THE COUNTRY'S BRIGHTEST YOUNG METAL BANDS GO ON TOUR TOGETHER
There has been talk for some time about the New Wave of Swedish Thrash Metal, which alludes to the New Wave of British Heavy Metal - the wave of British hard rock that took the 80s by storm. Now it is Sweden's turn to stir the pot. We see a plethora of young bands that are currently consolidating the Swedish dominance in hard rock and metal for many years to come. When it comes to the thrash metal subgenre, people usually talk about The Big Four, which refers to the pioneers Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer and Anthrax. Now is the time for a regime change. Under the name The Rising Four, the young Swedish thrash bands Eradikated, Eternal Evil, Sarcator and Bloodstain are therefore embarking on a joint tour this autumn. No tour package in 2024 will be able to offer more bang for the buck, rest assured. The Rising Four is presented by Luger and Concerts Alive in collaboration with Sweden Rock Festival and Republic 66.
"We are very proud to be able to participate and present this tour. I think these four bands really represent the regrowth of the music we love and want to see even more of. It is of the utmost importance to us as a festival and brand that the Swedish rock and metal scene continues to be top class for many years to come." - Hannes Emeus, Marketing Director, Sweden Rock Festival
HISTORY
In the car home from a festival gig last summer, Eradikated sat and talked about the growing Swedish thrash scene in the ages 15-25. For a while the band had felt quite alone in their age group playing thrash metal, but now more young, hungry thrash bands were finally starting to appear around the country. The reason for the discussion was that they shared the stage with Sarcator at the festival and both bands received a fantastic audience response. As a fit for the thrash icons The Big Four (Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer and Anthrax), the idea was then hatched to do a tour together with three other young thrash bands, who jokingly got the working name "The Small Four". Everyone in the car thought the idea was awesome – this had to be done!
After Eradikated independently contacted the bands that felt most relevant for the tour, management and bookers were involved, but the idea and concept is not the product of any industry people. It was the bands themselves who talked to each other before, for practical reasons, it was passed on to their representatives. The bands that undoubtedly wanted to hook up were the already mentioned Sarcator as well as Eternal Evil and Bloodstain - a dream line-up. After some thinking about this, Eternal Evil dropped the epic tour name The Rising Four and they also took it upon themselves to create all the artwork for the tour in consultation with the others. It felt important to everyone that as much as possible should come from the bands themselves and after much puzzlement, Luger and Concerts Alive in collaboration with Sweden Rock Festival and Republic 66 can now present the year's undoubtedly hardest tour package - THE RISING FOUR!
ERADICATED
Thrash metal as it should sound - hard, fast and mean. The band's sound may be rooted in the '80s Bay Area scene, but don't expect a throwback act. Eradikated play their own modern version of thrash metal and their live shows are always about maximum energy, aggression and intense attack. They don't use backing tracks or other tricks – what you hear on the albums is pretty much exactly what you'll hear from the stage when you see Eradikated live. After releasing a self-titled EP on their own in 2021, the band was signed by Norwegian Indie Recordings and released the full-length album Descendants in 2023, which was nominated for a Grammy in the Hard Rock Metal of the Year category. The album release was followed by a Scandinavian tour as hand-picked support for Soilwork, with several sold-out gigs. Currently, Eradikated is working on new material and will enter Top Floor Studios in the fall with Jakob Herrmann (Anthrax, In Flames, Machine Head, etc.) as producer.
ETERNAL EVIL
Sweden's most ruthless thrash metal performers are very current with their latest album The Gates Beyond Mortality behind them. With blistering riffs, thunderous drums and intense lyrical prowess, the band cements their reputation as one of the most tireless and electrifying acts in the genre. The Gates Beyond Mortality, released through Listenable Records, marks a new chapter in Eternal Evil's musical journey and showcases the band's evolution, while staying true to the roots that define the essence of thrash metal. The album captures the raw energy and aggression that fans have come to expect, enhanced by a newfound maturity and complexity in their songwriting. From the very first notes to the last, listeners are taken on a rollercoaster ride of adrenaline-pumping intensity that Eternal Evil always brings to the stage.
SARCATOR
14-20 years old, in 2019 Sarcator released his first demo Visions of Purgatory via the American label Redefining Darkness Records. Just two years later, the band received a P3 Gold nomination in the Rock/Metal of the Year category for their self-titled debut album, released through the same label. After releasing his second full-length album Alkahest through Black Lion Records in 2022, Sarcator gained more and more gigs and captivated audiences with his brutal live shows. The band is busy recording their third album which will be released via Century Media Records in early 2025.
BLOOD STAIN
Bloodstain was formed as late as autumn 2023 by some classmates at Rytmu's music high school. They play classic thrash metal and have had a rocket start with their debut EP I Am Death released earlier this year. It has been praised by critics around the world and has also done very well on the streaming platforms. As the band is still in high school, this is their first tour, but despite their young age, this group is undoubtedly ready for the big stages.