Out of the ashes of the past, Sweden’s The Unguided is a band that emerged back in 2010 with Roger Sjunnesson (guitars) and Richard Sjunnesson (harsh vocals), Roland Johansson (clean vocals/guitars), and John Bengtsson (drums), all of whom departed the internationally established Sonic Syndicate. A difficult decision, considering all the hard work put into Sonic Syndicate, Richard Sjunnesson stated in a 2020 interview with Cryptic Rock –
“I can’t say it was easy overall (to leave Sonic Syndicate), but it was a long process that started around 2008. So, once it grew stronger, up to 2010, it was an easy decision to finally press the red button.“
This move has led to The Unguided being a strong entity now celebrating fifteen years running. Released five studio albums, from 2011’s Hell Frost debut to 2020’s Father Shadow, each shows layers of progression as they have pushed their own sound forward. Considering this, the best way to describe The Unguided is a delightful mix of Progressive, Melodic Death, and even alternative Metal stylings. Mastering this hybrid with strong songwriting and a lively mix of harsh and clean vocals, the music never seems to grow long in the tooth like others on the scene.
With all of this in mind, The Unguided has consistently been led by brothers Richard and Roger Sjunnesson. At the same time, Richard Schill joined on drums in 2012, and Vocalist/Guitarist Jonathan Thorpenberg replaced Roland Johansson, who decided to step away from the band in 2016. A blow that The Unguided had to overcome, Thorpenberg (who is a powerful, talented singer) has helped soften it with an impressive debut on his first full-length album with the band Father Shadows. Hitting a new stride, now in 2025, The Unguided returns with the follow-up entitled Hellven.
The sixth full-length record from The Unguided, Hellven, arrived on March 7, 2025, via their new label, Bleeding Nose Records, in partnership with SixOneSix AB. A shift after releasing their last four albums through Napalm Records, the other change is that Fredrik Holmlund took over on bass in 2023 in place of Henric Liljesand of Cipher System (who was a part of The Unguided since 2011). Moving onward, The Unguided presents another dramatic and rousing set over the course of eleven songs that make up Hellven.
Including early releases from 2024, such as “Hell” and “Red Alert,” the most recent single came in the form of “Kilonova” in early January 2025. Since then, keeping their hand close to their chest with subsequent samples, these three tracks offer various tempos and moods, complimented by the push and pull of Richard’s throaty growls and Thorpenberg’s high soaring singing.
Beyond these, the album follows a theme that paints the images of a world on the eve of destruction filled with hypocrisy, corruption, and indifference. Inside this world, the music acts as a form of defiance in the face of darkness and, in many ways, acts as a battle cry for the real world, where we face the constant efforts of world politics to divide, conquer, and rule us with fear and hatred. Something you can hook onto and feel with the depths of your own frustrations, songs like “Kilonova” stand boldly, but so does “Praetorian Stalker,” the heartfelt “Blood Mare,” and the other side of “Hell,” “Heaven.” The record’s finale, “Heaven,” has an intense effect that is filled with hope thanks to the carefully placed keyboards and juggling guitars.
Overall, Hellven has a different feel than 2020’s Father Shadows, but that is to be expected since this is a different chapter for The Unguided. The arrangements are fresh, the pace is engaging, the guitar solos are perfectly executed, and the universal message is something we can all empathize with. That is why Cryptic Rock gives The Unguided’s Hellven 4.5 out of 5 stars.
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