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...

Morbosidad

 

MORBOSIDAD, who formed in Oakland, California, despite the band members being from Mexico, is a raw and brutal band known for a style that blends elements of war metal and black/thrash. There has been some debate about when they formed, with the band insisting they didn't form until 1993, but Tomas Stench (the mastermind behind the band and the one constant in the band) realizing they had actually formed in 1991 after finding an old interview in a 'zine from that year!

Regardless, it wasn't until '93 that their first demo was released. Their follow up, 1994's Santísima Muerte, was what made the extreme metal underground sit up and take notice. Featuring a sound that was heavy on the death metal side, Morbosidad's lyrics were also noteworthy for being highly blasphemous, in the vein of Profanatica.

Here is the complete 1994 demo

Just as things were starting to take off, tragedy struck. Their drummer died in a freak explosion in 1995. The band was devastated, and put things on hold. They didn't return to making music until 1999.

When they returned on the scene with new material in 2000--including their self-titled full-length album--their sound was still primitive and raw and evil.  However, they were less death metal and more like what we now know as war metal. 

From their self-titled album, this is "Bestial y Morboso"

Morbosidad is nothing else if not consistent. They wear their influences--Sarcofago, Beherit, Blasphemy, Archgoat--on their sleeve.  Each release features that insane war metal style, with ultra-blasphemous lyrics in Spanish (because, according to Tomas Stench, "it gives our music a more primitive, evil, and blasphemous sound"). Even among American war metallers, very few bands sound like Morbosidad.

From their 2004 album, this is "Sangriento Sacrificio Cristiano"

Since their re-emergence in 1999, Morbosidad has consistently released brutal black/death brilliance on album after album. Even when drummer Goat Destroyer fell out of a window and died in 2009, the band soldiered on. In fact, they actually put out albums in his honor, including a split with Manticore.

"Poseido por el Diablo" comes from 2008's Profana la cruz del Nazareno

Select Discography:

Demo '93 (demo) (1993)

Santísima Muerte (demo) (1994)

Morbosidad (full-length album) (2000)

Bajo el egendro del crucificado EP (2002)

Cójete a Dios por el culo (full-length album) (2004)

Legiones bestiales EP (2006)

Profana la cruz del nazareno (full-length album) (2008)

Next time: MARDUK

Darkthrone's classic years

 

Members of Mayhem and Darkthrone in an early '90s photo

DARKTHRONE'S release of A Blaze in the Northern Sky in 1992 was an earth-shattering event in the history of black metal. The Norwegian scene hadn't put out many full-length studio albums yet, and Darkthrone's first album was basically death metal, not black metal. Darkthrone now consisted of three members since Dag Nilsen had left: Zephyrous, Nocturno Culto, and Fenriz. However, they had a renewed focus now that they were committed to black metal.

The follow-up to Blaze is the 1993 classic Under a Funeral Moon. On this album, Darkthrone (by their own admission) moved even further away from their death metal roots. They acknowledged that they had still used a death metal template for some of their songs on Blaze, but had now jettisoned that foundation. Even Fenriz himself admitted that Blaze was "a lot of death metal with some black metal parts." 1993's Under a Funeral Moon, however, was "pure black metal."

Here's "Unholy Black Metal," from Under a Funeral Moon

With Under a Funeral Moon (even more than Blaze), the classic second wave black metal template began to solidify. The primitive, blasting drums; the raw, screeched vocals; the tremolo picking riffs....all of it was present in a way that felt new and fresh. It has even been called the "blackest black metal" album that Darkthrone has ever made.

Soon after its release, Darkthrone entered the studio to record its follow-up. At the time, however, things had changed in the Norwegian scene. In 1991 and 1992, things in the Norwegian black metal scene had been relatively organic and tightly knit. There were few actual black metal bands and the focus was on the music. But by 1993, the church burnings and murders associated with the Inner Circle had begun to distract people from the music. It also attracted media attention and resulted in the scene being flooded with black metal posers. This state of affairs greatly influenced Darkthrone's mindset as they recorded their next album.

"Slottet I Det Fjerne" is one of their most famous tracks from Transilvanian Hunger

Now a duo (Zephyrous left the band after a car accident), Darkthrone released album number four in early 1994. This album--Transilvanian Hunger--was another masterpiece that changed the face of black metal. Even more raw, with an aura of misanthropic darkness (which resulted from a dark, ultra lo-fi production), Hunger had blazingly fast songs that influenced a generation of black metallers. Within the span of three years, Darkthrone had revolutionized black metal.

