Argentum

An obscure band on the global scale, perhaps, but Mexico's ARGENTUM--from the city of Monterrey--is a major band in that country's black metal scene. I would even go so far to say that only Xibalba Itzaes is more important when it comes to a discussion of Mexican black metal.

Originally formed in 1989 as Burial, like many extreme bands of the late 80s, they played a more death metal-oriented style than black metal. As Burial, they managed to put out a couple of now very hard-to-find demos that showcased their old school sound. But, like many extreme metal bands of this era who were in their early years of existence, Burial experienced several lineup changes that also led to changes in their sound. This, in turn, led to them changing their name to Argentum in 1991.

1993's Matter Misericordiae is the first demo under the name Argentum

Argentum's initial sound still contained elements of death metal, but there was a very mystical, occultic atmosphere to their music. Combining doom metal with this old-school black/death, Argentum had a sound that not too many other bands had at the time (perhaps Mystifier is a fair point of reference?). Their first demo (Matter Misericordiae), above, is a solid example of this sound.

Misericordiae and a live demo later that year (1993) led to Argentum's name becoming more well-known in the underground. Still struggling with finding dedicated musicians, a new demo emerged after additional line-up changes as well as further evolutions in Argentum's sound. On 1994's Exothaernium, Argentum is moving away from the old-school black/death of the Burial years and toward a doom/death style with occultic black metal influences. I would say that the evil mysticism in their sound is reminiscent of some of the slower, more dirge-like elements of classic hellenic black metal.

"Ad postumum" is from Exothaernium 

After their 1994 demo and a noteworthy EP,  Argentum released their true masterpiece: 1996's Ad Interitum Funebrarum. On this album, Argentum's style reached its peak. A doomy, mystical affair that has been compared to Mystifier or even Tiamat, we've got long, gloomy passages with creative keyboard usage. With lots of Latin and eerie vocals, the overall effect is one that calls to mind dark Satanic rituals performed in abandoned temples.

From their 1996 album, this is "Spheram de Tenebras"

After that album, things in the band kind of ground to a halt. They went on hiatus in 1997 before breaking up in 2001. They have, however, re-formed in the past few years and are as prolific as ever.

Select Discography:

Burial  (demo) (1990) (as Burial)

Demo '91 (demo) (1991) (as Burial)

Matter Misericordiae (demo) (1993)

Live in Monterrey (live demo) (1993)

Exothaernium (demo) (1994)

Insious Omnium Rerum EP (1995)

Ad Interitum Funebrarum (full-length) (1996)

Next time: BLACK FUNERAL

Opera IX

Italy really does have a sorely overlooked black metal scene. Necrodeath, Bulldozer, Schizo, Sinoath, Mortuary Drape....all crucial bands from the early years. But there are few bands in Italian black metal history as interesting as OPERA IX, from the Piedmont region.

"Cemetaria" is from 1990's Gothik

Opera IX was formed in 1988 by guitarist Ossian. While they are now known as pioneers in the gothic style of symphonic black metal, their initial sound was more of an almost doom/death with gothic overtones. Their 1990 demo, Gothik, is a sterling example of this. This was more or less the basis for Opera IX's sound in their early years, and it probably would have remained so if not for two important developments.

Off of The Triumph of the Death, this is "Born in the Grave"

First, vocalist Cadaveria joined in 1992. She is one of the earliest--and most well-known--examples of female vocalists in extreme metal, and she is able to combine beautiful, enchanting vocals, with gruff, harsh growls. She helped Opera IX stand out from the pack. But the other--equally important--development was the recruiting of Silent Bard on keyboards. He was a classically trained pianist, and his ethereal keyboard playing added another layer to Opera IX's sound. The first album with both Cadaveria and Silent Bard contributing was the 1993 EP The Triumph of the Death. This can rightfully be hailed as a landmark in not just Italian black metal, but symphonic black metal and gothic black metal as well.

The world really sat up and took notice after the release of this crucial EP. Not too long after, Opera IX were able to record their debut full-length album, 1994's The Call of the Wood. This album was more of the same style as the EP, but members of the band have since said that they wished they had a bigger budget for better production. Personally, I think that the production values on Call work with Opera IX's style. Call of the Wood is, in my opinion, a masterpiece.

"Al Azif" is a fantastic song off of Call of the Wood

After a one-album deal with Shiver Records (which resulted in the follow-up to Call of the Wood, 1998's Sacro Culto), Opera IX signed with well-known Italian label Avantgarde Records. Their next several albums were released through this label. They also appeared on two really great compilations put out by Dwell Records: Awakenings - Females in Extreme Music in 1997, and A Call to Irons - A Tribute to Iron Maiden in 1998 (where they covered Maiden's "Rime of the Ancient Mariner")

1998's Sacro Culto gave us "My Devotion"

At the same time, the band underwent immense personnel changes. Silent Bard had left before the recording of Sacro Culto, and in 2001, Opera IX parted ways with Cadaveria and drummer Flegias. Ossian and the remaining members of the band soldiered on, recruiting Madras on vocals, Taranis on drums, and Lunaris on keyboards.

I honestly believe that Opera IX's work with Cadaveria is their best--truly genre-defining. That being said, Opera IX in general is one of the most important and interesting bands in all of symphonic/gothic black metal's history.

