Satan's Host

A classic 1980s picture of Satan's Host

American band SATAN'S HOST took almost the opposite trajectory that Kat did.  Whereas Kat went from a more black metal sound to a thrash metal sound, Satan's Host started with a melodic thrash/power metal sound and eventually became a black/death metal band.  Their initial style was a combination of speed metal, traditional heavy metal, and thrash.  They were very overtly Satanic in their lyrical content, and much like Mercyful Fate, they made up in atmosphere what they lacked in black and death metal style.

The title track off of their first album

Satan's Host released Metal From Hell in 1986.  Notorious for its inconsistent production, this is by no means a straightforward black metal album.  The riffing bears some resemblance (but not much) to 1980s black metal, and the vocals are old-school clean singing.  But again, it's the atmosphere which gives this a vaguely black metal feel to it.  For comparison, here is more recent Satan's Host having re-recorded the song "Metal From Hell":

Much more black metal, yes?

After 1986's Metal From Hell, Satan's Host recorded an album that was supposed to be released in 1987, entitled Midnight Wind.  This album was never officially released and is pretty much only available in bootleg form.  It even included a cover of The Animals' "House of the Rising Sun," interestingly enough.

"Witches Return", off of the unreleased Midnight Wind album

After the recording of Midnight Wind, the band broke up.  They reformed in 1999 with a much more aggressive, black/death style.  They are currently signed to Moribund Records and churn out some very good stuff.  Again, for comparison, here is a recent re-recorded version of "Witches Return":

I will definitely do an entry on Satan's Host since their 1999 reformation at a later date, because their newer music is really quite good.  But this entry was just to draw attention to their Satanic/occultic power/thrash metal from the mid-1980s.

Select Discography: 

Metal from Hell (full-length album) (1986)

Midnight Wind EP (recorded 1987)

Next time: POISON