Norwegian black metal before the boom....

It is no exaggeration to say that Norway's black metal scene is the most important in the history of the genre. Once the style took hold, and bands like Mayhem, Darkthrone, Immortal, Burzum, Thorns, and more began creating black metal music, the world of metal was forever changed. However, I want to highlight some important and lesser-known developments in Norwegian black metal before the explosion of the early 1990s.

Tromsø's 666

Mayhem, despite what most people know and think, is not actually the first Norwegian black metal band. They formed in 1984 in Oslo, this is true, but the band 666--from the city of Tromsø--predates the existence of Mayhem. They formed in 1982 and played a darkly satanic style of metal that owes a lot to 70s hard rock. They never released any proper studio albums, but did become known in the metal underground for their live shows. Their only releases, in fact, are recordings of several early 1980s live shows that surfaced in the 1990s and later.

"Lucifer" is one of 666's more well-known songs

Select Discography:

Live I (recorded 1982, released 1998)

Live II (recorded 1982, released 1998)

Live III (recorded 1983, released 2003)

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Sarpsborg's PERDITION HEARSE formed as Disorder in 1988, but by 1990 they had changed their name and were putting out demos of old-school black metal. Their sound was a very unrefined style that still drew on a death/thrash template but was recognizably black metal nonetheless.

"My Ancient Gods Behind Them" is off of the demo Mala Fide

The mastermind behind Perdition Hearse was the man known as Occultus. Despite Perdition Hearse's early appearance on the scene, Occultus himself would go on to be a part of the Norwegian black metal boom in his own right: he was one of the co-founders of the infamous Helvete record shop, and played session bass in Mayhem for a short time.

Select Discography:

Rehearsal (demo) (1990)

The Stealthy Beyond Death (demo) (1991)

Mala Fide (demo) (1992)

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In the 1980s and early 1990s, a few other bands in Norway popped up on the radar as part of early efforts at black metal. Some of these bands went on to make an impact; others, not so much. Black/thrash band BLASPHEMER, for example, isn't known for much beyond two nasty-sounding demos, and may very well be a joke band (one rumor is that Metalion, of Slayer magazine, was a member). Here is a sample of their sound from the 1986 demo Voice of Dead Babbs:

Oslo's VALHALL--having formed in 1987--followed a pretty interesting trajectory in relation to black metal. A side project of Darkthrone's Fenriz, they actually released a slew of noteworthy demos in the late 80s and early 90s before becoming a stoner doom band and leaving behind black/death metal entirely.

This is their 1988 demo Castle of Death in full

There were some other obscure bands that emerged before Norwegian black metal exploded from the underground into metal mainstream notoriety--like Råde's SLAUGHT or Askim's FESTER--but their impact was even more minimal than the above-mentioned bands.

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With all of that being said, two bands that are worth mentioning because of their role in shaping what would become the Norwegian black metal boom are OLD FUNERAL and THOU SHALT SUFFER. Neither band were really black metal, per se, but they both served as influences on the scene as well as bands with some rather famous rosters.

OLD FUNERAL

Forming as Funeral in 1988, they supposedly started calling themselves 'Old Funeral' because of another band named Funeral that arose shortly thereafter. Old Funeral was especially notable because it contained--at various points in its four years of existence--Abbath and Demonaz from Immortal, Varg from Burzum, and Jørn from Hades. Interestingly enough, these men were never all in the band at the same time.

"Skin and Bone" can be found on the 1990 demo, Abduction of Limbs

In terms of their sound, it clearly owed a large debt to the emerging Swedish death metal scene that was all the rage. The raw, evil style of this band can also clearly be seen as a precursor to the black metal brilliance that Norway would soon be known for.

The band more or less had a rotating roster, but it had broken up for good by 1992. After Mayhem's Euronymous had laid down the gauntlet in a late 1991 magazine interview--calling out Norwegian extreme metal musicians for their lack of creativity and blatant attempts at cloning American and Swedish death metal--many musicians answered the call by seeking to join the ranks of black metal elite. Abbath and Demonaz went on to form Immortal (after briefly dabbling in death metal again with AMPUTATION), Varg Vikernes resurrected Uruk-Hai (which eventually evolved into Burzum), and Jørn formed Hades.

