"For many music aficionados, or maybe just Swedish culture sycophants, the last year has seen the Swedish pop-crazy stigma fade with bands like The Hives, The Soundtrack of Our Lives, The Sounds, and The International Sound Conspiracy [ed: obviously wrong] getting gigs on late-night talk shows and ubiquitous retail space with their edgy rock sound. This constant influx of Swedish bands feels like an invasion that will never end - much like the Viking invasions of England during the 9th and 10th centuries. Luckily for us, they're not here to plunder; they're here to rock the house."
Read more in this interview with Opeth's Mikael Åkerfeldt from the Colorado Daily in which he talks a bit about the Swedish scene and the differences between European and American metal fans.