One source of controversy was the band's messaging on the album itself. On the back cover of the album, the band labeled their music as "Norwegian Aryan Black Metal," and in the liner notes they noted that anyone who criticized their music was behaving in a "Jewish" fashion. Years later, Fenriz himself noted that this kind of language was unacceptable and even called it "disgusting."

Off of Panzerfaust, this is "Hans siste vinter"

While Darkthrone's first three black metal albums (Blaze, Funeral, Hunger) are sometimes called their 'unholy trinity' because of how influential and revolutionary they were, I like to lump in their 1995 release, Panzerfaust, as well. The structure laid down on Hunger and Funeral were present, to some degree, but the production values were notably different. The vocals had a more vile, trebly feel to them than in previous albums, giving the entire album an angry rawness that was less present on the earlier releases. All told, Panzerfaust is just as essential as Under a Funeral Moon or Transilvanian Hunger.

Select Discography:

A Blaze in the Northern Sky (1992)

Under a Funeral Moon (1993)

Transilvanian Hunger (1994)

Panzerfaust (1995)

Next time: MORBOSIDAD

Abusiveness (and other Polish bands)

 

Poland is a country with an absolutely incredible black metal scene. While I have already talked about the titans of classic Polish black metal--Graveland and Behemoth--I'd like to talk about some noteworthy mid-tier level bands of the early second wave. Let's start with ABUSIVENESS, from the city of Lublin.

Founded in 1991, Abusiveness emerged at the time when Soviet bloc countries were transitioning to Western-style democracies. In places like Poland, this saw a flourishing of previously-banned ideologies, like pre-Christian paganism. Abusiveness embraced paganism with a passion, and those once-outlawed ideologies become their raison d'etre.

Despite forming in '91, Abusiveness's first sonic assault on the world didn't emerge until 1994. The demo Parentalia was a lo-fi slab of black metal with a heavy dose of synth for atmosphere. Listen below:

Here is the complete Parentalia demo

The '90s saw Abusiveness remain a mostly underground phenomenon, with a slew of demos and a split with fellow countrymen Hefeystos (see below). By the early 2000s, though, they had signed with major labels and begun releasing studio albums proper.

From Krzyk świtu, this is "Mogila"

On albums like 2002's Krzyk świtu and 2007's Hybris, Abusiveness played a style of black metal that was the perfect mix of raw, in-your-face evil, and majestic synths, with lyrics praising their Slavic heritage. In the Polish scene, there are few that sound like them.

"Fame of Arkona" comes from the album Hybris

Select Discography:

Parentalia (demo) (1994)

Visibilium Invisibilium (demo) (1996)

Dwie twarze mroku (demo) (1997)
Watrajar (split with Hefeystos) (2000)

Krzyk świtu (full-length album) (2002)

Hybris (full-length album) (2007)

Trioditis (full-length album) (2010)

**********************************************************************

HEFEYSTOS--already mentioned in connection with their split album with Abusiveness--is an important band in the Polish scene, despite their limited output. Formed in 1994, Hefeystos became known relatively quickly for their gothic-tinged symphonic black metal. After a self-titled demo, they went on to release a self-titled album in 1996.

"Magiczny strumień" comes from their 1996 album

Their self-titled album was a moody gothic black metal masterpiece. Comparable to Moonspell, Opera IX, or perhaps even early Cradle of Filth's more synth-heavy moments, 1996's Hefeystos was a testament to the true beauty in darkness.

After this release, Hefeystos's second full-length album was a little too experimental for most black metal fans. But they still remain a crucial band in the history of second-wave Polish black metal.

Select Discography:

Hefeystos (demo) (1995)

Hefeystos (full-length album) (1996)

Vilce sjen (split with Abusiveness) (1997)

**********************************************************************

MASTIPHAL, from Katowice, is kind of the flip side of the coin that is Hefeystos. Where Hefeystos used synths to achieve a mystical, gothic atmosphere, and the guitar playing complemented it, Mastiphal went in the opposite direction. Their angry, evil guitars set the tone for their music, and instrumental, synth-heavy passages merely hinted at a folksy mood.

From their major '90s album, this is "Flames of Fire Full of Hatred"

After going on hiatus for over a decade, Mastiphal returned with a vengeance in the late '00s as blasphemous as ever. I especially recommend their song "Rituals" from the great compilation of Polish black metal Silesian Black Attack, below:

Select Discography:

Sowing Profane Seed (demo) (1994)

For a Glory of All Evil Spirits, Rise for Victory (full-length album) (1995)

Promo '96 (demo) (1996)

**********************************************************************

Perhaps my favorite mid-level Polish band from this time period is NORTH. Hailing from Toruń, North formed in 1992. Their raw, stripped-down version of pagan black metal has been compared to some of Norway's best and brightest (or darkest?).