"Act I - The First Seal" is from the 2000 magnum opus The Black Opera

Select Discography:

Gothik (demo) (1990)

Promo '92 (demo) (1992)

The Triumph of the Death 7" (1993)

The Call of the Wood (full-length) (1994)

Sacro Culto (full-length) (1998)

The Black Opera: Symphoniae Mysteriorum in Laudem Tenebrarum (full-length) (2000)

Maleventum (full-length) (2002)

Amphisbena (full-length) (2004)

Next time: MUSSORGSKI

Barathrum

For our next band, we return to Finland--the home of some of the greatest black metal bands in the world. While early Finnish bands are known for unrelenting brutality (Beherit and Archgoat being prime examples), Kuopio's BARATHRUM is a unique entity in the black metal scene. Their sound is a dark, atmospheric mix of old-school black metal and eerie doom metal.

Barathrum was founded as Darkfeast in 1990 by members Demonos Sova (the one constant member of all Barathrum's incarnations), Aki, and Ilu. By early 1991, Darkfeast had released the Hail Satan demo, and soon thereafter, changed their name to Barathrum. By the end of 1991, Barathrum had put out two demos--including the now legendary Witchmaster demo.

This is the Witchmaster demo in its entirety.

Over the next couple of years, Barathrum continued to put out some crucial demos, including 1992's Battlecry and 1993's Soaring Up From Hell. They also--like many bands in this era--made a name for themselves through shows and tape trading, building their reputation in the underground. As a result of this reputation, Barathrum was courted by a few labels, and there were even rumors of a split album to be released with fellow Finns Archgoat (that never materialized). Apparently, Barathrum also recorded material for an album during this time period, but it never saw the light of day (it eventually materialized as the Warmetal LP in 2014).  Around this time, Barathrum did choose to sign with Nazgul's Eyrie Productions. Through N.E.P., Barathrum put out their first three albums.

This is Barathrum live in 1993 with "Lord of South and Fire"

(which is also a song that can be found on their first studio album)

In 1994, N.E.P. put out Hailstorm, Barathrum's first full-length studio album. Hailstorm contained the dark, occultic sound Barathrum had become known for, but with a deeper, more bass-heavy production sound (compare "Battlecry" on Hailstorm to the same song on the Battlecry demo, for example). Their second album, 1995's Eerie, was very much a continuation of the style of the demos and Hailstorm as well. With 1997's Infernal, a slight shift in sound was evident.

Off of Infernal, this is "Warmetal"

With Infernal, elements of thrash began to creep into Barathrum's trademark black/doom style. One can definitely hear the influence of bands like Sabbat and Venom--two bands that Demonos Sova has said he admires. Following the release of Infernal, Barathrum signed with Finnish label Spinefarm Records, and continued to churn out occultic, creepy blackened doom. 1998's Legions of Perkele was the first of five albums released through Spinefarm.

"Necromantical Ritual" is from Legions of Perkele

With each album, there has been a slight change in their sound. From elements of thrash or old school heavy metal creeping into their sound, to starker, more crisp production values, Barathrum's sound continued to evolve. By the time of 2005's Anno Aspera, Barathrum still sounded like themselves, but a more mature, more evolved version.

From their latest (and possibly last?) studio album, this is "Into Maze of Nightmares"

Since the release of their 2005 album, Barathrum hasn't done much. Aside from a 2009 split, all the material Barathrum has put out is older, unreleased stuff. What does the future hold for these Finns? We'll have to see.

Select Discography

From Black Flames to Witchcraft (demo) (1991)

Witchmaster (demo) (1991)

Battlecry (demo) (1992)

Soaring Up From Hell (demo) (1993)

Hailstorm (full-length) (1994)

Eerie (full-length) (1995)

Infernal (full-length) (1997)

Legions of Perkele (full-length) (1998)

Saatana (full-length) (1999)

Okkult (full-length) (2000)

Venomous (full-length) (2002)

Anno Aspera (full-length) (2005)

Next time: DESASTER

Goatlord

GOATLORD is, to my knowledge, the only major black metal band of consequence to come from Las Vegas.  Continuing black metal's obsession with goats, these evil bastards played a unique style of old-school black metal that managed to have a slow, doom-y atmosphere to it while retaining the visceral edge of black metal.

Las Vegas' Goatlord

They formed in 1985, and released several quality demos in the later 1980s that went on to make a huge impact in the underground (Fenriz from Darkthrone is one of their most famous admirers).  It was 1987's untitled demo and 1988's Sodomize the Goat that helped build their cult reputation.

From the 1987 demo, this is "Unholy Black Slut"

Off of the 1988 demo Sodomize the Goat, here is "Possessed Soldiers of War"

After another demo in 1991, Goatlord put out a full-length studio album, 1991's Reflections of the Solstice.  Highlighting their unique take on black metal, Reflections of the Solstice is one of the great(est?) albums of late first-wave black metal.  Solstice was a European release, and the following year Goatlord put out a self-titled album which was essentially the American version of Solstice: re-mixed tracks, different vocals (I think Mitch Harris from Napalm Death was the different vocalist?), and an added bonus track, "Voodoo Mass."

"Sacrifice," from 1991's Reflections of the Solstice

The bonus track from the self-titled album.  Notice the different vocals.

Goatlord broke up in 1997, but by this point, they had left their indelible stamp on the underground.  They had recorded several songs that were intended to be the next studio album, but it was never released before the band broke up.  Nuclear War Now Records put out a compilation album in 2007 entitled The Last Sodomy of Mary which contained these never-released songs.

From The Last Sodomy of Mary....much more death metal in sound than black metal

Select Discography:

Demo '87 (demo) (1987)
Rehearsal '88 (demo) (1988)
Sodomize the Goat (demo) (1988)
Promo '91 (demo) (1991)
Reflections of the Solstice (1991)
Goatlord (1991)
Distorted Birth (demo compilation) (2003)
The Last Sodomy of Mary (compilation) (2007)

Next time: SALEM