Old Funeral's Select Discography:

The Fart that Should Not Be (demo) (1989)

Abduction of Limbs (demo) (1990)

Devoured Carcass 7" (1991)

The Older Ones (compilation) (1999)

THOU SHALT SUFFER

Thou Shalt Suffer, on the other hand, more or less served as proving grounds for musicians who would go on to form Emperor and Ildjarn (more on these two entities at a later date).

Initially formed in 1990 by Ihsahn and Samoth as Dark Device, Thou Shalt Suffer played more on the black metal side of the extreme metal spectrum than death metal. Exploring eerie and dark sounds with the synth compositions that Ihsahn provided, Thou Shalt Suffer was actually a pretty unique band for 1991 Norway. 

This is the title track from the 1991 demo Into the Woods of Belial

Again, much like Old Funeral, the members of Thou Shalt Suffer began to explore new sounds outside of the bounds of this project as a result of Euronymous's call to arms. Samoth, for example, began composing songs that would eventually become the first music for Emperor, and Ildjarn sought to form his own eponymous band that would go on to become highly influential.

Thou Shalt Suffer Select Discography:

Rehearsal (demo) (1991)

Open the Mysteries of Your Creation 7" (1991)

Into the Woods of Belial (demo) (1991)

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Next time: GRAVELAND

Bethlehem

Returning to Germany, we encounter one of the most important non-Norwegian bands to make an impact on world black metal. BETHLEHEM, from the North Rhine-Westphalia region, is known for their inventive approach to black metal. Scores of modern bands have drawn inspiration from them.

Formed in 1991 by Jürgen Bartsch and Klaus Matton (after their time in death/thrash bands Morbid Vision and Dark Tempest) when they joined forces with vocalist Andreas Classen and drummer Chris Steinhoff, Bethlehem was conceived of as a way to be an outlet for the morbid, dark, death-obsessed aspects of existence that Bartsch and Matton both struggled with. Suicide, for example, has been a recurring lyrical theme throughout Bethelehem's career.

"Wintermute" is from the 1993 7" Thy Pale Dominion

Bethlehem's initial sound is a visceral black metal style that draws on the band members' time in their earlier thrash bands. The self-titled 1992 demo and the 1993 EP Thy Pale Dominion are excellent examples of this. Yet at the same time, one can begin to hear a doom-oriented riffing style creep into their music. Listen to "Wintermute," above, to hear the fusion of styles in their early work.

1994's Dark Metal gives us "The 11th Commandment"

Bethlehem's long-lasting impact on extreme metal would mostly be a result of their first two full-length studio albums. 1994's Dark Metal, for example, continued the vile black metal style of the demos infused with a gothic/doom aesthetic. At the same time, this album's title would lend itself to the name of a subgenre of black metal. Future attempts to meld the rawness of black metal with the atmosphere and riffing of doom metal would be labeled "dark metal".

"Aphel - Die Schwarze Schlange" (off of their second album) contains some truly vile vocals!

Their second studio album, 1996's Dictius Te Necare (Latin for "you should kill yourself"), took things even further. Not only was Bethlehem's dark metal style present on this album in a big way, but new vocalist Rainer Landfermann helped push their sound to new extremes. His shrill, untamed shrieks remain some of the most tortured ever in the history of black metal!

Between the twisted vocals and dark subject matter, Bethlehem ran afoul of the authorities in their native Germany and abroad. Their music was seen as promoting suicide, and busybody parents' groups expressed concern. To this day, their music explores these darker aspects of human existence, and can properly be characterized as death-obsessed.

Their sound began evolving on their third album...

Select Discography:

Bethlehem (demo) (1992)

Thy Pale Dominion 7" (1993)

Dark Metal (full-length) (1994)

Dictius Te Necare (full-length) (1996)

Sardonischer Untergang im Zeichen irreligiöser Darbietung (full-length) (1998)

Next time: NORWAY--BEFORE THE BLACK METAL BOOM

Goatpenis

In the 1980s, one of the most important countries for the development of black metal was Brazil. Sarcofago, Vulcano, Holocausto, Exterminator, Escola Alemã and others were absolutely instrumental in the shaping of old-school black metal and laying the foundation for so much of what came after. By the early 1990s, many of these bands had broken up or were no longer making an impact on the scene. GOATPENIS, formed in 1991, was a crucially important underground black metal band that helped Brazilian black metal evolve in these years.

