{{Short description|Swedish heavy metal band}} {{About|the Swedish heavy metal band|the British punk band|Heavy Load (punk band)}}
{{Infobox musical artist | name = Heavy Load | image = | caption = | image_size = | genre = Heavy metal, Power Metal | years_active = 1976–1983, 1985, 1987, 2017–present | origin = Stockholm, Sweden | current_members = Styrbjörn Wahlquist<br/>Torbjörn Ragnesjö<br/>Eddy Malm | past_members = Michael Backler<br/>Dan Molén<br/>Eero Koivisto<br/>Leif Liljegren<br/>Andreas Fritz<br/>Paul Gray<br/>Patrick Karlsson<br/>Ragne Wahlquist }}
'''Heavy Load''' is a Swedish heavy metal band from Stockholm. The band is often hailed as the first Swedish heavy metal band,<ref>{{AllMusic | class = artist | id = p187739 | tab = biography | label = Biography of Heavy Load | last = Rivadavia | first = Eduardo | access-date = 2008-12-26 }}</ref> and were known for their Viking themes. The Wahlquist brothers, who founded the band in 1976 along with Michael Backler, were later producers and owners of Thunderload Records in Sweden, were at one point producing Veni Domine, and also Candlemass.
Various touring and demo line-ups of the band have included UFO and The Damned bass player Paul Gray, Treat guitarist Leif Liljegren, and the architect Eero Koivisto on bass<ref>https://tpl.se/music/red-baron-heavy-loadpowertrash-rock-n-roll-power-2/, 2000-2025 TPL Records, Retrieved Januar 31, 2026</ref><ref>https://tokyo.record.style/eero-kovisto/, Tokyo Record Style, Retrieved Januar 31, 2026</ref>. Phil Lynott of Thin Lizzy played the bass on "''Free''" from the LP ''Stronger than Evil'' - also as a single-release.<ref>https://thin-lizzyfan.com/home/releases/ap960-lizzy2-heavy.html, 1995 - 2026 James Taylor & Jim Cameron, retreaved 31 Januar, 2026</ref> Renowned Swedish music journalist and SVT music show host Anders Tengner acted as the band's manager from 1978 to 1985. Misfortune struck when Thunderload Studios got severely damaged due to a water leakage in the 2000s, which meant a halt to its official existence. After the breakup, the members then went on and performed with other bands.
The band reformed in October 2017 and announced a series of shows for 2018,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/swedish-cult-heavy-metal-band-heavy-load-is-back/|title=Swedish Cult Heavy Metal Band HEAVY LOAD Is Back|website=Blabbermouth.net|access-date=October 26, 2017|date=October 26, 2017}}</ref> including an appearance at that year's Sweden Rock Festival in June.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.blt.se/kultur-o-noje/heavy-load-aterforenas-pa-sweden-rock/|title=Heavy Load återförenas på Sweden Rock - Blekinge Läns Tidning|date=2017-10-25|work=Blekinge Läns Tidning|access-date=2018-06-17|language=sv-SE}}</ref>
On September 6, 2023, the band announced their first album in 40 years, ''Riders of the Ancient Storm'', which was released on October 6.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://grande-rock.com/news/heavy-load-to-release-new-studio-album-riders-of-the-ancient-storm-on-october-6th-2023/|title=Heavy Load to release new studio album "Riders of the Ancient Storm" on October 6th 2023|website=Grande Rock|access-date=September 14, 2023|date=September 6, 2023}}</ref>
On January 7, 2025, it was announced that founder Ragne Wahlquist had died at the age of 69. The band was at the time of his death working on a new album which they say will be completed.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-01-07 |title=Ragne Wahlquist död – startade Sveriges första heavy metal-band Heavy Load |url=https://www.svt.se/kultur/ragne-wahlquist-dod-startade-sveriges-forsta-heavy-metal-band-heavy-load?fbclid=IwY2xjawHqE8NleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHaHwAHKgZMskW1LZ1kPJgnOjfKSljgsMVvX5JyUR3tyWnxIL8ytIziBZUA_aem_6N8AZpztwqNw4HZFrq13pg |access-date=2025-01-07 |website=Svt.se|language=sv}}</ref>
