Pär Anders Fridén (born 25 March 1973) is a Swedish vocalist, best known as the lead singer of the heavy metal band In Flames. He was also the vocalist of Dark Tranquillity and side project Passenger.
Career
Early career Fridén was originally the vocalist for Dark Tranquillity. He performed on their debut album, Skydancer, but left the band soon after. Two years later he joined In Flames. Coincidentally Mikael Stanne had left In Flames (being only a session player) and switched from rhythm guitar to lead vocals in Dark Tranquillity, so the two effectively traded places. Fridén was also the lead vocalist for another band known as Ceremonial Oath with In Flames founder Jesper Strömblad.
1995–present: In Flames Fridén started with In Flames on the 1996 album The Jester Race. On the album Whoracle, Niklas Sundin wrote the lyrics following the original synopsis by Fridén. On the 1999 album Colony, Fridén composed the lyrics himself, though Sundin still assisted by translating his lyrics from Swedish to English.
He is also the vocalist for the band Passenger as a side project.
Fridén also has done guest vocals on the album The Phantom Novels, by the metal band Grievance. He is the lead vocalist on the tracks Atrocity Upon Deceptions, A Devil's Rhyme and The Mask of Sin.
In 2007 Fridén appeared as a guest vocalist on the Japanese bonus track "See the Falling Sky" on Caliban's 2007 album "The Awakening". As well as providing vocals for the track "Dysfunctional Hours" for the 20th anniversary Nuclear Blast Allstars compilation album, Out of the Dark.
His look changed dramatically following the release of In Flames 2002 release Reroute to Remain. His previously clean-shaven look was replaced with a beard, and his long hair was put into dreadlocks. His vocal style has also changed, especially on the past three records. His low-tone, harsh death growl has evolved into a higher pitched scream, which is now supplemented by clean vocals and layers of backing vocals.
In addition to being a vocalist, Fridén is also a producer, with his most recent efforts being the albums: The Undying Darkness by Caliban in 2006 and Absolute Design by the band Engel in 2007.
He also co-wrote and performed scream vocals on the song "Self vs Self", which appears on the third album of UK/Australian drum and bass band Pendulum alongside his bandmates Björn Gelotte and Peter Iwers.
In the summer of 2010, Fridén changed his appearance again by cutting off his dreadlocks, which he had grown since the release of Reroute to Remain.
Fridén founded the ambient/electronic project If Anything, Suspicious in 2021. The project's debut album, Lullabies for the Damned, was released in collaboration with OFFAIR in December 2021.
Discography Album or songBandMembership RoleYearEnfeebled EarthSeptic BroilerEx-memberVocals1990Rehearsal December 1990Septic BroilerEx-memberVocals1990Trail of Life DecayedDark TranquillityEx-memberVocals1991A Moonclad ReflectionDark TranquillityEx-memberVocals1992SkydancerDark TranquillityEx-memberVocals1993SubterraneanIn FlamesGuestVocals on "Murders in the Rue Morgue"1994Carpet (1–3, 7)Ceremonial OathEx-memberVocals1995The Jester RaceIn FlamesMemberVocals1995Black-Ash InheritanceIn FlamesMemberVocals1997WhoracleIn FlamesMemberVocals1997Penetrations from the Lost WorldDimension ZeroGuestCo-producing1997The Fifth SeasonSacrilegeGuestEngineering1997"Hedon" – The Mind's IDark TranquillityGuestCo-vocals/mantra1997"Hands of the Puppeteers" – VisionnaireMisanthropeGuestBacking vocals1997HaddockHaddockGuestRecording1998My Arms, Your HearseOpethGuestCo-producing1998Amorous AnathemaEmbracedGuestProducing, mixing1998The Nude BalletWithering SurfaceGuestMastering1998ColonyIn FlamesMemberVocals1999The Phantom Novels (2, 3)GrievanceGuestCo-vocals1999"AntiChrist 3000" – The Beast DivineCemetery 1213GuestCo-vocals2000ClaymanIn FlamesMemberVocals2000Not Dead YetRaise Hell GuestCo-producing2000HavenDark TranquillityGuestEngineering2000The Tokyo ShowdownIn FlamesMemberVocals2001 I Die, You SoarMadrigalGuestProducing, recording2001Reroute to RemainIn FlamesMemberVocals, mixing, engineering2002Silent Night FeverDimension ZeroGuestCo-producing2002TriggerIn FlamesMemberVocals2003 PassengerPassengerMemberVocals2003This Is HellDimension ZeroGuestCo-producing2003Synthetic GenerationDeathstarsGuestEngineering, recording2003Prey on LifeBurstGuestProducing, engineering2003Soundtrack to Your EscapeIn FlamesMemberVocals2004The Opposite from WithinCalibanGuestProducing2004Used & Abused: In Live We TrustIn FlamesMemberVocals2005Come ClarityIn FlamesMemberVocals2006The Undying DarknessCalibanGuestProducing2006"I See The Falling Sky" – The AwakeningCalibanGuestCo-vocals2007Absolute DesignEngelGuestProducing2007"Dysfunctional Hours" – Out of the DarkNuclear Blast All-StarsGuestVocals2007 Subversive BlueprintThe Destiny ProgramGuestProducing2007A Sense of PurposeIn FlamesMemberVocals2008"Self vs Self" – ImmersionPendulumGuestCo-vocals2010Sounds of a Playground FadingIn FlamesMemberVocals2011Siren CharmsIn FlamesMemberVocals2014 BattlesIn FlamesMemberVocals2016 "Irreversible" – The Great Electronic SwindleThe Bloody BeetrootsGuestVocals2017 "Raise Your Banner" – ResistWithin TemptationGuestVocals2018 I, the MaskIn FlamesMemberVocals2019"Scars That I'm Hiding" – PanicFrom Ashes to NewGuestBackground vocals2021ForegoneIn FlamesMemberVocals2023"The Golden Trail" – The Call of the VoidNita StraussGuestVocals2023 "Cannibal" – Friend of a PhantomVolaGuestVocals2024
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