The STORYTELLER project started in late 1995 by L-G Persson. and Fredrik Groth. The music was based on acoustic guitars and vocals, and influenced by medieveal songs and stories. A few demos were recorded in a local studio, and tapes were sold to friends and relatives and sent out to a few record labels.
A few years later Fredrik & L-G decided to take the music a few steps further, and they got a drummer, Martin Hjerpe. They also replaced their acoustic guitars with electric ones. Inspired by good heavy metal bands in general, they rearranged their old songs and wrote some new material. The band rehearsed a lot and recorded a few more demos, and finally, in June 1999 Storyteller got their first record deal.
The Storyteller's debut album was released in Europe in May 2000, and although itwasn't released in Japan at the time, the album was listed in Japanese Burrn magazine's "Import Albums" chart six months in a row. (The ratings were: August 5, September 3, October 3, November 24, December 49 and January 42.) But finally, in December the album was officially released in Japan by Soundholic Co. Ltd. As the unavoidable bonus track, the first acoustic demo of Chant Of The Thieves from 1995 was included.
During the following years a the band recorded and released "Crossroad", and played live on several occations. In september 2002 they opened for Blind Guardian in Umeå, Sweden and the following spring they recorded a third album, "Tales of a Holy Quest". A few weeks after, The Storyteller played at Sweden Rock Festival, right before the mixing of the album, which was finally released in November 2003.
By this time plans developed for making a video on the song "Seed of Lies" from the new album. Said and done. The video was shot in the midst of January during 4 days pending between the heat of studiolights and the chilly winds of Swedish winter outdoors. The video was shown officially for the first time at the releasyparty 12th of March 2003 taking place at Club Monster/Gävle and has since been broadcasted several times on Z-TV amongst other channels.
Throughout the first half of the year the band played some occational gigs at minor clubs, supporting Bruce Kulick (ex-KISS guitarist) at Rockland/Sala for one, and after having the summer off they reunited for a gig at the Gates of Metal festival in Hultsfred July 31. Just days before the gig a cd containing "Seed of Lies" as cd-track and video both, a cover on Ozzy's "Bark at the Moon", a live recording of "The Secrets Revealed" and a demotrack called "Prophets of Liars" was released.
Early 2004, the band started to write new material for a new album. For the first time, pre production demos of most songs were recorded, and more time than ever was spent on the writing and arrangement processes. In April 2005 The Storyteller entered Studio Underground in Västerås to record what would be their fourth full length album, titled "Underworld". The lyrics were based upon old folk lores, which of course can be considered as "fantasy", but in a more traditional and historical way. "Underworld" was mixed at Studio Flåklypa by Fredrik Groth and released in November 4, followed by a release gig at Art Garden/Musikhuset in Gävle, Sweden November 5.
The new album reached position 17 inte the top 20 Metal Chart in Sweden,
a chart on wich no previous record had landed! In late November the band toured Finland with trendsetting Power Metalers Helloween. The gigs had a good outcome when it comes to public respons, great fun and developping tha band in the aspect of awareness on stage. In january The Storyteller followed Gamma Ray on the Swedish leg of their European tour, and all in all, what's just been said about the tour with Helloween, applies here to.
Some stories better left untold.
