Adrian Paul Erlandsson (born 27 October 1970) is a Swedish heavy metal drummer who is a member of At the Gates (1990–present), The Haunted (1996–1999, 2013–present), and Nemhain (2006–present).
He has also been a member of H.E.A.L. (1994–1996), Hyperhug (1994–1996), Decameron (1997), Cradle of Filth (1999–2006), Needleye (2006–?), Brujeria (2006–2013), Netherbird (2007–2010), and Paradise Lost (2009–2016).
Erlandsson currently resides in London where he owns a photo studio.
Biography Erlandsson was born in Malmö to a Swedish father with Romanian roots. He's the older brother of Daniel Erlandsson, the drummer of Arch Enemy, and ex-Carcass. They both grew up together in Sweden and started playing drums at a very young age but with Adrian's career beginning in 1981 at the age of 11 after getting his first drum kit, and started to play with friends began playing covers of classic rock songs. He got his brother into drumming as Daniel admits "If it wasn't for him I probably wouldn't be playing today." They also started playing with their music teacher at school, and eventually began to write their own songs and formed a band.
Inspired by Judas Priest, he formed the Black Nuns which evolved into Berits Polisonger playing until 1986. There then followed a series of other bands including thrash metal band Penance in 1987. Erlandsson went on to form Penance, a thrash metal band, which never recorded a demo, although they did record some rehearsal tracks.
As soon as he could hold down his first beat, Adrian Erlandsson and a friend formed a band and covered classic rock songs. The first song they learned was Joan Jett's "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" They soon gathered more members and began playing covers by bands like Def Leppard, Dokken, The Exploited, GBH, Thin Lizzy and Twisted Sister.
Bands
At the Gates Erlandsson then went to University in Gothenburg, where in 1990, he joined the Swedish death metal band At the Gates. He was the band's drummer until they broke up, and received critical and fan praise for his speed and precision. When asked what each at the Gates member contributes to the group's overall sound, band member Anders Björler said that Erlandsson, "hit the drums hard."
In 2007, At the Gates reunited for some festival shows in the summer of 2008 and a headlining US tour which was dubbed Suicidal Final Tour and at the time, mentioned that they would disband after the 2008 tour. In December 2010, the band reunited again, and released their fifth studio album At War with Reality in October 2014.
Terror He was a founding member of the supergroup Terror in the Spring of 1994 with Jon Nödtveidt and his At the Gates bandmates, Anders Björler & Jonas Björler. The band existed for a few weeks but released Demo '94 in April 1994.
The Haunted The day after the first demise of At the Gates, being 27 July 1996, Erlandsson formed The Haunted with Patrik Jensen. Erlandsson remained in the band before departing in June 1999 due to eventually not liking the deal the band had with Earache Records.
Later on in 2012, when Per Möller Jensen (the drummer who replaced Erlandsson back in '99) quit The Haunted, the remainder of the band who had also lost 2 other members other than Möller, had difficulty for a year to search for a new drummer, until Patrik Jensen phoned Erlandsson in April 2013 to rejoin. When Erlandsson asked Jensen as to who else was in the band, he responded with new members Marco Aro and Ola Englund. Having knowing those members and respecting them at their musical abilities, Erlandsson immediately jumped at the chance to join and put his musical input with them. On 26 June 2013, The Haunted released a YouTube video titled "The Haunted returns with a revamped line-up!" which officially announced the returns of both Erlandsson and vocalist Marco Aro.
Cradle of Filth
Erlandsson mentioned how he was hired by Cradle of Filth stating:
In 2006, according to an official Roadrunner press release, Erlandsson left with the intention of devoting his energies to his two side projects, Nemhain and the since-defunct Needleye. "I have enjoyed my time with Cradle but it is now time to move on. I feel I am going out on a high as Thornography is definitely our best album to date".
Nemhain Erlandsson formed Nemhain with his wife Amber Erlandsson, known as a fetish model under the name Morrigan Hel,Christian Kruse: Nemhain. From The Ashes. In: Metal Hammer, February 2010, p. 98. in March 2006. The band returns Erlandsson to his roots as a rock drummer. Nemhain recorded its debut album From the Ashes in Studio Fredman during the late spring 2008 due for a release in April 2009.
