Hades

 

Formed by Jørn after his time in Old Funeral, Hades was perhaps one of the most important innovators of viking metal (after Enslaved) in the '90s. Hailing from Bergen, Jørn was joined by Remi at the band's formation in late 1991/early 1992.

Picking up Janto and Nagel to round out the band, Hades put out their now-famous demo, Alone Walkyng, in 1993. Focusing on atmosphere over speed, the clear influence of Bathory's viking period can be heard. According to Jørn, they wanted to make music inspired by their ancestors. Alone Walkyng ranks as a classic demo in Norwegian black metal. 

Here is the complete demo

The demo made quite a splash in the black metal world because of how different it sounded from the then-typical Norwegian sound. The band was courted by several labels, eventually signing with the just-formed Full Moon Productions. They then entered the studio to record their debut full-length album. The resulting album, ...Again Shall Be, stands out from the pack of 1994's Norwegian black metal because of its glorious mid-paced, epic songs. 

"Hecate (Queen of Flames)" is from their debut

Unfortunately, Jørn's non-musical activities began to impact the band. He had been involved with Varg Vikernes in church burnings, and the authorities caught up to him in late '93. He was convicted and sent to prison in early 1995. This obviously had an impact on the band's ability to continue their music-making activities.

Luckily, he and Hades were still able to collaborate in the writing of the next album. The album was recorded in 1996, and in 1997, Dawn of a Dying Sun was released. This album was in the vein of their debut, but the song writing was stronger. ...Again Shall Be was a fantastic album of second-wave Norwegian viking metal, but Dawn was a masterpiece.

"Awakening of Kings" comes from Hades's 1997 album

A mix of ripping black metal riffs and Hammerheart-inspired song structures, Dawn of a Dying Sun belongs in the collection of any black metal fan, right next to Enslaved's 90s work and Bathory's viking metal trilogy. Listen to "Awakening of Kings", above, to hear how the album deftly combines black metal that easily holds its own with the Norwegian classics and epic viking metal passages. Truly brilliant. 

Around this time, the American thrash band Hades became aware of the existence of Norway's Hades. For copyright reasons, they demanded a name change. The result was that Jørn and company became Hades Almighty. At the same time,  they also began exploring new ways to expand their black metal sound.  The resulting album, 1999's Millenium Nocturne, is a great progressive approach to black metal for the 21st century. 

"Warcry" is an awesome song from 1999's Millenium Nocturne

Since that change, the band has not been extremely prolific-- one full-length album (2001's Pulse of Decay) and an EP (2015's Pyre Era, Black!). So, we hold our breath awaiting a new release from these viking metal pioneers.

Here is the title track to their 2015 EP

Select Discography: 

Alone Walkyng (demo) (1993)

...Again Shall Be (full-length)  (1994)

The Dawn of the Dying Sun (full-length)  (1997)

(as Hades Almighty) Millenium Nocturne (full-length)  (1999)

(as Hades Almighty) The Pulse of Decay (full-length)  (2001)

(as Hades Almighty) Pyre Era, Black! EP (2015)

Next time: INFERNUM

Marduk

 

After giving it much thought, I realized it didn't make much sense to break up MARDUK's story into multiple posts. Hailing from Norrköping, Sweden, they formed in 1990, with guitarist Morgan Steinmeyer Hakansson being the main driving force behind the band.  At the time of the band's formation, Jocke Gothberg (aka Joakim af Grave) was on drums, Richard Kalm was on bass, Andreas Axelson was on vocals, and the aforementioned Morgan was on guitars.  Their initial style was an old-school black metal style that relied heavily on early Bathory with a death metal influence.  They released the infamous Fuck Me Jesus demo in 1991.

"Departure from the Mortals" is off of Fuck Me Jesus

Also in 1991, Marduk recorded a second demo, but it didn't see the light of day until 1997 as the Here's No Peace EP.  It was a continuation of the sound on the first demo, but with slightly different (some might say better) production.

"Within the Abyss" is from the Here's No Peace album/demo

1992 saw the release of Marduk's legendary first studio album, Dark Endless.  This is one of the true landmarks of early 1990s black metal, and a milestone in Swedish black metal.  Produced by Swedish genius Dan Swano, Dark Endless offers up a slab of black metal which contains elements of the old school but also hints toward the newer emerging sound of the 1990s at the same time.

