Swedish gothic rock band Scheitan have released their new album “Wine For a Tormented Soul” through Greek label The Circle Music. The CD edition is dated 19 December 2025, while the digital version on Bandcamp carries a 20 December 2025 release date. The band mark the release with a new video for the opening track “A Kiss of Death“.

“Wine For a Tormented Soul” is Scheitan’s fifth full-length album and the direct follow-up to their 2024 comeback record “Songs For the Gothic People”, also released by The Circle Music on CD, vinyl and digital formats. The new album contains eight songs: “A Kiss of Death”, “Heaven Tonight”, “Döden är helt underbar”, “Love n´ Death”, “Every Little Thing”, “Out of Here”, “Carry Me Home” and “Dream Away”.

Several tracks on the album were already introduced as singles ahead of the full release. “Carry Me Home”, “Heaven Tonight” and “Love n´ Death” all appeared as standalone digital releases via The Circle Music’s Bandcamp page in 2024 and 2025.

Frontman Pierre Törnkvist describes the personal background of “Wine For a Tormented Soul” like this: “I am very much looking forward to presenting the new Scheitan album to the audience. The title ‘Wine For a Tormented Soul’ comes from what music can mean to people that run into hardship in life. Music is my therapy, it is my best friend in dark times. The last 10 years have been a bumpy road with one of my best friends passing away too early as well as my father leaving us from one day to another.”

He adds that several songs were already heard as singles, but now sit in the context of a full album and a physical format.

About Scheitan

Scheitan is a gothic rock band from Luleå, Norrbotten, Sweden, formed in 1996 by guitarist, bassist and vocalist Pierre Törnkvist together with drummer Oscar Karlsson. The project began as a black metal act, debuting with the full-length “Travelling in Ancient Times” on German label Invasion Records in 1996.

Scheitan’s second album “Berzerk 2000” followed in 1998, again on Invasion Records, and mixed melancholic gothic and ambient rock with the harsher vocals of their early period. In 1999 the band signed to Century Media Records for their third album “Nemesis”, recorded in Luleå and released on CD and cassette formats. Around the time of “Nemesis”, Scheitan appeared at the Wave-Gotik-Treffen festival in Leipzig before entering a long hiatus.

After 1999 the band remained inactive for roughly twenty-four years. In 2023 Scheitan returned with the single “Lost In Time“, released digitally. Later that year they issued the single “Fire At Dawn“, whose lyric video premiered on Side-Line, followed by a cover of Billy Idol’s “White Wedding” and the single “Believe” in early 2024.

Scheitan signed to The Circle Music for their comeback full-length “Songs For the Gothic People”, released on CD, vinyl and digital platforms in May 2024, with different formats appearing between 18 and 28 May 2024. We had an interview with Scheitan around that time.

From 2023 onwards the group released several digital singles including “Lost In Time”, “Fire At Dawn”, “Believe”, “Fury Flow”, “Love n’ Death”, “Heaven Tonight (Remix by Ashbury Heights)” and “Döden är helt underbar”, all released via The Circle Music’s Bandcamp ahead of “Wine For a Tormented Soul”.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil.

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Out now is the brand new single from the Swedish gothic rock band Scheitan, the ballad “Carry me Home“. The track will also feature on the band’s upcoming album which is to be out later this year.

“One of the trademarks of Scheitan has always been these dark, doomy gothic ballads. Already on our first album ‘Travelling in Ancient Times’ we finished it off with ‘Portals of Might’. On our second and third album we had ‘Soulside’, ‘Sad to Say’, ‘A Silent Hum’ and ‘My Isle’,” says Scheitan mastermind Pierre Törnkvist on the new single. And he adds: “‘Carry me Home’ is no different from these, it´s a “big” hymn to the everlasting sleep which we all are about to face, sooner or later.”

The new single was mixed by Daniel Bergstrand (In Flames, Soilwork etc.) and mastered at LANDR.

About Scheitan

Scheitan, a Swedish gothic rock band from Luleå, was formed in 1996 by Pierre Törnkvist and Oscar Karlsson. Initially, they played black metal, as showcased in their debut album, “Travelling in Ancient Times”. Over time, their music evolved to incorporate gothic rock and ambient elements.

Their second album, “Berzerk 2000”, offered a more melancholic and gothic style, while still retaining some black metal influences. The third album, “Nemesis”, released under Century Media, then again went into a goth ‘n’ roll style. But after performing at the Wave Gotik Treffen in Leipzig, the band went on a 24-year hiatus.