Paradise Lost
In March 2009, Erlandsson joined the British gothic metal band Paradise Lost under Jeff Walker's recommendation. Although he was hired after the recording Faith Divides Us Death Unites Us, he was in the music video The Rise of Denial.
Throughout random times from 2009 to 2014, Erlandsson was unable to play with the band due to commitments with his other bands most notably At the Gates. In June 2016, he announced on his Facebook page that he will no longer play drums for Paradise Lost due to other band commitments.
Vallenfyre In 2010, he was hired again to be in another band of Gregory Mackintosh from Paradise Lost called Vallenfyre. In 2014, just like in Paradise Lost, Erlandsson has been unable to play with the band due to commitments with his other bands.
Other projects Erlandsson has also played in Nifelheim. While Adrian was in Cradle of Filth, due to the band's poor reputation in the black metal scene, he was fired from Nifelheim, who said it was "like a very bad, bad dream" to have had "a drummer who plays in CRADLE OF WIMPS now", and that he was "a schooled drummer" but "had problems to understand the most twisted and sickest riffs".Paulo, Metalion: NIFELHEIM. In: Jon Kristiansen: Metalion: The Slayer Mag Diaries. Brooklyn, NY: Bazillion Points Books 2011. p. 459.
In late 2007, Erlandsson recorded the drums for a three track EP for London band Green River Project.
The year 2008 saw Erlandsson fill in for Deathstars on their tour in Europe supporting Korn.
In 2012, Erlandsson took part in a still unreleased and secretive project with the band HIYF. (needs more details)
Equipment
Sabian Cymbals 19 Paragon China 15 HHX Xcelerator hats 20 AAX Iso crash 10 AAX Ozone splash 10 AA Mini holy china 19 Artisan crash 20 AAX Vcrash 22 HH Power bell ride 19 Holy China
Left to right. Date: April 2021
Drumsticks Vic Firth Rock Nylon Tip. (At The Gates signature version).
Hardware Monolit Czarcie Kopyto
TAMA Starclassic Bubinga BD: 22x18 T1: 10x8 T2: 12x9 T3: 14x11 (mostly only at recording sessions). FT1: 16X16 FT2: 18x16 SD: 14x6.5 Tama Bell Brass Snare (usually with Die Cast hoops instead of Brass Hoops)
Date: April 2021 PEARL Reference Series
BD: 22X18 T1: 10X8 T2: 12X9 T3: 14X11 FT1: 16X16 FT2: 18X16 SD: 14X6.5
Evans Accessories AF Patch – Kevlar Single Pedal EMAD Onyx Batter Drumhead EC Reverse Dot Snare Drumhead Glass 500 Snare Side Drumhead Puresound Blasters Series Snare Wires EC2 Clear Drumhead Resonant Black Drumhead Magnetic Head Key Compact Flip Key Torque Drum Key
Discography ReleaseBandMemberYearGardens of GriefAt the GatesCurrent1991The Red in the Sky Is OursAt the GatesCurrent 1992With Fear I Kiss the Burning DarknessAt the Gates Current 1993Demo '94TerrorFormer1994Terminal Spirit DiseaseAt the Gates Current 1994There Can Only be One H.E.A.L. Former 1994Slaughter of the SoulAt the Gates Current 1995ProfithysterilSkitsystem Former 1995Distortion To Hell Again!! Vol.2 (The Demo Series)Skitsystem Former 1995Cursed to TourAt the Gates Current 1996Shivas Ohm H.E.A.L. Former 1996 (Recorded during or before that year, but unreleased)Demo '97The Haunted Current 1997The HauntedThe Haunted Current 1998From the Cradle to Enslave (Track 2)Cradle of Filth Former 1999Midian Cradle of Filth Former 2000Peek A Boo (ft. Cradle of Filth) – Born Again Anti ChristianChristian DeathGuest 2000Her Ghost In The Fog / Dance Macabre Cradle of Filth Former 2000Her Ghost In The Fog (Edit) – Dynamit