Dead by April is a Swedish Metalcore band formed in 2007 by ex-Nightrage vocalist Jimmie Strimell and ex-Cipher System guitarist Pontus Hjelm. The band made its musical debut in 2008, when the duo began composing songs which eventually leaked onto some peer-to-peer sites, giving them online recognition in many local scenes. Capitalizing on their online success, they released their self-titled debut album in 2009. They further promoted their music by headlining the Norwegian "Rock mot Rus" festival.
In April 2010, guitarist Pontus Hjelm left the band, though he remained as the primary songwriter for the band. He would later return in 2011, after guitarist Johan Olsson quit the band. They released their follow up album, Incomparable on that year.
On March 18, 2013, vocalist Jimmie Strimell left the band. He was replaced by Christoffer "Stoffe" Andersson. It was announced in November 2013 that their third studio album, Let The World Know will be released in February 2014. On that year vocalist Zandro Santiago and drummer Alexander Swenningson left the band.
In April 2017 the band's fourth studio album, Worlds Collide was released.
Although the band has found minimal mainstream success as of late, they are well-known internationally for their highly melodic, pop-influenced approach to metal, which combines elements from Melodic Death Metal, Nu Metal, Alternative Metal, and 90s Boy Bands.
Members:
Current members
- Pontus Hjelm – clean vocals, guitars, keyboards (2007–2010; 2011–present)
- Marcus Wesslén – bass guitar (2008–present)
- Marcus Rosell - drums (2014-present)
Session/touring members
- Joel Nilsson – guitars (2010)
- Jonas Ekdahl - drums (2010)
- André Gonzales - guitars (2012-2013)
Former members
- Jimmie Strimell - screamed/clean vocals (2007-2013; 2017-2020)
- Christoffer "Stoffe" Anderson - screamed vocals (2013-2017)
- Zandro Santiago – clean vocals (2010–2014)
- Alexander Svenningson – drums (2007-2014)
- Johan Olsson – guitars, backing screams (2007–2010)
- Henric Carlsson – bass (2007)
Discography
Studio albums
- Dead by April (2009)
- Incomparable (2011)
- Let the World Know (2014)
- Worlds Collide (2017)
Dead By April provides examples of the following tropes
- Careful with That Axe: Most first-time listeners will instantly fall for Jimmie's pseudo-operatic cleans...then his wild, extremely pissed-off screaming pops out of nowhere.
- Cast Full of Pretty Boys: Comes with the entire premise of being a metal tribute to Boy Band pop.
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Doing It for the Art: The band has continued to lean heavily into their Boy Band stylings and novelty status despite what metalheads and metal tastemakers have continued to say about them. - Genre Mashup: A bizarre fusion of In Flames-styled Melodic Death Metal, Metalcore, Nu Metal, and pop.
- Genre Roulette: One of the more notable examples of this trope in metalcore; they do everything from Linkin Park-esque electro-metal to crushing melodic metalcore to Power Ballads.
- I Am the Band: Pontus Hjelm. Even though he left in 2010, he remained as the band's creative force. He later rejoined in 2011 as a session member, while still remaining as the band's prmary songwriter.
- Nu Metal: One of a new wave of bands in the genre that actually lean heavily into it as a deliberate artistic choice.
- Retraux: Of 90's and early 00's pop, specifically, radio-friendly Nu Metal and Boy Band music.
- Revolving Door Band: So much so that even the founding duo of the band, Strimell and Hjelm, have been in and out of the lineup numerous times over the course of their career.
