THE GRIFTED are a Swedish death metal that stays true to the sound of the early '90s. That being said and with an advantage from other bands doing this, is that they lived and breathed this at that time in bands like Treblinka, Tiamat, Septic Grave, and later Mr. Death. They also recorded their debut album, Doomsday & Salvation, at the esteemed Sunlight Studios with Tomas Skögsberg, so not only can you expect an era-authentic experience, you'll get that exquisitely filthy & meaty production that's made the studio so legendary.
More specifically, THE GRIFTED is an old constellation under a new name. Some of the members have a history that goes back to the beginning of the evilution of the Stockholm death metal scene; maybe we could think about the "death of the fittest," as it were. We're talking about when the scene was still in its embryonic stages and solely consisted of 15-20 skinny kids in their mid-teens.
Jörgen Thullberg and Stefan Lagergren joined up 35 years ago in the band Treblinka, who later became Tiamat. After decades apart, Jörgen teamed up with Jonas Ohlsson, a low-key drummer from the northernmost part of Sweden, and became part of forming Mr. Death. Possibly with absolutely no scientific source or evidence, Jonas Ohlson is the first person in world history to play drums on a death metal demo recorded above the arctic circle - a feat difficult to copy since his hometown no longer exists and is completely leveled out. Like in the film Deliverance, you build a lifelong connection with everybody from the same bloodline, and when getting the chance to be creative together, the product is something more stunning than a death-like experience.
Joakim Lindström, the hardcoreish singer from PhotoParade - his and Jörgen’s former hardcore/punk band - soon joined and time-warped back to his origins as a death metal musician. Stefan joined Mr. Death around 2008 after a one-time Treblinka reunion gig. In 2012, Staffan Skoglund joined the nowadays-not-so-young band, and they continued in their old-men routine. Mr. Death got back to their initial state where rehearsing, writing songs, and doing some occasional live shows became their drill.
After a couple of years, the music and band dynamic had evolved, and Mr. Death changed their name to THE GRIFTED. You could say that they grew out of their old suits and had to shape up. The music is more complex, without losing the punkish old-school death metal feeling. It would not be very surprising if someone claims or makes a remark that these guys have one foot in the grave, one foot in the old-school scene, and one foot in present times. Either way you call it, THE GRIFTED offer Doomsday & Salvation in bountiful supply...if Hell was such a bad place, then it would be cold down there!
THE GRIFTED lineup
Jocke Lindström – vocals, formerly Mr. Death, PhotoParade, Digression Assassins etc, also currently in grindcore side-project Child.
Staffan Skoglund – guitar & backing vocals, formerly Ethnocide, Silverbug, Mr. Death etc.
Jonas Ohlsson – drums, formerly Septic Grave etc.
Stefan Lagergren – guitar, formerly Tiamat, Treblinka, Rivers Edge, Mr. Death etc., also currently in death metal supergroup Grand Cadaver
Jörgen Thullberg – bass, formerly Tiamat, Treblinka, Mr. Death, Clint Eastwood Experience, PhotoParade etc.
Recorded at Sunlight Sudio, Studio Soundproof, and House by the Cemetery
Engineered by Tomas Skogsberg, Svante Nordström, and THE GRIFTED
Mixed by Stefan Brändström at the Dustward.
Mastered by Johan Gustafsson.