In 2023, Scheitan re-emerged with singles like “Lost in Time”, “Fire at Dawn”, and a cover of Billy Idol’s “White Wedding”. They ended up signing with The Circle Music. Their fourth album, “Songs for the Gothic People”, was released on May 22, 2024, featuring eight tracks.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil.

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Originally formed in 1996, Swedish band Scheitan began its journey blending Black-Metal with touches of Gothic-Rock, creating a sound both intense and haunting. They released three notable albums in the late ’90s. This year, Scheitan has returned to the scene, unveiling their first full-length album in 25 years. Titled “Songs For The Gothic People” and released by The Circle Music, the album leans into Post-Punk influences, layered with melodic elements that build to an exhilarating crescendo. I had the chance to speak with Pierre Törnkvist, the sole driving force behind Scheitan, about the band’s resurrection and this impressive new opus. (Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: “Songs For The Gothic People” marks Scheitan’s first new album in 25 years. It seems to represent not just a comeback, but a complete metamorphosis in genre and the evolution into a solo project. Could you share more about this revival and the shifts in genre and influences?

Pierre: Scheitan was a musical project that already back in the late 90’s shifted in style, and to be honest, I think what changed most from our 1999 “Nemesis” album and the new are the vocals. The rest was already there in 1999, maybe not in a clear form like this -and it’s certainly also a musical development but to me there was melodies, lyrical darkness, some slow songs, some up-tempo ones already back then.

Our first album in 1997 one could call a ‘Black-Metal’ album, at least musically but we already shifted gears in 1998 with the 4 more Gothic songs that were on “Berzerk 2000”. And for “Nemesis” the furious tempo was all gone. So, a part of the transition was already made. This was just the finishing touch. 

Q: When did you begin working on “Songs For Gothic People” and how did the album ultimately take shape?

Pierre: Well, I was experimenting in the studio, tired of doing the usual screaming stuff and decided to try to sing properly. This was not an easy task since I am 75% deaf since the age of 5 so singing in tune is a challenge. But things got better with time, I practiced a lot and at the same time I wrote the song “Lost In Time”. At first I did not know what to do with the song and was thinking of what to name this ‘project’. But the more I thought about it I felt that this would be a natural continuation of Scheitan, this would be the logical next step.

As I said, the music was already there and now the vocals would be in place. I did not have the opportunity to work with my singing like this back in the day so it could not happen then, and instead it happened now. I was always a fan of the Greek underground scene and when The Circle Music released the last Thou Art Lord-EP I sent the label-boss Maria an e-mail together with the song. She liked it a lot and asked if I wanted to do an album, and the rest is history. 

Q: The title is quite explicit, suggesting a clear target audience. Is there a deeper meaning behind it? Can you elaborate on the lyrical themes and influences that shaped the album?

Pierre: About the title, it’s not necessarily aimed at ‘Goth’ people. But rather at people who feel that they do not belong to this world and all the madness that is going on. That, to me, is what goth really represents, not how you look but how you feel. To look at all this insanity from the side, feeling and realizing it’s all wrong. Other than that, the lyrics are very dark and existential. I think this comes naturally with age, when you start experiencing the death of your friends and your parents combined with war and misery everywhere. Age teaches us to see the world from another perspective. And also realizing that life is not a clock spinning around and around but rather an hourglass running out of sand sooner than later did have an impact on the lyrics. 

Q: Transitioning from a band to a solo project is a significant change. How did this shift impact your process of composing and producing the songs? What were your greatest challenges and opportunities, as well as your most significant sources of satisfaction and pride?

Pierre: Well, Scheitan was never a ‘band’ anyway. Scheitan was me and Oscar, and that meant it basically was me writing songs and Oscar playing drums. He wrote music in many other musical projects, like The Everdawn and Helltrain but with Scheitain he trusted me 100% with the writing. Of course he did a few riffs here and there but he was usually happy with what I wrote and rarely had any wishes to change anything. And I think that if Oscar had been alive today he would have liked the new album a lot. He was the one introducing me to bands like Fields Of The Nephilim and Sisters Of Mercy from which I obviously have drawn inspiration to create this music.

But what really differs now from back in the day is that I have a studio in my own home, I have such better possibilities to create and record music, that is a huge change. The biggest challenge was the vocals, no doubt, but once I gained the self confidence that I could do it, very much coached during the process by Daniel Bergstrand who mixed the album, I think it moved on quite smoothly. The biggest opportunity is definitely the fact that I have infinite amounts of time in the studio as it is my own. And yes, I am really proud of this album, I have said it before, when I listen to it now there are times that I find it hard to believe that I did this all by myself, that I had this album in me.  

