Persuader

Hailing from Umeå in Sweden's Västerbotten province, Persuader play power metal with a thrash undercurrent that distinguishes them from their melodic peers. Their sound recalls early Blind Guardian, Iron Savior and Nocturnal Rites, but the thrash influence gives their work a harder edge. Formed in 1997, the band has since completed five full-length albums, and that blend of melody and thrash-tinged aggression defines the catalogue.

Their debut, The Hunter, appeared in July 2000, following a 1998 demo, Visions and Dreams, recorded at Garageland Studios. After their label Loud 'n' Proud folded, a brief split in 2001 led to the return of the band with guitarist Emil Norberg. A demo submitted to Noise Records' Young Metal Gods contest brought a win and the release of Evolution Purgatory in February 2004, followed by When Eden Burns in May 2006. Their latest album, Necromancy, arrived in December 2020, and in 2022 the band announced an indefinite hiatus.