If I asked you where Eksjö is, it probably wouldn’t mean much to most of us. But if I tell you that this small town, dating back to the 1400s, is situated between the legendary metal cities of Gothenburg and Stockholm, and is the birthplace of the rising melodic death metal band Orbit Culture, it might start to mean something. Back in 2013, our young guitarist and vocalist Niklas Karlsson met another guitarist, Maximilian Zinsmeister, and shared his plans with him. Like many Swedish youths, they felt the urge to start a metal band, so they recruited bassist Fredrik Lennartsson and drummer Christopher Wallerstedt. They found an old power plant, dusted off some riffs Niklas had written, and started writing and recording songs.

By the way, they were all around 17 years old. They worked throughout the summer of 2013 and released their first track, “Odyssey,” on August 17, 2013. It was a typical melodic death metal track, but listeners liked it, and the band started to gain a small following. Since they couldn’t agree on a band name during their formation, they used a band name generator program and came up with Orbit Culture.

In 2014, they self-released their first full-length album, “In Medias Res.” It stayed true to the melodic death metal style but with a more aggressive edge. They also shot their first music video for the track “Obscurity.” The catchy, repetitive melodies throughout the album hinted at the direction the band would take in the future. After releasing “In Medias Res,” they did a small tour to promote the album, gaining some international recognition. Just as they started to taste success, Maximilian decided to leave the band to focus on his academic studies.

Although this slowed them down, it didn’t stop their progress. Richard Hansson took over as the lead guitarist, and in 2016, the band released the “Rasen” album. This album was their defining moment, featuring cover art, electronic elements, and clean vocals that laid the foundation for the Orbit Culture we know today. Niklas’ clean vocals have a James Hetfield vibe, which isn’t a coincidence since Niklas is a huge Metallica fan, and his riffs also nod to Metallica, Gojira, and Lamb of God. After this album, the band faced another departure, with bassist Christoffer Olsson leaving for his studies, showing once again that education takes precedence in Sweden. Fredrik Lennartsson joined the band as the new bassist.

Despite the lineup changes, Orbit Culture kept producing. They released the single “Saw” in 2018, marking a shift from melodic death metal to groove metal. You could liken their sound to the Indominus Rex from Jurassic World, a mix of various ferocious elements. Niklas and his bandmates fused the DNA of Metallica, Gojira, Behemoth, Lamb of God, and Static-X to create their unique sound. After the success of “Saw,” they released the “Redfog” EP, which included tracks like “See Through Me” and “Redfog.” Following the tradition of changes, drummer Markus Bladh announced his departure, with Christopher Wallerstedt stepping in.

In 2019, they finally embarked on a European tour with Rivers of Nihil and Black Crown Initiate, both signed to the major metal label Century Media, providing Orbit Culture a significant opportunity for future record deals.

In 2020, they released the “Nija” album, which was well-received. With their logo, unique symbols, consistent artistic style on album covers, and distinctive sound, they built a large fan base. “Nija” stood out for its speed and memorable melodies, with Niklas’ understandable brutal vocals and more clean vocals. The influences of Gojira and Behemoth were evident, but Orbit Culture managed to create their unique sound.

In 2021, they released the “Shaman” EP, establishing a tradition of releasing an album one year and an EP the next. Niklas mentioned that the track “A Sailor’s Tale” was inspired by Metallica’s “Master of Puppets.”

By 2023, their album “Descent” was recognized as one of the best albums of the year. Niklas described it in interviews with Revolver, Metal Hammer, and Chaoszine as an album intended to be live-friendly but ultimately becoming a huge, dark beast. Hit tracks like “From The Inside” and “Vultures of North” amassed millions of views on YouTube.

Come 2024, it was time for a change. The band announced that they were moving from Seek & Strike Records to Century Media. In April 2024, they were invited to open for Slipknot’s “Here Comes the Pain” tour, celebrating the 25th anniversary of Slipknot’s debut album. Now, Niklas and his friends are sharing the stage with giants, storming through many festivals on their North American tour.

Zafer Ayaz