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

When band put out Riders Of The Ancient Storm, it was promising, tour, concerts, hopes to new album, a Swedish Manilla Road, sad they did broke up in 80s and did not wrote bunch of albums, sad news.

Btw I lile name Styrbjörn, not many children has it nowadays, old viking days name.

From the band's Facebook:

IN MEMORY OF RAGNE WAHLQUIST
JAN 23rd 1955 - JAN 2nd 2025

STYRBJÖRN WAHLQUIST

My beloved big brother, the musical genius, my life companion, mentor and inspiration has passed away - suddenly and unexpectedly leaving me in a state of shock and deepest grief. My heart is in shatters.

We shared the same artistic passion, vision and fervor, always creating our music together. We inspired each other and developed our music, sound and artwork together; although, he often acted as my mentor. These last years we have been extremely inspired. And, even more so this last year during which we have worked passionately and intensely with our forthcoming album. It is quite far developed. Three songs are completed and mixed and many more are almost done. All are recorded in our own studio which was built by Ragne and me during two years.

When Ragne passed away he was waiting for me to come to the studio to resume our recordings and mixing after our short break during New Years Eve. Just about thirty minutes after having spoken with Ragne on the phone about what we should do in the studio during the day, I received a phone call from a family member who had just found him lying unconscious in the garden and informed me that they had called for an ambulance.

We, the others in Heavy Load, are determined to finish the album and let Ragne's, and our music, reach out to the world. I know, in the depth of my heart, that this is what he wants us to do. In addition, we intend to go on with new albums and new concerts in the same spirit as Ragne.

Ragne I love you and I feel that you will always stand by me, and be with me.
When I compose and play I do it with your heart. When I sing, I sing with your heart.
All my love to all of you, our dear friends around the world.
Styrbjörn Wahlquist

---

NICLAS SUNNERBERG

We love you Ragne, you are so deeply missed. A friend, a mentor, a father figure, a brother – I only knew you for around ten years, but in that time, you became all this and more.

Your humor, humility and your unwavering integrity made you someone everyone wanted to have close. You believed in me from the start and gave of yourself without expecting anything in return. Your care shone through in every conversation. I am grateful for the time together and for everything you taught me. I miss our conversations as much as I miss standing side by side with you, playing and exchanging smiles when Styrbjörn pulled off some extraordinary or unexpected drum fill. It's crystal clear to me, in memory.

I will never forget the times we shared and how you made every moment feel meaningful. You were a true role model, someone to look up to and be inspired by. Your lyrics always hit hard, and now after you're gone they somehow cut even deeper into my heart.

We are absolutely devastated by this loss. My thoughts and prayers are with the family, the rest of the band, and especially your brother, whom I also hold so dearly in my heart.
Ragne, you were a legend – and to me, you always will be.

---

TORBJÖRN RAGNESJÖ

After just having talked to Styrbjörn about Ragne, with tears running and my voice trembling while trying to talk, I am trying to digest all of this.

Ragne, a dear childhood friend and cousin of mine, as well as an extremely inspiring and creative soul, is gone. I get the shivers down my spine just by writing this very sentence here and now, since it is too much in an emotional sense. And I wonder how much more awful this must be to his wife and daughters, as well as Styrbjörn. My thoughts go unreservedly to them in a time like this.

I cannot stress how much fun and good times we have had together, Ragne, Styrbjörn and I, while growing up, with our childhood families with parents, siblings, cousins, lots of relatives and friends having birthdays, christmases, wonderful midsummer weekends in the Stockholm archipelago together. The list can be made much longer...

I will cherish my time with him, both as a cousin and friend, and as well as a band member. He was always encouraging when I felt I wasn't 'good enough', always a kind word while things were hard, always a good friend.
I salute you Ragne, your friendship and your musical legacy!
You will live on in our memories and your music!

---

EDDY MALM

Ragne Wahlquist was an enormous role model for me as regards rock music. He was a brilliant guitarist, songwriter and singer. He inspired me immensely. Moreover, he was an incredibly good friend. It was always a pleasure to spend time with him. Sometimes we celebrated Midsummer Eve in the garden of his residence in Åkersberga and sometimes we celebrated New Years Eve - indoors. I have so many fantastic memories from our time together in Heavy Load. It was so incredible outstanding with a gigantic back line and home made pyrotechnics. This spectacular extravaganza came about because of Ragne's and Styrbjörn's visions and efforts. Ragne, I am going to miss you enormously. Rest in peace my very good friend.
From your dear friend Eddy

From Swedish national TV news

Written by Bad English on 13.01.2025 at 19:46



From Swedish national TV news

acordig to this band is half way done to record they 5th album.