"The Black" comes from their first full-length album

One thing that Marduk wrestled with in their early years was lineup stability. After Dark Endless, Andreas Axelson left, with Joakim af Grave now pulling double duty on drums and vocals. Also, Richard Kalm left the band and B. War was recruited on bass. After these lineup changes, Marduk put out their second album, 1993's Those of the Unlight. On this release, we see Marduk moving away from the old-school, death metal-influenced sound of their early years to something more recognizably second wave. 1994's Opus Nocturne was even more recognizably second wave, with a sound that bore a slight resemblance to some of the Norwegian offerings of the same era.

One of their most famous songs off of Those of the Unlight, this is "Burn my Coffin"

"Sulphur Souls" is off of their 1994 album

The years after Opus Nocturne saw some major changes with Marduk. First off, Joakim af Grave left the band, and newcomer Legion took over on vocals. Many Marduk fans consider this their 'classic' line-up, much in the same way that Mayhem's Dead-era lineup is considered their classic lineup. Also, they decided that they wanted an entirely new sound and began using Peter Tägtgren's Abyss Studios for production.

From their 1996 album, here is the classic "Beyond the Grace of God"

The result was 1996's Heaven Shall Burn When We Are Gathered. A landmark release, this album showed that it was possible to have clean, crisp production without sacrificing the evil, Satanic aura of a black metal album. It was a truly seismic shift in black metal music making.

From this point forward, Marduk churned out some fantastically evil, yet well-produced albums. With 1998's Nightwing, 1999's Panzer Divison Marduk, and 2001's La Grande Danse Macabre, Marduk completed their 'Blood-Fire-Death' trilogy, modeled after the Bathory album of the same name.

From 1998's Nightwing, here is "Of Hell's Fire"

This is the title track from 1999's Panzer Division Marduk

After these albums, 2003's World Funeral underwhelmed fans. The production sounded lazy, and Legion's vocals felt sloppily executed. This resulted in yet another major shift for Marduk. They changed vocalists to Mortuus (known as Arioch for his work with Funeral Mist). Mortuus's vocal performances and contributions to lyric writing helped usher in a new phase for Marduk. Albums such as Plague Angel, Rom. 5:12, and the brilliant Serpent Sermon showcased this fantastic new era of Marduk.

"Serpent Sermon" is from the 2012 album of the same name

Select Discography:

Fuck Me Jesus (demo) (1991)

Here's No Peace (demo) (recorded 1991, released 1997)

Dark Endless (full-length album (1992)

Those of the Unlight (full-length album) (1993)

Opus Nocturne (full-length album) (1994)

Heaven Shall Burn...When We Are Gathered (full-length album) (1996)

Live in Germania (live album) (1997)

Nightwing (full-length album) (1998)

Panzer Division Marduk (full-length album) (1999)

Obedience EP (2000)

Infernal Eternal (live album)  (2000)

La Grande Danse Macabre (full-length album) (2001)

World Funeral (full-length album) (2003)

Plague Angel (full-length album) (2004)

Warschau (live album) (2005)

Rom. 5:12 (full-length album) (2007)

Wormwood (full-length album) (2009)

Iron Dawn EP (2011)

Serpent Sermon (full-length album) (2012)

Next time: IN THE WOODS...

Sacramentum

Sweden's black metal elite are among the best the genre has to offer. This, of course, includes  the genre-defining Bathory, as well as legends like Dissection and Marduk. Not far below those bands is SACRAMENTUM, from the city of Gothenburg. 

Forming as Tumulus in the summer of 1990, the band initially consisted of Anders Brolycke, Nisse Karlén, Freddy Andersson, and Mikael Rydén. Influenced by the thrash and speed metal of the 80s, the members of Sacramentum were united in their desire to create extreme metal. The product was something with a distinctly Swedish sound, but that was uniquely Sacramentum at the same time. 

"Pagan Fire" is a classic track off of 1994's Finis Malorum 

From their formation in 1990 until 1992, the band labored in the underground as Tumulus, with no released demos to my knowledge. After changing their name to Sacramentum, they put out the 1993 demo Sedes Impiorum. This demo, and their first proper studio release (the 1994 EP Finis Malorum), showcased a sound that was at once an aggressive interpretation of Bathory-styled black metal (some of the faster songs off of 1985's The Return, for example, seem to me a good reference point) but with the melodic guitar playing associated with Swedish acts like At the Gates and Eucharist.

