Bio: Narnia can trace its beginnings to a chance meeting between guitarist Carl Johan Grimmark and vocalist Christian Liljegren at a Swedish record store.  First album, Awakening from 1998 (Nuclear Blast), was more of a project in that it featured primarily the contributions of Grimmark and Liljegren. 

Drummer Andreas Johansson, keyboardist Martin Claesson and bassist Jakob Persson were brought on board for 1999 follow up effort Long Live The King (Nuclear Blast).  Upon completing work on the album Narnia hit the road as a supporting act for a 15 city European tour with Ronnie James Dio.

Same line up maintained for the 2001 release Desert Land (Nuclear Blast) while Andreas Olsson replaced the departed Jakob Persson on bass for The Great Fall (Nuclear Blast) two years later.

New keyboardist Linus Kase joined Narnia for its show in Owens, Germany on March 29, 2003, a performance that was recorded for both a DVD (2004) and CD (2006) release entitled At Short Notice: Live In Germany.

Kase left Narnia prior to recording Enter The Gate (2006), the groups fifth full length album and first on Massacre Records.  Grimmark handled keyboard duties.

Vocalist German Pascual was recruited to replace the departed Liljegren for group's latest work, Course Of A Generation (Massacre) from 2009.

Of Interest: Lilegren has participating on projects with Modest Attraction, Divinefire, Audiovision, Wisdom Call and Flagship.  Grimmark released a self-titled solo album in 2007 while also lending his abilities to albums by System Breakdown, Saviour Machine and ROB ROCK.  He is also a member of Beautiful Sin and Full Force.  Olsson was one of the founding members of HARMONY.

Official:
MySpace: www.myspace.com/narniaofficial
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Year: 1997
Label: Pony Canyon (Japan)
Category: Full Length
Style: Neo-Classical Metal

Year: 1998
Label: Nuclear Blast (Europe)
Category: Full Length
Style: Neo-Classical Metal

Track Listing: “Break the Chains” (5:00), “No More Shadows from the Past” (3:28), “The Return of Aslan” (4:55), “Heavenly Love” (4:21), “Time of Changes” (5:14), “The Awakening” (5:30), “Touch from You” (3:17), “Sign of the Time” (7:21)    

Musicians
Christian Liljegren - Lead Vocals
Carljohan Grimmark - Guitars, Bass, Keyboards, Drum Programming & Lead Vocals

Guest Musicians
Janne Stark - Guitars
Jakob Persson - Bass  
Mart Hallek - Violin

Note: Japan version includes the bonus track “Let Me Rest In Your Arms” (3:31).

 

Year: 1998
Label: Pony Canyon (Japan)
Category: Full Length
Style: Melodic Metal

Year: 1999
Label: Nuclear Blast (Europe)
Category: Full Length
Style: Melodic Metal

Track Listing: "Gates of Cair Paravel" (Introduction) (1:25), "Living Water" (3:53), "Shelter Through the Pain" (5:01), "The Mission" (4:30), "What You Give Is What You Get" (4:35), "The Lost Son" (4:05), "Long Live The King" (4:57), "Dangerous Game" (5:11), "Star Over Bethlehem" (6:47), "Shadowlands" (Outro) (2:29)

Musicians
Christian Liljegren - Lead Vocals
Carljohan Grimmark - Guitars, Bass & Keyboards
Martin Claesson - Keyboards
Jakob Persson - Bass
Andreas Johansson - Drums

Guest Musicians:
Mart Hallek - Violin

Note: Japan version includes the bonus track “Can’t Get Enough Of You” (5:25).  The song can also be found on the Decade Of Confession compilation (2007).

 

Year: 2001
Label: Nuclear Blast
Category: Full Length
Style: Power/Progressive Metal

Track Listing: “Inner Sanctum” (5:45), “The Witch And The Lion” (4:17), “Falling From The Throne” (5:15), “Revolution Of Mother Earth” (5:00), “The Light At The End Of The Tunnel” (4:32), “Angels Are Crying” (4:59), “Walking The Wire” (4:59), “Misty Morning” (5:39), “Trapped In This Age” (20:21)

Musicians
Christian Liljegren – Lead Vocals
Carl Johan Grimmark – Guitars, Bass & Keyboards
Martin Claesson – Keyboards
Jakob Persson – Bass
Andreas Johansson – Drums

Guest Musicians
Par Hagstrom – Lead Vocals

 

Year: 2003
Label: Nuclear Blast
Category: Full Length
Style: Power/Progressive Metal

Track Listing: "War Preludium" (1:41), "The Countdown Has Begun" (5:13), "Back From Hell" (7:31), "No Time To Lose" (6:28), "Innocent Blood" (7:35), "Ground Zero" (5:11), "Judgement Day" (4:29), "Desert Land" (1:33), "The Great Fall Of Man" (14:19)

Musicians
Christian Rivel – Lead Vocals
Carl Johan Grimmark – Guitars
Martin Claesson – Keyboards
Andreas Olsson – Bass
Andreas Johansson - Drums

Guest Musicians
Eric Clayton – Lead Vocals
Anders Johansson - Drums

Note: Concept album about a soldier returning from war who is unable to cope with his circumstances.  Eric Clayton (Saviour Machine) makes a guest appearance on “The Great Fall Of Man”.

