Past
SLUG is a metal band hailing from Skovde - SWEDEN.
It all started during the summer 2004, Janne Strom have had an interruption
from the metal music scene for some six or seven years. He felt the
urge to start playing again and asked his friend Kalle Sjostrand if
he wanted to start a metal band. Kalle who also played in the local
metal scene a couple of years earlier was really interested
and
SLUG was born. During the fall of 2004 a bass player (Johan Arvidsson)
and a drummer (Fredrik Skold) was recruited, both well-known veterans
from the local scene. SLUG rehearsed for some months and started making
their first songs. During February 2005 Johan Ejerblom was inducted
into SLUG as the bands roaring singer. The premiere line-up was now
complete. From here on the boys started to write material for their
first demo-CD called "One inch punch" released in June 2005.
The CD was a four track EP showing up a solid American mid-90´s
stylish metal sound. The demo received really good response throughout
the western parts of Sweden. Another demo called "Don´t even
go there" was released September 2005 and in between the guys made
some gigs to meet their audience. In junction to the EP the band also
contributed with one song on the American compilation CD "Audible
portrait 2005" where guitarists playing DEAN guitars contributed.
The guys were on their way to find a suitable sound for their brand
and some new songs were made and recorded as the "Fuckupalypse"
demo CD in June 2006. Also they played a lot of gigs during the period
between the two releases. The top of the carrier, this far, was crowned
with a gig in front of 500-600 people at a venue called " EM-festen"
during the 2006 Athletic European Championships in Gothenburg the same
summer.
What followed after the gig was a period of trouble with the line-up.
Johan Arvidsson (the bass player) was dismissed from the band in September
2006, the boys had to find a solution to fill his spot pretty fast since
more gigs were booked that fall. Anders Edlund, guitarist and bass player
with bands like Solar Dawn, Incapacity and Angel Blake on his conscience,
was asked to join their forces. He accepted and a new era with SLUG
begun. Starting off with two really good and well-crowded gigs in front
of their fan base at home. At the same time SLUG contributed with a
track to a Belgian death metal compilation called "Poetry of the
Dead".
In the beginning
of 2007 SLUG started writing material for an upcoming demo. In March
the new songs were first tested live in front of an audience at a gig
together with famous Swedish acts In Flames and Face Down. In April
SLUG went to Studio MT, based in Trollhättan and owned by guitarist
Marko Tervonen from Swedish death metallers The Crown/Angel Blake. A
three songs demo called " Spokesmen of muted souls " were
recorded during a week at the end of the month. This demo turned out
to be a development sound wise and musically. This time flirting a bit
more with the well known Swedish sound mixed with the American school.
The production was a big step in the right direction to find a style
of their own and compared to its predecessors. The "Spokesmen"
CD was released on May 4 at a crowded club gig in their hometown. In
May 2007 the drummer Fredrik Skold decided to leave the band due to
lack of time and a growing family at home, although Fredrik promised
to stay with the band until they had found a new drummer to fill his
spot. Auditions for a new drummer started in mid May 2007. After various
auditions Christer "Dillan" Johansson from Tibro - SWEDEN
was hired. Christer has earlier handled the skin smashing duties in
various bands latest before SLUG was desert rockers SOUTHERN FOREST,
Christer stayed with the band for the entire 2007 and the first months
of 2008.
Present
In May 2008 SLUG performed as special guest when THE HAUNTED played
the Valhall Arena in Skövde, that was the peak of the bands performances
in 2008, after the gig Christer Johansson decided to leave the band.
SLUG had new song material in the pipeline and no drummer, Auditions
started in June 2008 and by the beginning of August the evaluation was
done and Henke Axelsson from thrashers IMPLODE was hired as the new
drummer of SLUG. Henke filled in the spot as SLUGs drummer with a glance
and the talanted 20 year old drummer from Mariestad added new fuel to
the fire of SLUG.
In SWEDEN ROCK MAGAZINE #53 SLUG recieved a very positive review for
their promo CD: "Spokesmen Of Muted Souls", this was the aknowledgement
the band needed to carry on. The band started to write new songs to
get ready for recording sessions which are booked in October 2008.
Future
SLUG will record a follow-up to the "Spokesmen" CD, simultaneously
the band will gig a whole lot to promote itself. Their eyes are fixed
at hitting a recording deal as soon as possible, to be able to promote
the SLUG-sound to a bigger audience.