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)