Band mastermind Sabbaoth has mentioned that their name draws on the fact that "penis" can be used to denote testosterone-driven power and strength. In terms of style, Goatpenis draws not just on the raw Sarcofago-styled black metal from the 80s, but they looked to Brazil's death metal and grindcore scene--bands like Necrobutcher and Fear of God--for sonic inspiration. The resulting sound is primitive, nasty, and visceral. It compares favorably with the work of such brutal bands as Blasphemy, Beherit, and Archgoat. Topically, like so many black metal bands on the brutal side of the genre, Goatpenis has been obsessed with not just all things blasphemous, but the dehumanization and chaos of war.

From their 1992 demo, this is "S'havohej Detaefed"

This is the title track from their 1994 demo, Jesus Coward

In the early 90s, Goatpenis put out some really raw and intense demos that showed the world the brutality that Brazil was capable of. Through tape trading, Goatpenis's sound spread far and wide. That being said, the band went on hiatus in 1997 due to lack of rehearsal space--but they did become active again in 1999.

Since the dawn of the millenium, Goatpenis has been much more active than they were in the early 90s. They've put out numerous albums, EPs, splits, and compilations that show how the band retained their signature raw sound, but had matured and refined it in the intervening years.

This track from 2004's Inhumanization showcases Goatpenis's post-millenial sound 

Select Discography:

htaeD no tabbaS (demo) (1992)

Blessed by War (demo) (1993)

Jesus Coward (demo) (1994)

Semen 1992 - Anno Domini (demo) (2004)

Inhumanization (full-length)  (2004)

Biochemterrorism (full-length)  (2010)

Depleted Ammunition (full-length)  (2011)

Next time: BETHLEHEM

Korova

The boundaries of black metal are, as I've said before, more expansive than a lot of people think. Sure, there's straightforward stuff like Bathory or Mayhem, but there's also the weird and the experimental, like Abruptum or Arcturus or KOROVA, from Innsbruck, Austria. And I think it's important to best understand the genre in all of its aspects.

First off, their name itself reflects their penchant for weirdness. The word "korova" is Russian for "cow", and as odd a name as that is for a black metal band, it was chosen because it was the name of the milk bar in the dystopian novel/film A Clockwork Orange and because Christof Niederwieser, the driving force behind and founder of the band, wanted a name that represented the musical "herd" Korova was seeking to separate itself from.

Off of their debut album, this is "Entlebt in tristem Morgenblut"

Although formed in 1990, Korova labored in the underground for a few years as--mostly--a one-man band under the leadership of Christof. By 1994, Korova was a full band and recorded their debut album, A Kiss in the Charnel Fields. Released in 1995 on Austrian label Napalm Records, Kiss is an odd slab of jarring avant-garde black metal. Filled with unusual time signatures, riffs that range from the atonal to the melodic, clean vocals, and eerie synth passages, only very adventurous black metal fans would embrace such an album.

Korova recorded material intended for a second album, and even shopped it around to several labels. However, it was repeatedly rejected for the music being too odd. This unreleased material apparently exists in the form of the Echowelt demo. Christof has even said in interviews that some of the Echowelt material is actually some of their more popular material when they perform live.

"Europa in Flammen" is a great song from 1998's Dead Like an Angel

They did end up releasing a different second album, 1998's Dead Like an Angel. It's a pretty solid follow-up to 1995's Kiss. That being said, it pushes boundaries even more than its predecessor. In addition to the above-mentioned elements, Korova was now incorporating more electronic sounds, female vocals, and more dissonant passages.

"Drown Symphony" is an excellent example of KorovaKill's millenial weirdness

The turn of the millenium saw some pretty radical changes for Korova. Christof and drummer/guitarist Moritz Neuner more or less disbanded Korova and reformed as KorovaKill, with new keyboardist Renaud Tschirner in tow. The resulting album was even more avant-garde and off-the-wall than anything Korova had done up to that point. This was 2001's Waterhells, an expansive, mind-bending concept album not for the faint of heart.

