Nostradameus is a melodic speed/power metal band from Sweden's melodic death metal capital of Gothenburg, that formed in 1998 after vocalist Freddy Persson and guitarist Jake Fredén attended a Gamma Ray concert and decided to follow in their musical footsteps. A demo was soon recorded and dispatched to numerous metal labels, among which Germany's AFM Records decided to take a chance on Nostradameus -- now fleshed out by second guitarist Erik Söderman, bassist Thomas Antonsson, and drummer Gustav Nahlin -- and released their debut album, Words of Nostradameus, in the year 2000, soon to be followed by 2001's The Prophet of Evil (on which Söderman was replaced by Michael Åberg, and Nahlin by Jesse Lindskog). Although expertly executed templates of the power metal genre, neither of these distinguished the band from the countless others mining the same terrain, but they still helped Nostradameus secure placement as tour openers for Edguy, before beginning work on their third album, 2003's The Third Prophecy, featuring yet another new drummer in Esko Salow, who at least stuck around for 2004's Hellbound, and a couple more albums thereafter. But the band members took some time off to explore different projects, losing Åberg to hometown rivals Destiny, before reconvening and unleashing 2007's Pathways and 2009's Illusion's Parade. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia