |author=<!--Not stated--> |website=[[AllMusic]]  |access-date=July 29, 2022}}</ref> In 2019, Devo announced that he was leaving the band to focus on studio work, being replaced by Joel Lindholm in 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|date=29 December 2019|title=Marduk Bassist Magnus 'Devo' Andersson Quits Band To Focus On Studio Work|url=https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/marduk-bassist-magnus-devo-andersson-quits-band-to-focus-on-studio-work/|access-date=27 August 2020|website=[[Blabbermouth.net]]}}</ref>

In May 2023, Marduk announced that bassist Joel Lindholm had left the band, after video showed him apparently making a Nazi salute during their performance at Incineration Fest in London. Guitarist Morgan Håkansson called the incident "deplorable".<ref>{{cite news |title=MARDUK Guitarist Blasts Former Bassist Over 'Deplorable Behavior' At U.K. Festival |url=https://blabbermouth.net/news/marduk-guitarist-blasts-former-bassist-over-deplorable-behavior-at-u-k-festival |work=[[Blabbermouth.net]] |date=19 May 2023}}</ref> The band said they were not made aware until after the show, adding that Lindholm was "very drunk" and carried out "a variety of intolerable stage antics".<ref>{{cite news |title=MARDUK Blames "Covert Drinking" For Bassist Throwing A Nazi Salute During Recent Show |url=https://metalinjection.net/news/marduk-blames-covert-drinking-for-bassist-throwing-a-nazi-salute-during-recent-show |work=[[Metal Injection]] |date=23 May 2023}}</ref> The band was booked to play Bangkok, Thailand in 2023. <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.metallian.com/marduk.php |title=Marduk Band Biography And History |publisher=Metallian database |date=27 January 2024 |access-date=27 January 2024}}</ref>

==Musical style and lyrical themes==
The band's two initial releases, the 1991 EP, ''[[Fuck Me Jesus]]'', and their debut album, ''[[Dark Endless]]'', combine [[black metal]] with [[death metal]]. The band's second and third albums ''[[Those of the Unlight]]'' and ''[[Opus Nocturne]]'', showed a more melodic black metal approach, with the latter hinting at a more chaotic, blast beat-driven style that would be further explored on subsequent albums like ''[[Heaven Shall Burn... When We Are Gathered]]'', ''[[Nightwing (album)|Nightwing]]'', and ''[[Panzer Division Marduk]]''.

Concerning the thematic nature of Marduk's lyrics, the lyrics primarily incorporate [[Satanism]], [[anti-Christianity]], [[blasphemy]], [[death]], [[Third Reich]] history, and [[World War II]]. Marduk began incorporating the war themes on their 1999 album, ''[[Panzer Division Marduk]]'', which continued on in later years such as "The Hangman of Prague" on 2004's ''[[Plague Angel]]'', the title being a reference to [[Reinhard Heydrich]] — second in command of the [[Schutzstaffel|SS]] — in his capacity as the ''de facto'' [[Reichsprotektor]] [[Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia|of Bohemia and Moravia]].

==Members==
[[File:Marduk at Hatefest (Martin Rulsch) 17.jpg|thumb|Vocalist [[Daniel Rostén|Daniel "Mortuus" Rostèn]] in 2015]]

=== Current members ===
* Morgan Steinmeyer Håkansson – guitars (1990–present)
* [[Daniel Rostén|Mortuus]] (Daniel Rostén) – vocals (2004–present)
* Bloodhammer (Simon Schilling) – drums (2019–present)

=== Former members ===
* Af Gravf (Joakim Göthberg) – drums (1990–1993), vocals (1993–1995)
* [[Andreas Axelsson|Dread]] (Andreas Axelsson) – vocals (1990–1993)
* Rikard Kalm – bass (1990–1992)
* B. War (Roger Svensson) – bass (1992–2004)
* Devo (Magnus Andersson) – guitars (1992–1994), bass (2004–2019)
* Legion (Erik Hagstedt) – vocals (1995–2003)
* Froding (Fredrik Andersson) – drums (1993–2002)
* Emil Dragutinovic – drums (2002–2006)
* Lars Broddesson – drums (2006–2013)
* Fredrik Widigs – drums (2013–2018)
* Joel Lindholm – bass (2020–2023)

=== Live members ===
* Kim Osara – guitars (1995–1996)
* [[Peter Tägtgren]] – guitars (1996)
* Devo (Magnus Andersson) – bass (2023)
* Simon Wizén – bass (2023-present)

===Timeline===
<div align="left">
{{#tag:timeline|
ImageSize = width:800 height:auto barincrement:20
PlotArea = left:100 bottom:60 top:5 right:10
Alignbars = justify
DateFormat  = dd/mm/yyyy
Period = from:01/01/1990 till:{{#time:d/m/Y}}
TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy

Colors=
  id:Vocals            value:red         legend:Vocals
  id:Guitar            value:green     legend:Guitars
  id:Bass              value:blue        legend:Bass
  id:Drums             value:orange       legend:Drums
  id:Lines1   value:black
  id:bars    value:gray(0.95)

BackgroundColors = bars:bars

Legend = orientation:horizontal position:bottom
ScaleMajor = increment:3 start:1990
ScaleMinor = increment:1 start:1990