Since that time, KorovaKill morphed into yet another iteration: Chryst. Chryst is continuing the avant-garde, progressive industrial tendencies of KorovaKill's Waterhells. For fans of black metal as it is traditionally understood, Korova's first album is probably your best bet. For the more adventurous, their entire catalogue is worth a listen.

Select Discography:

A Kiss in the Charnel Fields (full-length) (1995)

Echowelt (demo) (1997)

Dead Like an Angel (full-length)  (1998)

Waterhells (full-length) (2001)

Next time: GOATPENIS

Dead Christ (and other British bands of the early second wave)

A classic photo of Bristol's Dead Christ

Although it is the land in which black metal was born, the United Kingdom is not much known for its black metal since the days of Venom. While I have talked about some major exceptions (Bal-Sagoth, Salem Orchid), I wanted to draw attention to that time period between the early days of black metal when Venom ruled the land and the era when symphonic black metal band Cradle of Filth became the face of British black metal. The bands were few and far between, but several are worth mentioning.

Hailing from Bristol, England, DEAD CHRIST formed in 1990 and left their brutal mark on the underground in swift fashion. Their style of black metal draws heavily on the brutality of death metal, with a resulting sound that reminds the listener of the nastier side of early Finnish black metal (think Archgoat or Drawing Down the Moon-era Beherit). These blasphemous Brits were around long enough to put out a handful of cult demos and one EP in the early 90s.

This is the intro and title track off of the Mortuary Mass demo

Select Discography:

Demo '91 (demo) (1991)

Mortuary Mass (demo) (1991)

Lex Talionis (demo) (1992)
Satan's Hunger EP (1993)

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Suffolk, England's DECEMBER MOON is probably one of the biggest names in underground British black metal history. Formed in 1992, December Moon is one of a very few early second-wave British black metal bands to actually record a proper studio album. As a result, they're one of the few black metal bands from the UK from this time period to gain wide recognition.

Unlike Dead Christ, December Moon's style is more recognizably black metal. While they utilized a more melodic style, the riffing was more in line with what other major black metal bands were doing at the time.

After a couple of demos that caught people's attention, December Moon recorded and put out a proper studio album: 1996's Source of Origin. This melodic style, replete with brilliantly orchestrated synths, can be regarded as an important  moment in British black metal.

"You Can't Bless the Damned"--from Source of Origin--might be December Moon's best-known song

Select Discography:

Nocturnal Trancendency (demo) (1994)

Rehearsal (demo) (1995)

Source of Origin (full-length) (1996)

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Beyond these two bands, the rest of the British black metal underground in the early 1990s was just that--underground. Beyond a slew of interesting demos, the impact of some of these next few bands was rather limited, but worth noting nonetheless.

WITCHCLAN, from Sussex, only managed to put out two demos in 1993 before breaking up in 1995. Their impact on the scene at the time was relatively minor, but it is important to note that they have since reformed and are as cult as ever. Check out their 2010 demo, Descend Into Darkness, below (some of the music on which had been written in their early 1990s days)

Yorkshire's XAZTUR is another underground band that wasn't around for long in the early 1990s. Their two 1993 demos--Frozen Winter and Pagan Rites--are pretty raw examples of in-your-face old-school black metal. But beyond the music, Xaztur were one of the first British black metal bands to fully immerse themselves in the aesthetic aspects of the scene, as evidenced by their infamous 'graveyard photo shoot' (see below).

Here is 1993's Frozen Winter demo in full

MEGIDDO--hailing from Cheshire--may have formed in 1988, but they didn't record any demos until an unnamed, unreleased one in 1991. After another demo in 1993 (Apocatastasis), they were able to release the 1994 7" The Blistering Glow of My Steel. Megiddo's sound is very reminiscent of some of the more vile, demonic offerings of the Norwegian scene at the time, in my opinion.

"Eldest of Lightnings" comes from Megiddo's 1994 EP

While pagan black metal that draws on Britain's Anglo-Saxon or Celtic heritage may be a relatively common thing these days (Winterfylleth and Wodensthrone come immediately to mind), it wasn't always the case.  RAGNAROK--from Venom's hometown of Newcastle--is the major exception during this era. With a very Bathory-esque sound (I'm thinking of their Viking period, obviously), Ragnarok put out three excellent  demos with a strong pagan vibe. They--unlike many of their British peers in this era--were able to put out a couple of proper studio albums before breaking up.

