Forged in Sweden. Tempered in Texas. Delivered with fire.
STUÄRNTANG is a five-piece extreme metal band with roots deep in the icy soil of Sweden and calluses formed on the burning asphalt of Texas. What began as a teenage project in the industrial outskirts of Gothenburg has transformed into a full-force, internationally operating powerhouse of blistering riffs, guttural truth, and apocalyptic catharsis.
Their music is a brutal, beautiful alloy of groove, death, and melodic metal—hammered together with lyrical themes of spiritual warfare, the broken condition of man, ancestral memory, and survival through suffering. Their self-titled album STUÄRNTANG marks their official debut under the underground label Riffuge, a no-strings-attached, artist-first studio based in Dallas, Texas.
But the journey to this moment was anything but easy.
The Origins: Shadows of Gothenburg
STUÄRNTANG was born when childhood friends Olle Marklund (vocals), Jens Falk (guitar), and Niklas “Nikke” Åberg (bass) began jamming in the old bomb shelter of Jens’ grandfather’s apartment complex. They played late into the frostbitten nights, using salvaged gear, half-functional amps, and a hand-me-down drum kit borrowed from a cousin’s black metal band.
Sweden’s metal scene gave them a strong foundation—Melodic Death, Doom, and Black Metal influences ran through their veins—but even early on, they leaned into a heavier, rawer sound driven by themes of personal struggle, existential truth, and inner rebellion.
The Leap to America
As the band matured, so did their ambition. The trio added Klara “Klee” Lindgren on rhythm guitar and Levi Rosten on drums, and their lineup locked into place. With day jobs ranging from bike couriers to forklift operators, they poured everything into one goal: taking STUÄRNTANG international.
By 2022, they’d saved enough to legally relocate to the U.S. under artist visas—landing in Chicago first, then winding their way south through Kansas City, Oklahoma, and finally arriving in Dallas, Texas.
The culture shock was instant and intense.
“I remember going to a diner and asking for ‘strong coffee’,” says Olle. “The waitress brought me something that tasted like water filtered through an old t-shirt. That was when I knew we were no longer in Sweden.”
Life in Texas: Heat, Highways, and Honky Tonks
Texas didn’t just challenge their taste buds—it tested their mettle. Coming from the tightly packed, efficient world of Swedish city life, they now had to adapt to 110-degree heat, massive distances between venues, and the wild mix of Southern hospitality and chaotic urban sprawl.
They played anywhere they could—converted warehouses, unlicensed punk clubs in Fort Worth, outdoor festivals in Waco, even a private party inside a defunct church turned tattoo parlor. Their sound evolved quickly to match the energy of the South: more groove, more swagger, but still brutally tight.
Their music began catching attention on Bandcamp and YouTube, especially among niche American metal circles. But a true breakthrough felt just out of reach.
The Breakthrough: A Studio With No Strings
Everything changed when Olle stumbled on a late-night live session by a group called Ghost Riff Riders, produced by an indie outfit called Riffuge Studios.
“The sound was raw, full of emotion, but also insanely well produced. And the story behind the studio? Total DIY, 100% artist-owned,” Olle recalls. “I sent an email that night.”
A week later, they were sitting down in a Dallas café with Sam Nolan Carter, guitarist and producer behind Riffuge. The conversation was raw and real—and the connection instant. STUÄRNTANG was offered a one-album deal on the spot, no catch, no creative limitations.
“We asked him three times what the ‘fine print’ was,” says Jens. “He just laughed and said, ‘The only catch is you better mean every note you record.’ That’s when we knew it was real.”
On the Road Again: Busted Vans & True Fans
With Riffuge backing them, STUÄRNTANG hit the road harder than ever before. They toured parts of Arizona, Colorado, and Louisiana, with a mix of sold-out dive bars and sparsely attended warehouse shows. At one stop in Lubbock, their van broke down mid-tour and they played an acoustic set by firelight at a makeshift show behind an auto shop.
“We’ve played for 300 people in the back of a liquor store, and we’ve played for five in a trailer park—but every time, the people who showed up made it worth it,” says Klee.
Their authenticity, humility, and dedication to the craft began to win hearts—and the intensity of their live show began to draw serious attention. What followed was a firestorm of momentum, culminating in the release of STUÄRNTANG.
Where They Stand Now
The band doesn’t care about fame. They’re not in it for radio play or major label stardom. What drives STUÄRNTANG is the call to make music that matters—to scream out truths no one wants to face, to find mercy in the darkness, and to offer power to those suffering in silence.
Their debut album is a war cry and a prayer. A blade and a wound. It’s for the misfits, the broken, the believers and doubters, the ones born beneath the sword and still swinging.
From Gothenburg basements to Texas backroads, STUÄRNTANG has stayed true to their core:
No compromise. No gloss. Just fury, faith, and fire.