In 1989, guitarist Fredrik Thordendal formed the progressive metal band Meshuggah in Umeå, Sweden; their 1994 debut album and subsequent recordings helped them build a cult international audience. Thordendal then formed a more jazz-influenced side-project band called Fredrik Thordendal's Special Defects, which featured Jonas Knutsson (saxophones), Mats Öberg (keyboards), and Morten Ågren (drums). The group's initial effort, Sol Niger Within, was released in 1999. ~ Steve Huey