May the Heavy Metal Angels be good to him.

Sad news
RIP

Rip in steel, brother

This is both extremely sad and unexpected news. The band was coming alive again and Riders Of The Ancient Storm was my favourite album of 2023; I was actually listening to it a couple of days ago. They were playing, they were active, and they had said that they had new music in the works. People may not know that, beside the divine heavy metal he played with Heavy Load, Ragne co-produced the greatest doom metal album of all time at Thunderload Studios. I am listening to Death Or Glory as I am writing this, and, if you have never heard of this band or this album, do yourself a favour and give it a try; you will thank me later. Or listen to any of their albums for that matter; they all demonstrate exactly what heavy metal is about.

Rest in Peace, Ragne, in Heavy Metal Heaven.

This is what Leif Edling wrote:
"My/our dear friend Ragne Wahlquist is dead and I'm heartbroken. A wonderful person and musician is gone, and also the creator and forefather of swedish heavy metal with his mighty Heavy Load! He was an inspiration to me and Candlemass and he will be sadly missed. Our summer garden parties will not be the same anymore😥
Rest in Peace my friend Ragne "Valhalla Warrior" Wahlquist.
Leif Edling and Candlemass"

Rip legend

Wow, it’s really been ages since I last listened to Death Or Glory (or this kind of old school heavy metal in general). Spinning it now, while writing this. Riders Of The Ancient Storm is pretty great too, hadn't heard it yet. This band is probably the epitome of keeping heavy metal 'true'.

Written by nikarg on 07.01.2025 at 22:41

This is both extremely sad and unexpected news. The band was coming alive again and Riders Of The Ancient Storm was my favourite album of 2023; I was actually listening to it a couple of days ago. They were playing, they were active, and they had said that they had new music in the works. People may not know that, beside the divine heavy metal he played with Heavy Load, Ragne co-produced the greatest doom metal album of all time at Thunderload Studios. I am listening to Death Or Glory as I am writing this, and, if you have never heard of this band or this album, do yourself a favour and give it a try; you will thank me later. Or listen to any of their albums for that matter; they all demonstrate exactly what heavy metal is about.

Rest in Peace, Ragne, in Heavy Metal Heaven.

This is what Leif Edling wrote:
"My/our dear friend Ragne Wahlquist is dead and I'm heartbroken. A wonderful person and musician is gone, and also the creator and forefather of swedish heavy metal with his mighty Heavy Load! He was an inspiration to me and Candlemass and he will be sadly missed. Our summer garden parties will not be the same anymore😥
Rest in Peace my friend Ragne "Valhalla Warrior" Wahlquist.
Leif Edling and Candlemass"

I did not know that. It is infact the greatest doom album ever recorded and that new knowledge makes me mourn his loss even more now.

I am definitely going to have to spin a couple of tracks of Heavy Load and from EDM now before I'm done for the night.


I raise my glass hugh in his memory before every drink for the rest of the night.

RIP