Review: HERE

 

Year: 2006
Label: MCM Music
Category: Live Album
Style: Power/Progressive Metal

Track Listing: “Introduction” (2:23), “Inner Sanctum” (5:49), “The Mission” (4:04), “The Countdown Has Begun” (5:05), “Back From Hell” (7:26)j, “No Time To Lose” (6:53), “Long Live The King” (5:52), “Living Water” (3:58), “Shelter Through The Pain” (4:49), “Dangerous Game” (5:06), “Awakening” (5:47), “Break The Chains” (5:40), “The Witch And The Lion” (4:31)

Musicians
Christian Rivel – Lead Vocals
Carl Johan Grimmark – Guitars
Andreas Olsson – Bass
Andreas Johansson – Drums
Linus Kase – Keyboards

Note: Recorded in Owens, Germany on March 29, 2003. Initially released on DVD by MCM Music and Massacre Records in 2004 only to be re-mastered and re-issued on CD in 2006 by MCM Music.  DVD version includes two additional tracks: “War Preludium” and “Guitar Solo”.

Review: HERE

 

Year: 2006
Label: Massacre (Europe)
Label: Attic Arcade (Japan)
Category: Full Length
Style: Melodic Power Metal

Track Listing: “Into This Game” (4:36), “People Of The Blood Red Cross” (4:38), “Another World” (6:05), “Show All The World” (5:10), “Enter The Gate” (4:36), “Take Me Home” (6:57), “This Is My Life” (4:18), “Aiming Higher” (5:12), “The Man From Nazareth” (8:40)

Musicians
Christian Rivel – Lead Vocals
Carl Johan Grimmark – Guitars, Lap Steel & Keyboards
Andreas Olsson – Bass
Andreas Johansson – Drums & Triangle

Note: Japan version includes the bonus track “Hymn To The North”.  The song can also be found on the European Digipak release and the Decade Of Confession compilation (2007).

Review: HERE

 

Year: 2007
Label: Massacre
Category: Compilation
Style: Power/Progressive Metal

Track Listing (Disc 1): “In His Majesty's Service” (3:49), “Into This Game” (4:36), “Show All The World” (5:09), “Judgement Day” (4:29), “Innocent Blood” (7:13), “The Countdown Has Begun” (5:05), “Back From Hell” (7:26), “Inner Sanctum” (4:32), “The Witch And The Lion” (4:15), “Revolution Of Mother Earth” (4:49), “The Light At The End Of The Tunnel” (4:26), “Trapped In This Age” (9:10), “Sunrise” (4:39)

Track Listing (Disc 2): “Gates Of Cair Paravel” (1:26), “Living Water” (3:52), “The Mission” (4:23), “Shelter Through The Pain” (5:00), “Can't Get Enough Of You” (5:25), “Dangerous Game” (5:09), “Long Live The King” (4:56), “No More Shadows From The Past” (3:28), “Heavenly Love” (4:15), “Break The Chains” (4:56), “Awakening (5:36), “Hymn To The North” (2:49, “Show All The World” (4:44)

Musicians
Christian Rivel – Lead Vocals
Carl Johan Grimmark – Guitars & Keyboards
Martin Claesson & Linus Kase – Keyboards
Andreas Olsson & Jakob Persson – Bass
Andreas Johannson - Drums

Note: Two CD set compilation commemorating Narnia’s 10th anniversary.  Features songs from Awakening, Long Live The King, Desert Land, The Great Fall, At Short Notice and Enter The Gate.  Bonus material includes Japan bonus tracks “Can’t Get Enough Of You (off Long Live The King) and “Hymn To The North” (off Enter The Gate), a Uriah Heep cover (“Surprise” from the Uriah Heep tribute album A Return To Fantasy), one new song (a cover of Jerusalem’s “In His Majesty’s Service”) and a “dance remix” of “Show All The World”.

Review: HERE

 

Year: 2009
Label: Massacre
Category: Compilation
Style: Melodic Power Metal

Track Listing: “Sail Around The World” (3:40), “When The Stars Are Falling” (4:21), “Curse Of A Generation” (3:55), “Scared” (3:35), “Kings Will Come” (4:01), “Rain” (4:17), “Armageddon” (4:11), “One Way To Freedom” (4:19), “Miles Away” (4:47), “Behind The Curtain” (5:03)

Musicians
German Pascual – Lead Vocals
CJ Grimmark – Guitars & Keyboards
Andreas Passmark – Bass
Andreas Johansson - Drums

Review: HERE