This is the title track from their first demo

What I love about North is their unique guitar tone. I can think of few mainstream black metal bands that have such a vile tone. I like to think of it as the black metal equivalent of the buzzsaw Swedish/Sunlight Studios sound, with a hint of Darkthrone's Transilvanian Hunger. Listen below: 

"The Heretic Kingdom" is from North's first full-length

Select Discography:

Entering the Dark Kingdom (demo) (1993)

As my Kingdom Rises (demo) (1993)

Promo reh. '94 (demo) (1994)

Thorns on the Black Rose (full-length album) (1995)

Jesienne szepty (split with Sacrilegium) (1996)

Sovereigns of Northernlands (split with Grom and Marhoth) (1996)

From the Dark Past (1998)

**********************************************************************

Other bands from the early second wave of Polish black metal worth a mention are GROM, SACRILEGIUM, THEMGOROTH, and SAURON. They all made their mark on Polish black metal,  but never quite achieved legendary status. 

Select Discography:

(in alphabetical order)

GROM, Na granicy dwoch swiatow (demo) (1995)

SACRILEGIUM, Sleeptime (demo) (1994)

---, Wicher (full-length album) (1996)

---, Recidivus (demo) (1998)

---, Embrace the Darkness (demo) (1999)

SAURON, Hellish Requiem (demo) (1993)

---, The Baltic Fog (demo) (1995)

THEMGOROTH, Demo '94 (1994)

---, Gate to the Unknown... (full-length album) (1995)

---, Highway into the Unknown (full-length album) (1998)

Next time: DARKTHRONE hits their peak

Belial

 

Part of that brutal scene of early nineties Finnish black and death metal, BELIAL is one of those bands that doesn't get the respect they deserve. From the city of Oulu, Belial's members never really went by evil stage names. Perhaps this was because of their close connection to fellow Finns Impaled Nazarene, all of whose members went by their regular names. In fact, when Belial did eventually break up, some of their members went on to play in Impaled Nazarene.

Forming in early 1991, it was their first demos--especially Gods of the Pit, released in October of that year--that really made them known in the extreme metal underground. Limited to 500 copies, this cassette-only demo featured a raw and brutal black/death style that compares favorably to fellow countrymen Archgoat. In terms of genre, even the members of Belial themselves have acknowledged that it was "basic death metal...with a flirtation in the direction of black metal."

This is their first demo, simply titled Rehearsal. It was released in August of '91

From the Gods of the Pit demo, this is "Voices Beyond"

Their brutal sound caught the ears of a few labels. Belial signed with Lethal Records with the intent of entering the studio to produce actual albums. The result was 1992's Wisdom of Darkness EP. The sound was a refined version of their demo brutality, cleaned up a little with better production values. 

"The Hypocrisy of God's Sons" is a killer track from Wisdom of Darkness

This was also the time when the band began unraveling. They kicked out guitarist Jukka Valppu because of differing artistic visions (he then joined black/death band Mythos), but then the entire band went on hiatus because they wanted to do something different musically. However, Lethal Records reminded them of their contractual obligations, so they entered the studio and recorded their one official full-length album of black/death, Never Again.

The music on this album was more brutal black/death madness, but some of the songs leaned in the direction of modern death metal. It's almost as if Blasphemy tried to incorporate Swedish death metal riffs. It's still a brutal underground Finnish release, though.

Off of Never Again, here is "As Above So Below"

After the release of Never Again, the band started moving in a new direction. They began experimenting more with a grunge- and electronica-influenced sound. This resulted in their second major album, 3. Having not heard this album, I cannot comment on it. That said, it is not well-liked and it is not black metal.

As Belial's popularity peaked in 1992-93, the American label Moribund Records sought to capitalize on it and wanted to release the Gods of the Pit demo as an album. The result was Gods of the Pit II (Paragon So Below), an EP with some of the demo's songs in a slightly better sound. This release has been re-issued by Moribund Records several times, including as recently as 2023!

After the release of 3 and Gods II, Belial broke up. As noted above, many of their members went on to play in Impaled Nazarene.