Here is Ragnarok's 1995 demo, Beloved of the Raven God

Select Ragnarok Discography:

Ragnarok (demo) (1991)

Voluspa (demo) (1991)

Beloved of the Raven God (demo) (1995)

To Mend the Oaken Heart (full-length) (1997)

Domgeorn (full-length) (1999)

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This entry is meant to reflect the minor and lesser-known bands that keep the flag flying for British black metal when there hardly was such a thing. By the end of the 1990s, of course, things had changed. Bands like Cradle of Filth, Hecate Enthroned, Thus Defiled, Adorior and others had taken the black metal world by storm. But more on that at a later time...

Next time: KOROVA

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 ranging from At the Gates to Eucharist to Dissection to Necrophobic.

"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)

Bestial Warlust

Australia is home to some legendary black metal bands of renown. Extreme bands like Hobbs Angel of Death and Slaughter Lord paved the way for the modern death and black metal scenes, and Sadistik Exekution and Anatomy laid the foundation for black metal bands to come. One group that rose through the ranks at roughly the same time as those bands was Melbourne's BESTIAL WARLUST.

Initially forming as Corpse Molestation in 1990, these Aussie madmen put their own unique spin on the tradition of adopting metal stage names. Instead of demon names or evil-sounding names, they took a more tongue-in-cheek approach and chose names like "K.K. Warslut" and "Marcus Hellcunt".

Check out their 1992 demo, Descension of a Darker Deity

In their few years as Corpse Molestation, they only ever released a handful of demos. Their sound can best be described as a brutal black metal with heavy death metal influences. It wouldn't be a stretch to compare it to say, Blasphemy or even Beherit.

But after achieving some moderate underground success, they decided to change their name. They felt they would get pigeon-holed as some kind of necrophilia-obsessed gore metal band, à la Cannibal Corpse, if they stuck with their original  name.

From 1994's Vengeance War 'til Death, this is "Storming Vengeance"

As the newly-renamed Bestial Warlust, they signed a multi-album deal with Modern Invasion Records. The result was two of the most important black metal albums in the history of the Australian scene.

"Barbaric Horde" comes from their second--and final--studio album, Blood & Valour

Listening to Sadistik Exekution's oeuvre and Bestial Warlust's two studio albums, one can hear the beginnings of what can be characterized as an 'Australian style' of black metal: chaotic thrash-style riffing; raw speed; ghastly, screamed vocals. This style is still evident today in some of Bestial Warlust's successor bands, like Deströyer 666 and Gospel of the Horns.

Select Discography:

as Corpse Molestation:

Rehearsal (demo) (1991)

Descension of a Darker Deity (demo) (1992)

Promo '93 (demo) (1993)

as Bestial Warlust:

Vengeance War 'Til Death (full-length)  (1994)

Blood & Valour (full-length)  (1995)

Next time: SACRAMENTUM

Mussorgski

As I've said many times before, black metal has a wide range of styles---it's so much more than Darkthrone/Burzum/Mayhem clones or brutal Beherit/Blasphemy imitators. One oft-overlooked subgenre that gets little respect is industrial black metal. In that regard, Poland's MUSSORGSKI is a true pioneer.

Formed in Poland in 1990, Mussorgski has always been--since its inception--driven by mainman Khorzon. Khorzon is mostly known for his work as the guitarist for the raw black metal band Arkona, but Mussorgski actually predates the formation of that band by  several years.

Khorzon, the man behind Mussorgski

In 1991, they released the Mussorgski/Nazichrist demo. Their sound on this demo can be characterized as raw and atmospheric in its use of harsh guitars, but with eerie and repetitive synths that give it that overall industrial feel. The next couple of years saw the recording of two additional demos, 1992's The Bath in the X-Rays and 1993's The Unholy Stories.

This version of "Ice In My Heart" is from the 1993 demo The Unholy Stories

1995 saw the release of Mussorgski's absolute masterpiece, In Harmony With the Universe. This is a ground-breaking work that--much like some of the work by Arcturus and Thorns--shows that black metal has much more porous boundaries than its fans will admit. The eerie, odd synths; the electronic beats; the cosmic aura.....all of these elements managed to give Mussorgski's magnum opus a creepy, harsh industrial edge to its black metal.