"Fog's Kiss" is a fantastic song off of Far Away from the Sun

In 1996, Sacramentum put out their first full-length album--Far Away From the Sun--on underground label Adipocere Records. This was a refining of the sound from Finis. The melodic guitar playing was more prominent, but the black metal aggression was still there. This album and its follow-up (1997's Coming of Chaos) are vital Swedish black metal albums. If there is a stereotypical Swedish black metal sound, Sacramentum helped originate it.

"Black Destiny" is my all-time favorite Sacramentum track

After putting out a third full-length  in 1999 (the underwhelming Thy Black Destiny), Sacramentum had plans to put out an album of metal covers in early 2000 and then re-enter the studio to record album number four. However, they broke up before that could materialize. By that point, their mark had been left on the scene. Few black metal bands equaled the raw intensity of Sacramentum's melodic style as well as they, but many Swedish bands have tried.

Select Discography:

Sedes Impiorum (demo) (1993)

Finis Malorum EP (1994)

Far Away From the Sun (full-length) (1996)

The Coming of Chaos (full-length) (1997)

Thy Black Destiny (full-length) (1999)

Next time: DEAD CHRIST (and British black metal before Cradle of Filth)

Ophthalamia

Swedish band OPHTHALAMIA represents an unusual chapter in black metal. Much like Abruptum (which featured many of the same members), Ophthalamia was about evil, atmospheric music that had much in common with black metal without being straightforward black metal in the way we understand the term now. But make no mistake, Ophthalamia and their output made a definite mark on not just the Swedish scene of the nineties, but black metal since then.

Ophthalamia was, first and foremost, a brainchild of the man known as IT. Born one Tony Särkkä, IT made his name in various extreme bands of the late 1980s, including thrash band Brejn Dedd (which featured Dan Swanö). While IT formed Opthalamia with guitarist All in 1989 from the ashes of their band Leviathan, this band was fundamentally created to be an outlet for IT to communicate about a fantasy world he himself had concocted. This fantasy world was called Ophthalamia. The name is derived from the word for an eye condition: this is a metaphor for the fact that not everyone can see or perceive the fantasy world. The world of Ophthalamia was populated with various fantasy creatures, had its own language, and even had a dark goddess, Elishia. All of these were created by IT.

"A Lonely Ceremony/The Eternal Walk" is from one of their first recordings, in 1990

In 1991, Ophthalamia put out their first demo, A Long Journey. Ophthalamia's style can best be described as an eerie, melodic, almost doom-paced sound that drew on everything from classic doom metal (Black Sabbath and Candlemass can clearly be heard) to old-school black metal (Bathory). Attempting to communicate their devotion to Elishia and their love of the Ophthalamian mythos, the band created an evil atmosphere with their music above all else.

"A Cry From the Halls of Blood/Empire of Lost Dreams" comes from the 1991 demo

Following the release of a 1992 demo, Journey to Darkness, Ophthalamia signed with Avantgarde Records. They put out their first full-length album A Journey in Darkness in 1994. Featuring newly re-recorded versions of many of their demo songs, this release was produced by legendary musician Dan Swanö and featured Jon Nodtveidt of Dissection fame on vocals. This album contains a darkly melodic sound that fits in well with the 1990s Swedish black metal scene all while being unique in and of itself. To my ears, A Journey in Darkness is Ophthalamia's best work.

Off of their first studio album, this is "Enter the Darkest Thoughts of the Chosen/Agony's Silent Paradise"

Ophthalamia's storied career involves many members leaving or being kicked out (co-founder All, for example), and famous names being involved at various points (producers Dan Swanö and Peter Tagtgren; musicians Ole Ohman, Legion [of Marduk fame], and Jon and Emil Nodtveidt). But as stated above, the band was really about IT's desire to tell the world of the realm known as Ophthalamia, its lore, and its inhabitants. After A Journey in Darkness, Ophthalamia put out a few more albums, as well as the 1997 compilation To Elishia. 

From their last album--1998's Dominion--this is "Time for War"

Select Discography:

A Long Journey (demo) (1991)

Journey to Darkness (demo) (1992)

A Journey to Darkness (full-length) (1994)

Via Dolorosa (full-length) (1995)

A Long Journey (full-length) (1998)

Dominion (full-length) (1998)

Next Time: DENIAL OF GOD

Bathory: The Viking Metal Years, 1988-1991

Bathory is crucially important in the history of black metal for two distinct reasons.  First, for taking the template laid down by Venom on Black Metal and shifting the early black metal sound away from speed metal and/or NWOBHM; second, for creating the subgenre of Viking metal in the later 1980s.