Vol. 24 Cradle of Filth Former 2000Her Ghost In The Fog (Edit) – Rock Sound Volume 47 Cradle of Filth Former 2000Her Ghost In The Fog – Off Road Tracks Vol. 37 Cradle of Filth Former 2000Her Ghost In The Fog (Edit) – CD Side 1 Cradle of Filth Former 2000Her Ghost In The Fog (Edit) – Sonic Seducer Cold Hands Seduction Vol. VIII Cradle of Filth Former 2000Her Ghost In The Fog (Edit) – Elegy – Numéro 12 Cradle of Filth Former 2000Bitter Suites to Succubi Cradle of Filth Former 2001Heavy Left-Handed and CandidCradle of Filth Former 2001Peaceville Classic CutsAt the Gates Current 2001Eleven Burial Masses / Live Bait for the DeadCradle of Filth Former 2002Lovecraft & Witch Hearts Cradle of Filth Former 2002Allt E SkitlSkitsystem Former 2002Suicidal Final ArtAt the Gates Current 2002Babalon A.D. – So Glad for the Madness Cradle of Filth Former 2003Off Road Tracks Vol. 66Cradle of Filth Former 2003Damnation and a DayCradle of Filth Former 2003MannequinCradle of Filth Former 2003Cradle of FilthCradle of Filth Former 2004NymphetamineCradle of Filth Former 2004Gilded Cunt – Rock Tribune: International Heavy Rock Gratis CD September 2004Cradle of Filth Former 2004Gilded Cunt – Orkus Compilation 3Cradle of Filth Former 2004Medusa And Hemlock – Off Road Tracks Vol. 84 Oktober 2004 Cradle of Filth Former 2004Liszt12 Ton Method Former 2005Devil WomanCradle of Filth Former 2005Peace Through Superior FirepowerCradle of Filth Former 2005Blinded by Fear – Death Metal SpecialAt the Gates Current 2005ThornographicCradle of Filth Former 2006ThornographyCradle of Filth Former 2006Temptation & Dirge InfernoCradle of Filth Former 2006Ode to NoneNeedleye Former 2006–?Lighthouse Eternal (Laterna Magika)Netherbird Former 2007Auf den SpiralnebelnSamsas Traum Former 2007Heiliges Herz – Das Schwert deiner Sonne Samsas Traum Former 2007The Art of Not Falling 12 Ton Method Former 2008DebiladorBrujeria Former 2008The Ghost Collector (Tracks 1–9) Netherbird Guest 2008Night Electric Night (Gold Edition) (Track 14)Deathstars Guest 2009Warning Shots (Disc 1: Tracks 1, 5, 8, 14, 16 & Disc 2: Tracks 8–12)The Haunted Former 2009Promo 2009 Netherbird Former 2009Resplendent Grotesque Code Guest 2009Sovereign (Tracks 10, 11)Tenet Guest 2009Purgatory Unleashed – Live at Wacken At the Gates Current 2010Monument Black Colossal Netherbird Former 2010Live in KrakówAt the Gates Current 2010From The AshesNemhain Current 2010Purgatory Unleashed – Live at Wacken 2008At the GatesCurrent 2011Farewell to Graveland (Tracks 3–6, 8)Martyr Lucifer Guest 2011DesecrationVallenfyre Former 2011A Fragile KingVallenfyre Former 2011Draconian Times MMXI Paradise LostFormer 2011CrucifyParadise Lost Former 2012The Last Fallen SaviourParadise Lost Former 2012Tragic IdolParadise Lost Former 2012Shards (Tracks 11–13)Martyr Lucifer Guest 2013Tragic Illusion 25 (Tracks 1–4, 13, 14)Paradise Lost Former 2013Live at the RoundhouseParadise Lost Former 2013Eye of the StormThe Haunted Current 2014Captor of Sin / Mandatory SuicideAt the Gates Current 2014SplintersVallenfyre Former 2014Exit Wounds The Haunted Current 2014At War with Reality At the Gates Current 2014The Plague WithinParadise LostFormer2015Strength in Numbers The Haunted Current 2017To Drink from the Night Itself At the Gates Current 2018The Nightmare of Being At the Gates Current 2021Songs of last resort The Haunted Current 2025
References
External links
Adrian's last interview as the drummer for Cradle of Filth