Regarding the solo project/band definition I would say that the ‘band’ feeling of Scheitan has never been as strong as it is today after me and Axel started playing live shows together. In the beginning I think both of us just tried to do our best to perform the songs but this has developed into a real project where we continuously improve our performance and discuss new ideas for the future. Axel has contributed a lot to both the visual identity as well as the contact with the audience during this short period of time. 

Q: How would you describe yourself as a musician, and what was your approach to creating the songs for this album? Were there any key moments or influences that significantly shaped your development as a musician?

Pierre: I think it’s more of a collection of things that made all this happen. Firstly of course the fact that I built the studio a few years ago. Then all the stuff I learned along the way, how to record, how to arrange the songs better, how to use the software, vocal practice… a lot of different things. I spent a lot of time the last few years listening to completely different music, like EDM, Pop stuff -really anything but Metal just to learn from songwriters with a different approach. I think this helped a lot to make me better at writing and arranging songs.

So I would not say there are key moments, rather persistence and the will to constantly keep going, keep evolving, staying curious with a will to learn new things. A lot of people talk about inspiration, they look to be ‘inspired’ to get something going. If there is one thing to pinpoint in all this I think it’s the lie of ‘inspiration’, there is no such thing. Just get in the studio, and start somewhere, after five minutes you will be lost in the flow and come out a few hours later. I think this approach is applicable to any kind of artist, it doesn’t matter if you write books, do paintings or whatever.

Q: What can fans look forward to in the coming months in terms of performances, new music videos, remixes, and other potential projects?

Pierre: Well, Scheitan recently released the new single “Fury Flow” which is a re-recording of a song from the “Nemesis”-album. Really just done out of curiosity and to prove the point that the songs on that album were not very far from what Scheitan is today. By the end of November there will be another single titled “Love n’ Death”, it will probably be released earlier on YouTube. Then by the end of January there will be another single, “Carry Me Home”. We also hope to book some more shows.

And yes, we are looking for a booking agency, so if anyone out there would be interested in working with Scheitan, just get in touch. Also, check out the website at www.scheitan.se 

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

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Scheitan is a Swedish music project that emerged in the ’90s, primarily known for its involvement in the Black-Metal scene. Twenty-five years after their last album, Scheitan resurfaces as a solo-project driven by Pierre Törnkvist. The album’s title hints at the style and influences shaping its eight tracks. While it doesn’t fit neatly into the Gothic genre, the music is rooted in a blend of Dark-Rock accomplished with melodic synth lines. A sense of melancholy permeates the powerful yet melodic compositions. The album’s closing track features a female vocalist, adding an ethereal, almost heavenly dimension to the sound. Rather than labeling this a comeback, it feels more like the resurrection of a band with a significant contribution; one I highly recommend. (Rate:8½).

Listen to “Lost In Time”:

https://scheitanthecircle.bandcamp.com/track/lost-in-time-2

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com

Swedish gothic rock act Scheitan have released a music video for their next single “Believe”. “Believe” is taken off their upcoming album “Songs for the Gothic People” and the single is available on all digital platforms.

Scheitan have recently returned following a 24-year hiatus, and will release a new album “Songs for the Gothic People” on 22 May 2024 via the Greek label The Circle Music. The new album further explores the gothic vibe that was present on their ”Nemesis” album, released by Century Media Records in 1999.

The music video for “Believe” can be viewed right below.

Guitarist, multiinstrumentalist and vocalist Pierre Törnkvist comments on the new single: ““Believe” was one of the earlier tracks I wrote for the new album. Ghost had just released their song “My Little Sunshine” and I was inspired by the tempo of the track, I think it has a certain groove to it. Mr. Forge is one of the most prominent songwriters of our time so catching a bit of inspiration from him can’t do any harm. To me, the lyrics have a double edge. At first glance, they could be seen as written from a pure “I” perspective, what “I believe”. But one could also interpret it as a general “I believe” followed blindly by many people. They all claim to believe in some kind of “god” and “goodness” but there is more fire than ever in the world, look at Ukraine, Israel, Gaza and all acts of terror constantly committed in the name of “god”. Maybe your “gods” are not the gods they claim to be?”

Pre-orders for the LP and CD version of “Songs for the Gothic People” are available now via The Circle Music.