Bathory in the Viking Metal years

After their old style pretty much peaked on 1987's Under the Sign of the Black Mark, Bathory shifted gears with 1988's Blood Fire Death.  This album saw a move away from the darker, more Satanic atmosphere of the early work, with crisper-sounding guitars, clean vocals, and imagery and lyrical themes drawn from elements of Scandinavian mythology.

"A Fine Day to Die" is one of Bathory's most famous songs from this period

On Blood Fire Death, the changes from the earlier period were not as radical as they would later become, but they were present nonetheless.  One could hear the guitar sound begin to shift from the vile, raw, down-tuned sound of old-school black metal.  The vocals were not always a demonic screech.  And the songs were long, epic soundscapes.

My favorite from this period in Bathory's history, "Baptised In Fire and Ice"

With 1990's Hammerheart, the shift was more pronounced.  More varied tempos, clearer-sounding vocals, rousing choruses, and a guitar sound that was crisp and almost regal.  Just as Bathory had redefined extreme music with their first three albums, they redefined it again with their next three albums.

Off of 1991's Twilight of the Gods

With 1991's Twilight of the Gods, Bathory again peaked.  They had created the mold that all later viking metal bands were to follow.  Most of Bathory's material throughout the 1990s was thrash metal with elements of the viking sound.  It really wasn't until albums such as the Nordland albums that Bathory returned to the pure viking sound.

Select Discography:

Blood Fire Death (1988)

Hammerheart (1990)

Twilight of the Gods (1991)
Blood on Ice (recorded 1988-1989, released 1996)
Nordland I (2002)
Nordland II (2003)

Next time:  TREBLINKA

Bathory: The Early Years, 1983-1987

Hailing from Sweden, BATHORY burst onto the scene in 1983.  Brainchild of one Quorthon (Tomas Forsberg), Bathory's songs first were unleashed on the world with two tracks on 1984's Scandinavian Metal Attack.  Bathory's early style was a more aggressive take on what Venom had done on Welcome to Hell and Black Metal (although Quorthon claimed never to have heard Venom prior to forming).  Combining Satanic-themed lyrics, lo-fi production, and a harsher, more inhuman vocal style, Bathory's sound is more clearly the template for modern black metal than Venom was.  In their early years, one can hear the influences Quorthon claimed: Black Sabbath and Motorhead, as well as punk bands like The Exploited, Discharge, and GBH.

Bathory's "You Don't Move Me (I Don't Give a Fuck)"

-an unreleased 1983 song which showcases their rawness

Listening to Bathory's self-titled 1984 album and 1985's The Return one can clearly hear a strong contrast with Venom.  Venom's song structures and even production values still owe a large debt to NWOBHM.  Bathory is going in an entirely different direction.  Additionally, the Satanic/evil content of Bathory's songs was much more prominent:  simply look at titles such as "Hades," "In Conspiracy With Satan," "Possessed," and "Son of the Damned."

"Hades," off of the 1984 album.

As evidenced by the riffing and style in these early songs, the affinity with thrash metal can be heard (and this connection will be explored in a future post).  But to my ears, Bathory went a few steps beyond in terms of vocals, production, and playing style.  While Venom gave the world the term "black metal," I contend that there would be no 1990s Norwegian scene and everything it subsequently influenced if it weren't for Bathory.

"The Return of the Darkness and Evil," off of

1985's The Return

In these early years, Bathory's style peaked on what can be considered one of the greatest black metal albums of all time: 1987's Under the Sign of the Black Mark.  The great thing about this album is that every characteristic of black metal that was present in the earlier material is enhanced to the point where it sounds like the Scandinavian black metal of today.  In fact, songs like "Call from the Grave," "Equimanthorn," and "Woman of Dark Desires" are frequently still covered by black metal bands of all stripes.

"Equimanthorn"--the greatest black metal song of the 80s?

Following 1987's Under the Sign..., Bathory shifted gears completely and created the subgenre of black metal now known as Viking metal.  But that's for another day.....

Select Discography

Scandinavian Metal Attack compilation (1983)

Bathory (full-length) (1984)

Scandinavian Metal Attack II compilation (1985)

The Return (full-length) (1985)

Under the Sign of the Black Mark (full-length) (1987)

Next time: HELLHAMMER