LineData=
  layer:back
  color:black
  at:15/12/1992
  at:01/10/1993
  at:15/12/1994
  at:01/07/1996
  at:04/08/1998
  at:15/06/1999
  at:05/03/2001
  at:25/03/2003
  at:15/11/2004
  at:24/04/2007
  at:21/09/2009
  at:25/05/2012
  at:19/01/2015
  at:22/06/2018
  at:01/09/2023

BarData =
  bar:Andreas     text:"Dread Axelsson"
  bar:Legion      text:"Legion"
  bar:Mortuus     text:"Mortuus"
  bar:Morgan      text:"Morgan Håkansson"
  bar:Devo        text:"Devo Andersson"
  bar:Rickard     text:"Rickard Kalm"
  bar:B-War       text:"B.War Svensson"
  bar:Joel        text:"Joel Lindholm"
  bar:Joakim      text:"Joakim Af Gravf"
  bar:Froding     text:"Fredrik Andersson"
  bar:Emil        text:"Emil Dragutinovic"
  bar:Lars        text:"Lars Broddesson"
  bar:Fredrik     text:"Fredrik Widigs"
  bar:Simon       text:"Bloodhammer"

PlotData=
  width:11 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:(10,-4)
  bar:Morgan from:01/01/1990 till:end color:Guitar
  bar:Andreas from:01/01/1990 till:01/07/1993 color:Vocals
  bar:Joakim from:01/01/1990 till:01/07/1993 color:Drums
  bar:Joakim from:01/01/1990 till:01/07/1993 color:Vocals width:3
  bar:Joakim from:02/07/1993 till:01/07/1995 color:Vocals
  bar:Joakim from:02/07/1993 till:30/11/1993 color:Drums width:3
  bar:Legion from:02/07/1995 till:31/12/2003 color:Vocals
  bar:Mortuus from:01/01/2004 till:end color:Vocals
  bar:Rickard from:01/01/1990 till:15/12/1992 color:Bass
  bar:B-War from:16/12/1992 till:01/07/2004 color:Bass
  bar:Devo from:01/07/1992 till:01/07/1994 color:Guitar
  bar:Devo from:02/07/2004 till:29/12/2019 color:Bass
  bar:Devo from:18/05/2023 till:01/01/2024 color:Bass
  bar:Joel from:28/02/2020 till:18/05/2023 color:Bass
  bar:Mortuus from:01/01/2024 till:end color:Bass width:3
  bar:Froding from:01/12/1993 till:01/07/2002 color:Drums
  bar:Emil from:02/07/2002 till:24/04/2006 color:Drums
  bar:Lars from:25/04/2006 till:28/11/2013 color:Drums
  bar:Fredrik from: 28/11/2013 till:31/12/2018 color:Drums
  bar:Simon from:01/01/2019 till:end color:Drums
}}
</div>

==Discography==
===Studio albums===
* ''[[Dark Endless]]'' (1992)
* ''[[Those of the Unlight]]'' (1993)
* ''[[Opus Nocturne]]'' (1994)
* ''[[Heaven Shall Burn... When We Are Gathered]]'' (1996)
* ''[[Nightwing (album)|Nightwing]]'' (1998)
* ''[[Panzer Division Marduk]]'' (1999)
* ''[[La Grande Danse Macabre]]'' (2001)
* ''[[World Funeral]]'' (2003)
* ''[[Plague Angel]]'' (2004)
* ''[[Rom 5:12]]'' (2007)
* ''[[Wormwood (Marduk album)|Wormwood]]'' (2009)
* ''[[Serpent Sermon]]'' (2012)
* ''[[Frontschwein]]'' (2015)
* ''[[Viktoria (Marduk album)|Viktoria]]'' (2018)
* ''Memento Mori'' (2023)

===Live albums and compilations===
* ''[[Live in Germania]]'' (1997)
* ''[[Infernal Eternal]]'' (2000)
* ''[[Blackcrowned]]'' (2002)
* ''[[Warschau: Live|Warschau]]'' (2006)
* ''Beast of Prey: Brutal Assault'' (2024)

===Demos and EPs===
* ''[[Fuck Me Jesus]]'' (1991)
* ''[[Glorification (album)|Glorification]]'' (1996)
* ''[[Here's No Peace]]'' (1997)
* ''[[Obedience (album)|Obedience]]'' (2000)
* ''[[Deathmarch]]'' (2004)
* ''[[Iron Dawn (album)|Iron Dawn]]'' (2011)

===Singles===
* "Slay the Nazarene" (2002)
* "Hearse" (2003)
* "Souls for Belial" (2012)
* "Werwolf" (2018)

===DVDs===
* ''[[Funeral Marches and Warsongs]]'' (2004)
* ''Blackcrowned'' (2005)
* ''Blood Puke Salvation'' (2006)

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Marduk (band)|Marduk}}
* {{Official website|http://www.marduk.nu/}}
* {{allMusic}}
* [http://www.bestblackmetalalbums.com/marduk.php Marduk on BestBlackMetalAlbums.com]
* [https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Marduk/386 ''Marduk''] at [[Encyclopaedia Metallum]]

{{Marduk}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Marduk}}
[[Category:Musical groups established in 1990]]
[[Category:Swedish black metal musical groups]]
[[Category:Extreme metal musical groups]]
[[Category:Musical groups from Norrköping]]