The title may be cocky, but Janne Stark's new book - The Heaviest Encyclopedia Of Swedish Hard Rock And Heavy Metal Ever! - is the biggest and most comprehensive book about Swedish hard rock and heavy metal ever made. An almost four kilos (8.5 pounds) heavy metal bible featuring over 3,600 Swedish recording hard rock bands, from the fluffiest AOR to the blackest metal, with detailed descriptions on 912 full colour pages. Biographies, members’ information, hometowns, description of the bands’ sounds and styles, detailed discographies with various pressings and formats, depicted artworks and also a price indication guide. Besides a geographical index, the book also contains a name index with over 11,700 Swedish hard rock and metal musicians. All this topped by cool never before published photos.

The Heaviest Encyclopedia of Swedish Hard Rock and Heavy Metal Ever! includes an exclusive bonus CD featuring previously unreleased recordings by bands featuring members that are or have been in bands like THE POODLES, HAMMERFALL, 220 VOLT, HEAVY LOAD, F.K.Ü, CANDLEMASS, THERION, TALISMAN and more.

Janne Stark started his musical career in the mid-seventies, made his recording debut with the band PARADIZE in 1980 and formed one of the first classic heavy metal bands in Sweden, OVERDRIVE, the same year, with whom he still plays. In the mid-eighties he started writing reviews for local publications and in 1990 he became a staff writer for Backstage Magazine. Janne has since written for publications such as Hard Roxx, Sweden Rock Magazine, Metal Zone, Kool Kat Magazine and FUZZ Guitar magazine, whom he still writes for. In 1996 Janne’s first encyclopedia, The Encyclopedia Of Swedish Hard Rock And Heavy Metal 1970-1996, was released. It featured around 1,000 bands. It was also released in special Japanese edition. 2002 saw the release of the follow-up, Volume 2, where another 600 bands were added. Janne has since continuously compiled material for the third edition, which has now been released. The new book features all bands from the first two book, plus another 1,000 new or forgotten bands. Other musical projects have also taken up Janne’s time during the years, where he has released recordings with bands like CONSTANCIA, MOUNTAIN OF POWER, LOCOMOTIVE BREATH, ZELLO, PLANET ALLIANCE, Overdrive, GRAND DESIGN and BALLS. He has also made guest appearances on albums by NARNIA, THALAMUS, BLINDED COLONY, M.O.B, FAITH, CHRIS CATENA and SPEARFISH.