Grand Belial's Key

 

American black metal is truly fascinating. With some minor and somewhat obscure exceptions, black metal took hold later in the US than in other places, and there are a surprising number of anti-semitic and NSBM-friendly bands that became important. Judas Iscariot is obviously one such band, but GRAND BELIAL'S KEY is another.

Hailing from Northern Virginia, GBK formed in 1992 as a collaboration between Gelal Necrosodomy and Lord Vlad Luciferian. Having already established their extreme metal credentials with bands like Arghoslent and Meatgrinder, this two-man band didn't wait long after forming to put out their first demo, Goat of a Thousand Young.

Citing Mercyful Fate, Hellhammer, Venom, and Sarcofago as influences, GBK's demo material had a raw yet mystical aura. They used synths to enhance their old-school sound, and Vlad's evil screeches on vocals added a grim edge to the music. This demo circulated far and wide, helping to put USBM on the map.

They soon recruited guitarist/bassist Demonic and went to work on a new demo. 1994's Triumph of the Hordes had a rawer sound to it, and included such soon-to-be-classic songs as "In Rapture by the Fenrir Moon". This demo led to more opportunities for live shows, but GBK was still struggling to establish their live identity. Vlad Luciferian wanted to lean into a gothic black metal vibe, but Gelal and Demonic had a more minimalist, hardcore-influenced vibe in mind.

Here is their '92 demo in its entirety

This tension resulted in some personnel changes. Vlad Luciferian was kicked out of the band, and The Black Lourde of Crucifixion (Cazz Grant from Crucifier) was recruited as a new drummer and vocalist. The resulting sound (described as intentionally "filthy" by Gelal) is evident on the material from the mid-90s, like the 1996 7-inch Witness to the Regicide.

This EP was followed by their first full-length studio album, 1997's Mocking the Philanthropist. Released on Wood Nymph Records, this album showcased GBK's organic approach to black metal. Few other bands sounded anything like them, and still don't to this day. 

"Castrate the Redeemer" is from their 1997 album

By this point in their existence, GBK had become known for imagery and lyrics that openly mocked religion. Using defaced paintings of biblical scenes as cover art and with songs that attacked the major Western religions, GBK were courting controversy. However, this is black metal, not nursery rhymes.

Yet at the same time, GBK's support of Nazi bands became a problem. A photo of Gelal wearing a Spear of Longinus t-shirt was part of the booklet for Philanthropist, for example, and this resulted in some labels refusing to distribute the material. GBK, however, didn't care and played by their own rules.

From 2001's Judeobeast Assassination, this is "Lamb of God Slain Will Be"

GBK's second full-length studio album--2001's Judeobeast Assassination--saw the band digging more into their critique of organized religion. Mocking both Judaism and Christianity, this album saw the mainstream metal media labeling the band as anti-semitic. And there's some truth to that.

Despite this, GBK's name spread further than ever before in the black metal underworld. They had opportunities to open for Mayhem in New York City and play at The Return of Darkness and Evil Fest in New Jersey as well as the Milwaukee Metal Fest. Between this and the release of the Castrate the Redeemer compilation, the new millenium started off strong for GBK.

"Tricifixion of Swine" comes from their 2005 album

And to this day, GBK has remained an organic sounding, uncompromising black metal band. While their continued sonic crusade against organized religion has rubbed some people the wrong way, the black metal elite has never abandoned them. 

Select Discography:

Goat of a Thousand Young (demo) (1992)

Triumph of the Hordes (demo) (1994)

A Witness to the Regicide 7" (1996)

Mocking the Philanthropist (full-length) (1997)

The Tricifixion of Swine 7" (2000)

Castrate the Redeemer (compilation) (2001)

Judeobeast Assassination (full-length) (2001)

Sperm of the Antichrist 7" (split with Chemin de Haine) (2001)

Hobo of Aramaic Tongues 7" (2003)

Kosherat (full-length) (2005)

Next time: THE BLACK

Gravewürm

 

Like Crucifier, GRAVEWÜRM is one of those American bands that toiled away in the underground with demo after demo before releasing actual studio albums. Hailing from near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, before relocating to Northern Virginia (where I live!) and then Ohio, Gravewürm plays a raw, angry black metal not for the faint of heart.

Originally formed as Dominion in 1990, they started off as more of a doom-death band. But as the main force behind the band,  Funeral Grave (born one Kevin Fye), became more interested in bands like Goatlord, Beherit, Burzum, and Emperor, it became necessary to change the face of Dominion completely. And so by 1992, Gravewürm had emerged.

