ArtistInfo

Diablo Swing Orchestra

Band, *2003 SE, Sweden
Rock and Jazz

Founded in Stockholm, Sweden in 2003 The Diablo Swing Orchestra is an avant-metal band from Sweden. The origins of their name are explained on their website, though the story has more to do with fiction than with fact. According to it, in the 16th Century there was an orchestra in Sweden that "played like no other" and that defied the ruling, wealthy, powerful Church with music that give the people a "new view" of life. The Church deemed the music satanic, calling the ensemble "the Devil's Orchestra". As the influence of the ensemble proved hard to eliminate, according to the story, its members were finally framed for murder and forced to hide. After a reward was offered, the orchestra's members were finally caught and hanged. The legend says that, before being captured, the orchestra's members "signed a pact saying that their descendants were given the task of reuniting the orchestra in 500 years and continue their work of spreading thought-provoking music". Thus, a few centuries later, two of the current Diablo Swing Orchestra's members, supposedly descendants of the original 16th Century members, reunited in a local music shop and start talking about music, which only lead them to discover that they were the ones meant to resurrect the Orchestra of old. And this is how The Diablo Swing Orchestra came to exist. (quotes from the band's MySpace site). The music they play is a highly original avant-metal. Lots of jazz, (swing), some funky tones, but also a big classical influence (with operatic vocals) and, of course, rock and metal. The orchestration of the songs is also very unique, with all kinds of keyboard, wind instruments and percussion. If one moment one can think the music is just plain metal (even power metal), it only takes one second for the band to switch to styles as varied as flamenco or jazz, or go for more atmospheric, gloomy passages. If there's one band that truly deserves to be called "avant-metal", then this one is it.

Members

	Petter Karlsson dr *1977 SE
	Johannes Bergion vc
	Andreas Halvardsson dr
	Daniel Håkansson g, voc SE
	Pontus Mantefors g, syn
	Annlouice Lögdlund voc
	Anders Johansson b
	Martin Isaksson tr
	Daniel Hedin tb SE