==Band members== ===Current=== * Styrbjörn Wahlquist – drums, vocals, percussion (1976–1985, 2017–present) * Torbjörn Ragnesjö – bass guitar (1979–1984, 2017–present) * Nic Savage - guitars (2018–present)
===Former=== * Paul Gray - bass guitar (1986–??)<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=http://www.heavyload-sweden.com/AncientTimes.php|title=HEAVY LOAD OFFICIAL|website=Heavyload-sweden.com|access-date=2018-06-17}}</ref> * Ragne Wahlquist – guitars, vocals, keyboards (1976–1985, 2017–2025; his death) * Patrick Karlsson - guitar (1986–??)<ref name="auto"/> * Andreas Fritz – bass guitar (1984–1985) * Leif Liljegren – guitar (1979) * Eero Koivisto – bass guitar (1979) * Dan Molén – bass guitar (1978–1979) * Michael Backler – bass guitar (1976–1977) * Eddy Malm – guitar, vocals (1978–1985) * Micke Söderström – keyboards (2018) * Johan Westre – keyboards (2018)
===Timeline=== {{#tag:timeline| ImageSize = width:800 height:auto barincrement:18 PlotArea = left:100 bottom:110 top:05 right:20 Alignbars = justify DateFormat = mm/dd/yyyy Period = from:01/01/1976 till:{{#time:m/d/Y}} TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy Legend = orientation:horizontal position:bottom ScaleMajor = increment:4 start:1976 ScaleMinor = increment:1 start:1976
Colors = id:vocals value:red legend:Lead_Vocals,_Keyboards id:bass value:blue legend:Bass id:guitar value:green legend:Guitar id:drums value:orange legend:Drums,_Vocals id:studio value:black legend:Studio_Album
LineData = color:studio layer:back at:11/01/1978 at:10/01/1982 at:10/01/1983 at:10/06/2023
BarData = bar:RW text:Ragne Wahlquist bar:LL text:Leif Liljegren bar:EM text:Eddy Malm bar:PK text:Patrik Karlsson bar:NS text:Nic Savage bar:MB text:Michael Backlund bar:DM text:Dan Molén bar:EK text:Eero Koivisto bar:TR text:Torbjörn Ragnesjö bar:AF text:Andreas Fritz bar:PG text:Paul Gray bar:SW text:Styrbjörn Wahlquist
PlotData = width:11 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:(11,-4) bar:RW from:start till:12/31/1987 color:vocals bar:RW from:10/01/2017 till:01/07/2025 color:vocals bar:RW from:start till:12/31/1987 color:guitar width:3 bar:RW from:10/01/2017 till:01/07/2025 color:guitar width:3
color:bass bar:MB from:start till:07/01/1977 bar:DM from:07/01/1977 till:12/31/1978 bar:EK from:01/01/1979 till:07/01/1979 bar:TR from:07/01/1979 till:07/01/1984 bar:AF from:07/01/1984 till:12/31/1985 bar:PG from:01/01/1986 till:12/31/1987 bar:TR from:10/01/2017 till:end
color:guitar bar:LL from:01/01/1979 till:07/01/1979 bar:EM from:07/01/1979 till:12/31/1985 bar:PK from:01/01/1986 till:12/31/1987 bar:NS from:10/01/2017 till:end
color:drums bar:SW from:start till:12/31/1987 bar:SW from:10/01/2017 till:end }}
==Discography== ===Studio albums=== * ''Full Speed at High Level'' (1978) * ''Death or Glory'' (1982) * ''Stronger Than Evil'' (1983) * ''Riders of the Ancient Storm'' (2023)
===EPs=== * ''Metal Conquest'' (1981)
===Others=== * "Take Me Away" (single, 1982) * ''Live'' (VHS, 1983) * "Free" (single, 1983) * "Monsters of the Night" (single, 1985)
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [http://www.heavyload-sweden.com/ Heavy Load Official webpage]
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Category:Swedish heavy metal musical groups Category:Musical groups established in 1976 Category:1976 establishments in Sweden Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1985 Category:Musical groups reestablished in 2017 Category:2017 establishments in Sweden Category:Sibling musical groups Category:Musical groups from Stockholm