Select Discography:

Rehearsal (demo) (1991)

The Gods of the Pit (demo) (1991)

The Wisdom of Darkness EP (1992)

Never Again (full-length) (1993)

The Gods of the Pit Pt. II (Paragon So Below)  EP (1993)

Next time: ABUSIVENESS

Black Funeral

 

One of the key USBM bands of the 90s that is still around today, BLACK FUNERAL has a history that dates back to 1991. The brainchild of one Michael Ford (who has been known by such stage names as Akhtya Nachttotter and Baron Abaddon), Black Funeral is a band that has been about staying true to the Satanic ethos of black metal since the very beginning.

The story of Black Funeral starts with the band ABADDON. Abaddon was formed by Ford in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in 1991. Inspired by old-school black metal bands as well as luminaries of the early nineties like Hellhammer/Celtic Frost, Bathory, Von, and Blasphemy, Abaddon's sound was a raw, death-influenced style. Their one demo, 1991's Of Darkness, is evidence of this:

Not too long after the release of this demo, Ford relocated to Indianapolis, and renamed his band SORATH. As a musical outlet for Ford's sincerely held Satanist beliefs, Sorath also continued the death-influenced, raw, old-school sound of Abaddon. With the release of some truly cult-worthy demos, Sorath's name soon became known in the underground USBM scene as a force to be reckoned with.

From the 1992 demo Forest of Winter, this is "Do What Thou Wilt"

By 1993, Ford had formed Black Funeral. Ford's own involvement with Satanism had been growing, and it needed an outlet for expression. Hence, Black Funeral. There is question as to whether Black Funeral evolved out of Sorath, or whether Sorath was an entirely separate artistic entity. Whatever the case, Sorath released material as late as 1995, when Black Funeral was just getting started.

Black Funeral's mission was to be a sonic vessel for Satanism. Ford noted that he felt there were no great Satanic black metal bands in the US scene in 1993 when Black Funeral formed. And, looking back, you have to admit that he was mostly right. There were a handful of bands that were truly committed to Satanism (the black/death band Acheron comes immediately to mind), but for most bands, it was either a joke or a gimmick. Not for Black Funeral.

In addition to being an expression of a Satanic ethos, Black Funeral was also about vampiric spiritualism. In the band's own words, they sought to be "the incarnation of death and vampyrichbloodlust." This unique approach to Satanism and evil can be heard in their music.

This is their 1994 demo, Journey into Horizons Lost

From their first full-length album, this is "The Floating Blue Witchlight"

On such classic early albums as 1995's Vampyr - Throne of the Beast and 1997's Empire of Blood, Black Funeral's sound was a pretty typical second-wave black metal sound. Ultra lo-fi production and tremolo riffing reminiscent of Darkthrone and Burzum, but with an aura all their own, Black Funeral was one of the purveyors of true black metal in a time when infantile death metal clones still dominated the American musical landscape.

"Opferblut" is a classic of USBM. From 1997's Empire of Blood

As the main force behind Black Funeral, Ford's vision drove the band forward. This also meant that any changes or setbacks in his life impacted the band. And he did face a few. First off, like many black metal musicians, Ford had to have a day job in order to support himself. And for a few years in the 1990s, Ford was able to successfully climb the corporate ladder as part of his day job. This affected Black Funeral's ability to consistently put out music and remain a dominant force in USBM.

Additionally, Ford also wanted to spend time spreading his Satanist beliefs. In addition to publishing scholarly tomes on Satanism (and works for laypeople as well), Ford also sought to found a temple for the propagation of his beliefs. Being that the US is a pretty religiously backwards country, he received a lot of pushback for that.

Off of the album Belial Arisen, this is "Infernal Majesty"

Still, Black Funeral should be mentioned in the same breath as Judas Iscariot as one of the classic, foundational second-wave USBM bands. Anyone seeking to know and understand American black metal needs to listen to their works of the 1990s, as the sound laid down there has had an impact on almost all American BM bands to this day.

Select Discography:

Abaddon: 

Of Darkness (demo) (1991)

Sorath:
Forest of Winter (demo) (1992)
Sodomizing Jesus Christ (demo) (1993)

Satanic Black Metal (demo) (1994)

"Horns of the Goat" (single) (1994)

Return of the Darkness (demo) (1995)

Black Funeral:

Journeys Into Horizon Lost (demo) (1994)

Of Spells of Darkness and Death (demo) (1995)

Vampyr - Throne of the Beast (full-length) (1995)

Empire of Blood (full-length) (1997)

Moon of Characith (full-length) (1998)

Next time: BELIAL

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