Torch stand as one of the true pioneers of Sweden’s early heavy metal movement. Born at the turn of the ’80s and driven by a louder, heavier vision than the country’s prevailing trends, they helped push Swedish metal toward a harder edge long before it became a global force. From the explosive impact of “Fire Raiser!!” to their modern resurgence, Torch have carried their sound across decades of change without losing the fire that defined them.

With new music on the way and a renewed presence onstage, the band continue to prove why their legacy still matters. We caught up with them to revisit their origins, reflect on the highs and lows, and look ahead to what’s coming next.

Interview

TheNwothm: Let us start by going right back to your beginnings. Torch began life as Black Widow in 1979 before transforming into Torch in 1980. What sparked that change in name and identity? Can you tell us about the formation of the bands and changes that occurred?

Torch: Black Widow was a band that was heavily influenced by Black Sabbath and was formed by Chris, Claus and Steve together with bassplayer/singer Peter Kvick. Peter then decided to join Crystal Pride and Ian was recruited as a replacement. The band changed musical direction towards something less “doomy” and decided to change the name to Torch. We recruited Stefan Vedlund as singer and started doing local gigs.

TheNwothm: When you first came together in Eskilstuna (Sweden), what was the vision for the band’s sound and image?

Torch: Our vision was “Faster, heavier & louder”. The musical scene in Sweden was dominated by bands with leftwing political agendas that sang in Swedish. You were supposed to look like you just stepped of the factory floor and onto the stage. We revolted against that and put on big shows with pyrotechnics, stage clothes and loud, heavy music.

TheNwothm: Heavy metal in the early ’80s was exploding worldwide. How did Sweden’s scene influence your early direction?

Torch: As we were part of the first wave we were not really influenced by the Swedish scene. Our major influence was the whole NWOBHM movement and all of the great music that came out from more established bands in the early 80s (Judas Priest, Ozzy etc.). Another major influence was Riot that we all loved.

TheNwothm: The Torch logo has become iconic in its own right. Can you share the story behind its design and what it represents to you?

Torch: Initially we had another logo but felt it was not powerful enough. One day Chris was reading a comic book when he saw a word using a font that looked cool and aggressive. We asked a friend of ours to create a logo based on that font and that’s the logo that we’re still using.

TheNwothm: “Fire Raiser!!” (1982) and your self-titled full-length (1983) made a strong impact on heavy metal fans. What do you remember most about recording those albums?

Torch: To be allowed to record was huge at that point in time. Hardly any Swedish Heavy Metal had released any records at that point in time. I think that only Heavy Load, Neon Rose and possibly Trash had released full-length albums. Both records were made on a shoestring budget. We recorded everything live apart from vocals and guitarsolos. It was all done in a couple of days and you can feel the energy going in to those records.  The first EP was supposed to be a test. If it sold well, we would be allowed to record a full album. The first pressing of the EP sold out immediately and the rest is history. 

TheNwothm: Songs like “Electrikiss” and “Warlock” appeared on major Scandinavian compilations. Did you feel part of a larger movement at that time?

Torch: Yes, we could feel that we were part of a moment. All of a sudden every record label wanted to sign a Swedish Heavy Metal Band. What we felt set us apart was that we were heavier than most bands, especially the Europe-type bands that came out of Stockholm.

TheNwothm: Torch disbanded in the mid-’80s, with some members moving on to Crystal Pride. Looking back, what were the biggest challenges that led to that pause?

Torch: There were several reasons. The plan was that “Electrikiss” would get us signed with a major label, but that album was simply not good enough. This was very disappointing. We were also quite burnt out from living a rock n roll lifestyle. We did not make enough money from music so we had to take whatever jobs we could get. This really wore us down and eventually Dan Dark decided to quit. We tried to find a replacement, but then finally decided to call it quits.

TheNwothm: What drove Dan Dark to bring Torch back in 2003 after nearly two decades away, and how did you balance preserving the original sound with evolving into something new?

Torch: Dan had lots of people reaching out to him explaining how important Torch had been to them. Dan felt that Torch had given up to soon and that we should give it another go. When he first reached out to us, none of us other members felt that we were ready. He then decided to go ahead with new members. 

TheNwothm: When “Dark Sinner” (2009) arrived, how did the writing process compare to the early ’80s? Did you pick things up where you left off or did you find things a bit challenging to begin?

Torch: Most of the songs on “Dark Sinner” were re-recordings of old Torch songs. As for the new songs I don’t know how they were created, since none of us other original members were involved.

TheNwothm: With “Reignited” (2020) and “Live Fire” (2022), how did fans react to hearing both fresh material and live energy after so long?

Torch: The response has been fantastic for both “Reignited” and “Live Fire”. I think that “Reignited” surprised a lot of people. We’re very happy with how we managed to make our sound more up-to-date while keeping the original Torch core values. We proved that we were still relevant as a band. “Live Fire” is a great final chapter and summary of the Dan Dark era of Torch.