From 1995's In Harmony With The Universe,  this is "Victim"

Mussorgski didn't last long after the release of Harmony. Khorzon chose to focus his energies on Arkona (but resurrected Mussorgski in 2009). I think that the seeds for some truly epic sounds  had been sown. It would be hard to imagine some of today's so-called "cosmic black metal" bands--like Mesarthim, Progenie Terrestre Pure, or Alrakis--existing without the foundation laid by Mussorgski.

"Paradisum" is a recent Mussorgski song--from 2016's Creatio Cosmicam Bestiae

Select Discography: 

Mussorgski/Nazichrist (demo) (1991)

The Bath in the X-Rays (demo) (1992)

The Unholy Stories (demo) (1993)

In Harmony With the Universe (full-length) (1995)

Next time: BESTIAL WARLUST

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

Falkenbach

One of the most important--and one of the oldest--bands in the history of the Viking/pagan subgenre of black metal is Germany's FALKENBACH. Formed in 1989 by Dusseldorf-born Vratyas Vakyas (real name Markus Tummers), Falkenbach was initially a nameless project designed to be an outlet for an expression of Germanic pagan ideas. The first demo--1989's Havamal--didn't even have a band name attached to it.

Vratyas labored in the underground for several years, churning out a style that can clearly be characterized as a folk-infused pagan black metal. Between 1989 and 1995, Falkenbach released a slew of demos (many of which are next to impossible to find) that show the development of this sound. Check out the 1995 demo Laeknishendr, below:

Following the release of demos such as Laeknishendr in 1995 and ...skinn af sverđi sól valtiva... in 1996, Vratyas was able to sign with German label No Colours Records in order to put out a proper studio album. The result was the epic ...en their medh riki fara... album. Shortly after the release of this album, Vratyas was approached by Napalm Records and he was impressed with the terms of their contact, so he signed with them. Falkenbach has since put out several quality albums through Napalm. During this time period, Vratyas recruited several session musicians to help craft Falkenbach's music. That being said, however, Falkenbach remains the brainchild of Vratyas Vakyas through and through.

"Winternight" is from their 1996 debut album

 Despite the fact that Falkenbach's sound clearly has much in common with other classic viking metal bands--especially Bathory's viking material--Vratyas has said that he has not been influenced by any other metal bands. He has stated that he draws musical inspiration from Romantic composers like Wagner, Grieg, and Franz Grothe. Being that one of the hallmarks of Romantic music is a glorification of the past and pride in one's heritage, it makes perfect sense that Falkenbach would draw on these traditions.

As can be heard in Falkenbach's lyrics, Germanic and Norse paganism is very real, very authentic, and very personally important for Vratyas Vakyas. He has explicited stated that he wants his music to glorify the ancient gods and goddesses of the Northern European tradition, even admitting to being a practitioner of modern-day Asatru. He also writes most of his lyrics in old languages---Old Norse, Old German, Old Icelandic. Falkenbach is first and foremost about Germanic heritage.

Many people consider "When Gjallarhorn Will Sound" to be Falkenbach's best song

Aside from being the mastermind behind Falkenbach, Vratyas Vakyas also ran his own label--Skaldic Art Productions--for a while. Furthermore, Vratyas has stated in interviews though that he doesn't know what the future holds for Falkenbach, and has often thought about just hanging it all up. We'll have to see. In the meantime, we'll enjoy this classic-sounding pagan black metal.

2005's Heralding the Fireblade gives us "Heralder"

Select Discography:
Havamal (demo) (1989)
Tanfana (demo) (1990)
Towards Solens Golden Light (demo) (1991)
Laeknishendr (demo)  (1995)
Promo '95 (demo)  (1995)
...skinn af sverđi sól valtiva... (demo) (1996)
...en their medh riki fara... (full-length) (1996)
...magni blandinn ok megintíri... (full-length) (1998)
Ok nefna tysvar Ty (full-length) (2003)
Heralding the Fireblade (full-length) (2005)
Tiurida (full-length) (2011)
Asa (full-length) (2013)

Next time: OPERA IX