Have to admit I didn’t see this one coming. Swedish classic heavy rockers Graveyard have put out word they’ve called it quits. All upcoming appearances including their recently-announced headlining slot at Desertfest Belgium 2016 have been canceled.

They do leave open the possibility of coming back at some point — note “if and when” below — but however that might pan out, losing Graveyard is a considerable blow to the heavy underground. Since signing to Nuclear Blast ahead of releasing 2011’s Hisingen Blues (review here), and really since their 2007 self-titled came out on Tee Pee, the Örebro natives have been forerunners of the retro rock movement, having a major hand in teaching an entire generation of bands how to boogie across Europe and the US alike.

That position would only solidify with the next year’s Lights Out (review here), which began to bring forward the soul and classic R&B influences that would continue to emerge on last year’s Innocence and Decadence (review here), their fourth album and apparent swansong. By then, Graveyard — the lineup of guitarist/vocalist Joakim Nilsson, guitarist Jonathan Ramm, bassist Truls Mörck and drummer Axel Sjöberg — had cast their influence wide and it will no doubt continue to ring out despite their breakup. A shuffle like that just doesn’t come along every day.

As to what the future might hold for the members of Graveyard? It’s probably way too soon to speculate, and definitely too soon to hope that Nilsson might get back together with Magnus Pelander of Nuclear Blast labelmates Witchcraft for a reunion of their mid-’90s outfit Norrsken (in many ways the seed of what became the retro rock movement over the next decade), but one way or another, all the best to the members of the band in sorting out whatever issues it is require sorting and all the best for the future. Graveyard were clearly a special band and the void they leave behind is significant.

Here’s the announcement from the group:

Dark clouds above the graveyard today.

Due to the all so classic reason “differences within the band” the Graveyard is as of today officially closed. This is the unfortunate final decision we’ve had to make after going through a period of struggling n juggling with personal issues. Things have gone out of hand and now our energy is very low. As a direct result of this we’re sorry to say that all scheduled touring is cancelled.

Graveyard have always been more about the music than the talking and that approach is the way we intend to deal with this situation also. What we can say is that we don’t know if and when the Graveyard will re-open and return in full force.

Stay tuned, stay awesome & No endless night in sight.

Joakim, Axel, Truls, Jonatan

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Graveyard, “No Good Mr. Holden”