About Scheitan

Scheitan emerged in 1996, founded by Pierre Törnkvist on guitar, bass, and vocals, alongside Oscar Karlsson on drums. Initially a black metal ensemble, the group transitioned into gothic/ambient rock over time. Both Törnkvist and Karlsson, were already quite seasoned in death and black metal through bands like The Moaning, Defleshed, The Everdawn, and Gates of Ishtar.

The band’s debut “Travelling in Ancient Times” was unveiled in 1996 through Invasion Records, featuring eight tracks of intense black metal, with the closing piece, “Portals of Might,” hinting at Scheitan’s evolving musical direction. Their sophomore effort, “Berzerk 2000” (1998, Invasion Records), showcased a mix of styles: the first half revealed a gothic/ambient sound, while the latter part marked Scheitan’s departure from black metal. A segment of “Berzerk 2000” was digitally reissued as the “Deathgoth” EP in 2021.

Post-Invasion Records, Century Media welcomed Scheitan, leading to the 1999 release of “Nemesis”. This album fully embraced a gothic/ambient/dark aesthetic, though Törnkvist’s vocals retained their initial harshness. The creation of new material post-“Nemesis” led Törnkvist and Karlsson to form Helltrain, diverging from the Scheitan project.

After a 24-year break, Scheitan returned in 2023 with “Lost In Time”, a single echoing the gothic rock of Sisters of Mercy, Fields of The Nephilim, and The 69 Eyes. Shortly before “Lost in Time”, the band joined Greek label The Circle Music, planning a full-length album release in 2024.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil.

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The Swedish gothic rock act Scheitan has recorded a cover of the Billy Idol track “White Wedding”.

Scheitan have recently returned following a 24-year hiatus, and will release a new album “Songs for the Gothic People” in Spring 2024 via the Greek independent label The Circle Music. The new album further explores the gothic vibe that was present on their ”Nemesis” album, released by Century Media Records in 1999.

Check out the lyric video below.

Guitarist, multiinstrumentalist & vocalist Pierre Törnkvist comments on the new recording: “Billy Idol has always been one of my favourite artists. It was the same for Oscar, Scheitan’s drummer who tragically passed away some years ago. And I think Oscar would have approved of this version of “White Wedding”. We talked many times about recording “Rebel Yell” with our other band Helltrain but I think this one will do equally good. I tried to go for a bit more “goth” than “rock” in the soundscape and vocals. Billy is an excellent singer so it would just have been stupid to try to replicate some of the stuff he does in the track. I know my place and capabilities. I’ve spent a lot of time with his newer material like “Bitter Taste” and “Running from the Ghost” and have to say it´s equally good as the tracks he delivered as a young artist. I will now keep working on the upcoming album and perhaps throw in one or two more cover tracks along the way.”

Listen to the singles “Fire at Dawn” and “Lost in Time” which were released earlier this year.

About Scheitan

Scheitan was formed in 1996 by Pierre Törnkvist (guitar/bass/vocals) together with Oscar Karlsson (drums). The duo started out as a black metal band but transformed during the musical journey into the fields of gothic/ambient rock. Both members had previous musical experience mainly from death and black metal such as The Moaning, Defleshed, The Everdawn and Gates of Ishtar to name a few.

Scheitan released its first album “Travelling in Ancient Times” on Invasion Records in 1996. The album was an 8-track black metal album except for the last track “Portals of Might” which was the first indication of Scheitan wanting to explore other musical realms. The second album “Berzerk 2000”, also released on Invasion Records in 1998, was divided into different styles. The first four tracks show a gothic/ambient Scheitan while the last three saw Scheitan bid a final farewell to its black metal roots. The first four tracks of “Berzerk 2000” saw a digital re-release in 2021 as the “Deathgoth” EP.

Century Media signed the band after the contract with Invasion was finished and in 1999 the band recorded and released “Nemesis”. The musical style was now completely devoted to the gothic/ambient/dark domain except for the vocals of Pierre Törnkvist who were still kept in the harsh style present on earlier albums. When it was time to write new Scheitan material after “Nemesis” both Pierre and Oscar felt that it did not fit into the project and therefore Helltrain was started, which is a completely different story.

Scheitan went on a 24-year hiatus but was brought back to life in 2023 with the single “Lost In Time”, a gothic rock track in the veins of Sisters of Mercy, Fields of The Nephilim and The 69 Eyes. A few weeks prior to the release of the single “Lost in Time” Scheitan signed to Greek label The Circle Music and is set to release a full-length album in 2024.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil.

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The Swedish band Scheitan, originally rooted in black metal but now embracing gothic rock, has released a fresh single and accompanying video titled “Fire at Dawn” which today exclusively premieres on Side-Line. This track serves as the second single from their forthcoming album, “Songs for the Gothic People,” slated for release in Spring 2024 by the Greek indie label, The Circle Music.

Scheitan went on a 24-year hiatus but was brought back to life in 2023 with the single Lost In Time, a gothic rock masterpiece in the veins of Sisters of Mercy, Fields of The Nephilim and The 69 Eyes. A few weeks prior to the release of the single “Lost in Time” Scheitan signed to Greek label The Circle Music and is set to release a full-length album in 2024.

“Fire at Dawn” is also now available on all digital platforms. Below is the lyric video.

Songwriter, guitarist & vocalist Pierre Törnkvist comments on the new song: “I feel that this became a nice follow up to the last single, “Lost in Time”, almost like two siblings of songs that each have their own identity but have a connection somehow. Not all songs on the album will have this traditional mid-tempo gothic rock style but these two turned out that way. I have never liked to speak about lyrical themes but it has almost become a necessary evil these days. The song speaks to the heart of those of us who do not feel like a part of contemporary society, those of us who feel the fire from within, the instinct to defy all that is wrong in this world. If you have the fire inside, you already know, for sure. I will now keep working on the rest of the tracks for the album, a lot of ideas are already in progress and I am basically spending time in the studio 4-5 days a week, a bit here and there. We hope to have another single released after the birth of the new year and then we will celebrate the new album in the spring of 2024. I think it will be one of the best post-rock efforts in a long time, I am quite sure of that.”

Founded in 1996 by Pierre Törnkvist (guitar/bass/vocals) and Oscar Karlsson (drums), Scheitan initially pursued a black metal style. Both members had prior experience in death and black metal bands like The Moaning, Defleshed, The Everdawn, and Gates of Ishtar.

The band’s debut album, “Travelling in Ancient Times,” released in 1996 under Invasion Records, comprised eight tracks of intense black metal, though its final track hinted at Scheitan’s future musical direction. Their sophomore album, “Berzerk 2000,” also under Invasion Records, showcased a split personality, with the first half leaning towards gothic/ambient and the latter part serving as a farewell to their black metal origins. Some tracks from “Berzerk 2000” were digitally reissued in 2021 as the “Deathgoth” EP.

In 1999, after parting ways with Invasion Records, Scheitan joined forces with Century Media and released “Nemesis,” an album that fully committed to the gothic/ambient/dark genre, albeit retaining Pierre Törnkvist’s signature harsh vocals from earlier records. Following “Nemesis,” both Pierre and Oscar felt their new material didn’t align with Scheitan, which led them to initiate a separate project called Helltrain—a tale for another time.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil.

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“Lost in time” is the first Scheitan track since the release of 1999’s “Nemesis” album on Century Media Records. After a 24-year hiatus, they return with a new single, delving even deeper into the gothic vibe from “Nemesis”. The single can be downloaded from Bandcamp backed by the demo version of the song.

Pierre Törnkvist was at first looking for a new project name to use the track for, but as time passed by, he realised this had to be presented under the Scheitan banner “as it was so close musically to what was presented on “Nemesis,” except for the vocals, which was the last piece missing.” He in the end did the vocals himself.

The song is dedicated to the people of Ukraine Pierre explains: “I wrote the lyrics for the song as the Russian tanks entered the suburbs of Kyiv. Being a father myself, I spent a lot of time thinking about having to make the decision to leave everyone and everything you love for a higher cause. I was thinking about the sacrifices President Zelenskyj made; at that time, he must have been 100% sure of death, but still, he made the choice to stay. I also thought a lot about all the Ukrainian soldiers who went to the frontlines, leaving their loved ones to face death. The lyrics say, ‘I have been turning down the things I have desired’; the desire of most people is just to be with the ones they love – the ultimate sacrifice is to give all that up in exchange for the freedom and safety of other people.”

Pierre Törnkvist played with Helltrain in Kyiv in 2011, both before and after the show, they became friends for life: “I will never forget the warmth and kindness of the Ukrainian people; I highly doubt that I will ever in my life experience such a concert again.”

Since their foundation in 1996, Scheitan has progressed from black to gothic metal, adding ambient elements to develop their unique style. The band has released three studio albums on Invasion Records and Century Media Records in the latter half of the 90s.

Here’s the video for “Lost in time”.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil.

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