Crowned Unholy

Crowned in Terror (2002) was sung by Tomas Lindberg of At the Gates, brought in when Johan Lindstrand left early in 2001. According to Metal Blade's biography of the band, Lindberg was let go after a show in Stockholm that followed a headlining American tour in 2002; he said he had meant to leave anyway, so the parting was more or less mutual. Lindstrand covered that summer's festival dates as a favour and, asked by guitarist Marko Tervonen, came back for good, so the original line-up was together again by the autumn of 2002. After that line-up made Possessed 13 in 2003, the band went into Bohus Sound Recording in October to add new bass and vocal tracks to Crowned in Terror. The changes were set out when the release was announced in May 2004: Lindstrand re-recorded the vocals and Magnus Olsfelt the bass, and drummer Janne Saarenpää programmed a new version of the introduction Tervonen had written, enhanced the drum sound digitally and added synthesizer parts here and there. The booklet dates each stage, from the first recording in September 2001 to a new mix at Bohus in January 2004 and a final mastering there on 25 February 2004, credited to Dragan Tanaskovic. Saarenpää said that after a long run through other studios the band had its own sound back at last. By the time the record reached the shops, the band no longer existed. On 7 March 2004 Saarenpää announced the split, blaming above all tours wrecked by unprofessional arrangements that sent the members home with empty pockets. He added that the band had decided not to sign a new deal with Metal Blade, and that the timing suited them now that Crowned in Terror finally sounded as it should. Metal Blade Records Europe set 9 August 2004 for the release, and the American edition followed on 24 August. The CD came with a DVD, The Crown Invades Karlsruhe (Germany) 24.11.2003, holding fourteen songs filmed at a concert in Karlsruhe on 24 November 2003. The band's own discography counts it among its albums.