Riddarna | The Power of Love
Riddarna's "The Power of Love" - the Swedish cult rock trio returns after nine years with an emotional second single from their 2026 comeback album Utomjordingar.
Story Behind “The Power of Love”
Nine Years of Silence, Then a Return
After nearly a decade away, Riddarna came back swinging. The Gotland-based rock trio—Edward Forslund, Erik Dahlström, and Patrik Jakubowski Arnold—had been silent since 2017’s En Annan Tid. Fans who’d discovered them through Hotline Miami 2, seen them in the Håkan Hellström film Känn ingen sorg, or simply fallen for their chaotic blend of post-punk and stoner rock had no idea if they’d ever return.
Then in December 2025, “Hål i marken” (Hole in the Ground) dropped—an explosive reintroduction that proved the band hadn’t lost their edge. “The Power of Love” followed in January 2026, and it showed a different side entirely.
Love as Destructive Force
Where “Hål i marken” was raw aggression, “The Power of Love” explores something more complicated. The song depicts love as a destructive but irresistible natural force—the feeling of consciously giving yourself over to something you know might destroy you. It’s the band at their most emotionally exposed, balancing intensity with vulnerability in what’s been described as a “grand trio soundscape.”
The contrast between singles suggests Utomjordingar (Extraterrestrials) will be Riddarna’s most emotionally varied album yet. More mature, but also more uncompromising.
“The Power of Love” Recording and Production Details
The Gotland Connection
The album’s production came together through a fortunate coincidence. Norwegian producer Hasse Rosbach—whose credits include Turbonegro, Highasakite, Motorpsycho, and Kaizers Orchestra—recently relocated to Gotland. He now lives just a stone’s throw from Edward Forslund, and this proximity sparked a new creative chapter for the band.
Rosbach produced and mixed the entire Utomjordingar album, bringing his experience across rock, metal, pop, and experimental music to Riddarna’s distinctive sound. His work on Turbonegro’s RocknRoll Machine (2018) demonstrated his ability to capture raw energy while maintaining sonic clarity—exactly what Riddarna needed for their comeback.
The Trio’s Sound
Riddarna have always been difficult to categorize. Their music blends post-punk, new wave, noise rock, stoner rock, and psychedelia into something that critics have compared to Sonic Youth, Fugazi, and Refused—but with Swedish lyrics and a sense of melodic chaos that’s entirely their own. As Göteborgs-Posten once wrote: “Stoner. Pop. Rattling. Punk. Hard Rock. Psychedelia. Garage. Riddarna pushed all of this screaming into a blender.”
“The Power of Love” channels this eclecticism while leaning into more emotionally direct territory. The dynamics shift between crushing weight and delicate moments of vulnerability.
Notes About “The Power of Love” by Riddarna
Release Date: January 23, 2026
Genre: Alternative Rock / Post-Punk / Art Rock
Album: Utomjordingar (5th studio album, releasing March 6, 2026)
Producer: Hasse Rosbach
Label: Novoton
Previous Single: “Hål i marken” (December 5, 2025)
Language: Swedish
Riddarna “The Power of Love” Era Band Details
Album Details
Album: Utomjordingar (Extraterrestrials)
Release Date: March 6, 2026
Label: Novoton
Producer/Mixer: Hasse Rosbach
Album Significance: First album in nine years (since En Annan Tid, 2017)
Description: Described as a journey through life’s ups and downs, containing both darkness and light, anger and warmth
Band Members
Edward Forslund - Guitar, Vocals
Erik Dahlström - Drums
Patrik Jakubowski Arnold - Bass, Vocals
2026 Tour Dates
March 21 - Wisby Hof, Visby
April 10 - Debaser Nova, Stockholm
April 11 - Musikens Hus, Göteborg
May 2 - Plan B, Malmö
Discography
Riddarna (2011) - Debut album
Bakom Molnen (2012)
Under Jorden (2014)
En Annan Tid (2017)
Utomjordingar (2026)
Interesting Facts About Riddarna
The Hotline Miami Connection
International fans first discovered Riddarna through their track “Simma hem” (Swimming Home), which appeared on the Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number soundtrack in 2015. The song was sampled into “Miami Jam,” which plays in Jake’s apartment in the game. Band members also appear as characters on one of the game’s levels. This exposure brought the Swedish trio a dedicated following far beyond Scandinavia—fans who didn’t speak a word of Swedish but connected deeply with the band’s intensity.
Cult Status and Cultural Moments
Since forming on the island of Gotland in 2009, Riddarna have achieved genuine cult status in Sweden. They appeared as a band in the 2013 film Känn ingen sorg (Shed No Tears), based on the music of Swedish superstar Håkan Hellström. They’ve won the Gotland music award Rockskallen twice (2013 and 2019) and received GAFFA Award nominations for Swedish Breakthrough (2011) and Swedish Rock/Swedish Group (2014).
The band also has a devoted fanbase loyal enough to tattoo their logo—proof that their raw, all-or-nothing approach to rock music resonates on a level beyond casual appreciation. As the band once noted on their website, they’re a “dynamic rock trio born on an island in the middle of the Baltic Sea, singing in Swedish but somehow making themselves understood by people all around the world.”
Common Questions
Q: Is “The Power of Love” a cover of the Jennifer Rush song? A: No, this is an original Riddarna composition. The title is the same, but it’s an entirely new song written by the band.
Q: Why did Riddarna take nine years off? A: The band hasn’t given specific details, but the album Utomjordingar is described as reflecting “a journey through life’s ups and downs”—suggesting personal experiences shaped the hiatus and return.
Q: Who produced Riddarna’s new album? A: Norwegian producer Hasse Rosbach, known for his work with Turbonegro, Highasakite, and Motorpsycho. He recently moved to Gotland near band member Edward Forslund, which sparked the collaboration.
Q: Where can I hear Riddarna if I don’t understand Swedish? A: Their track “Simma hem” from the Hotline Miami 2 soundtrack is a good starting point. The band’s intensity translates regardless of language—as one fan noted, “I don’t know a single Swedish word but I feel the weight and energy of each song.”
Q: When does the new album come out? A: Utomjordingar releases March 6, 2026 on Novoton.