Zemial

Archon Vorskaath and Eskarth the Dark One,

the two brothers behind Zemial

When speaking of Greek black metal, not a lot of people know much beyond the "big three": Rotting Christ, Varathron, and Necromantia.  Only the devoted recognize that the Greek scene is bursting at the seams with classic black metal bands.  One of the elite is Athens' ZEMIAL.  Zemial formed in 1989 and toiled in the underground for several years, releasing several cult promos and rehearsal tapes (that are now very difficult to find).  By 1992, Zemial released the now-classic EP Sleeping Under Tartarus.

This is the title track from the Sleeping Under Tartarus EP

Lyrically, Zemial is interested in not just the occult and the demonic, but ancient cultures from the Near East (Sumer, Mesopotamia) and obscure authors like Lovecraft and Edgar Allan Poe.  As far as sound goes, Zemial's black metal has elements of the early Hellenic style, as well as a black/thrash kind of sound.  I think that this sound is best exemplified by some of the songs off of the 1996 full-length For the Glory of Ur.

Here's "Battle on the Norse Mountains"

Shortly after the release of 1992's Sleeping Under Tartarus, Archon Vorskaath (the mastermind behind the band) decided to continue the project as a one-man band.  In 1994, he then relocated to Australia.  Owing to his desire to remain an underground band, Archon never signed Zemial to any major record labels (despite offers from labels such as Osmose), and this was one of the reasons for the relatively low output.  Afteer the release of 1996's For the Glory of Ur, 1997 saw the release of a demo entitled Necrolatry, followed by the Face of the Conqueror EP in 2003.

This is "Dragon's Touch", from Necrolatry

And from the 2003 EP Face of the Conqueror, this is "Impending Doom"

After For the Glory of Ur, Vorskaath continued Zemial along its Hellenic-sounding black/thrash path.  It was also in this time frame that Zemial had a few tours around Europe, and for this Vorksaath utilized session players (including his brother Eskarth the Dark One).  Some of the session players used on tour also offered some input on future compositions, but Zemial fundamentally remained Archon Vorskaath's.

Since the dawn of the new millenium, Zemial's output has remained somewhat steady.  After the Face of the Conqueror EP and a split with fellow Greeks Kawir, Zemial put out 2006's In Monumentum.  This album represents a shift in sound.  The black/thrash of Ur and Conqueror remains (to a degree), but is augmented by an epic, almost Viking-esque style.  After two EP's (2009's I am the Dark and 2011's Dusk), 2013's full-length NYKTA saw yet another shift in sound, as Vorskaath began to incorporate more experimental elements and even some jazz.

The title track off of In Monumentum is epic listening

"Pharos" has a very progressive feel to it (from NYKTA)

Select Discography:

Enthroned Death (demo) (1990)
Nocturnal Death (demo) (1991)
Sleeping Under Tartarus EP (1992)
For the Glory of Ur (full-length) (1996)
Necrolatry (demo) (1997)
Breath of the Pestilence (unreleased MLP) (1998)
Face of the Conqueror EP (2003)
In Monumentum (full-length) (2006)
I Am the Dark EP (2009)

Next time:  MYSTIFIER