1993's Possessed by Darkness is an early demo

By their own admission, their sound draws on first-wave black metal bands and classic heavy metal. There are no blastbeats, and the song structures are very straightforward. The influence of old-school bands like Venom, Sodom, and Hellhammer is apparent as well.

This is the title track to their '96 demo

According to the band themselves, it was a challenge to get record labels interested in putting out a full-length studio album. Their sound didn't match any of the black metal trends of the day (clones of the Norwegian styles of Darkthrone or Mayhem, or symphonic black metal), so label after label passed on them in the late 1990s. That didn't stop them from releasing vicious underground demos!

This is a live performance of "Ancient Storms of War", the title track from their first official studio album

Once labels expressed interest, Gravewürm simply has not stopped releasing album after album of nasty, vile old-school black metal. 2000's Ancient Storms of War was their first official studio album (see above for the title track), and since that time, they've released over twenty albums.

"Under the Banner of War" comes from the 2005 album of the same name

Gravewürm has also admitted that they're not afraid to mix it up a little bit. Sometimes an album will draw heavily on old-school black/thrash,  sometimes it will draw on doom metal, and so on. At the end of the day, you know you're getting raw, brutal black metal that is true to the old-school ethos!

Off of 2010's Blood of the Pentagram, this is "Goat Command"

"Lair of the Gravewurm" is from 2015's Doomed to Eternity

Select Discography:

Bestial Wrath (demo) (1992)

The Morbid Decomposure of Mankind (demo) (1993)

Possessed by Darkness (demo) (1993)

Sinister Curse EP (1994)

Massacre in Heaven (demo) (1994)

At the Gates of Armageddon (demo) (1995)

Ancient Storms of War (demo) (1995)

Nocturnal Spells (demo) (1996)

Command of Satan's Blade (demo) (1998)

Ancient Storms of War (full-length album) (2000)

Dark Souls of Hell (full-length album) (2002)

Into Battle (full-length) (2003)

Under the Banner of War (full-length) (2005)

Funeral Empire (full-length) (2009)

Next time: STORMLORD

Necrophobic, and the line between death metal and black metal

Stockholm, Sweden's NECROPHOBIC represents an interesting conundrum in extreme metal. Having formed in 1989, they set as their goal the creation of a darker, more sinister style of death metal than existed at the time. Yet, they cited old-school black metal like Bathory as their primary influences. Furthermore, I see them on black metal playlists all the time, but they sound more death metal to me. Their guitar tone is more Sunlight Studios than Grieghallen to my ears.

This raises one of the most interesting aspects of heavy metal: the separation of bands into different genres. While some metalheads lament the drawing of lines that determine which band is or is not one particular genre or other, others go the opposite direction. I find myself in the latter category: genre distinctions are important to me. To those on the other side of this discussion,  I ask you this: you're gonna tell me that Mütiilation sounds like Iron Maiden? Or that a fan of Deeds of Flesh would love The Gathering? Distinctions are important.

So what happens when the distinctions literally collapse? When you don't know where to put the line? This post is going to explore that question.

Celtic Frost: death metal? Black metal? 

The line between death and black metal was originally fairly arbitrary. This is why some bands from the early days belong to both traditions: think Hellhammer/Celtic Frost. But why is Possessed associated with death metal more than black metal when they sound like a lot of bands that are labeled "black metal" from the same era (Necrodeath, Sarcofago)? 

Now, the lines are clearer.  No one would point to Darkthrone's Transilvanian Hunger and call it death metal. Similarly, no one would call the latest Dying Fetus record black metal. But there have been bands that are hard to classify, and they weren't even trying to blur any lines.  They were just making the music they wanted to make.

Returning to Necrophobic, what are we to make of them? Where do they fall? Their current label,  Century Media, even calls them blackened death metal. Have a listen to a few songs, below: 

"Before the Dawn" is from Necrophobic's 1993 debut album

"Spawned by Evil" is off of 1997's Darkside

2002's Bloodhymns is the source of "Cult of Blood"

We see why it's so tough to figure out. A few adjustments one way and you've got a Dissection b-side. A few adjustments the other way and it resembles a classic Unleashed or Dismember song.

Two other Swedish bands--GROTESQUE and UNANIMATED--also merit being part of this discussion. Where do they fall? Grotesque eventually evolved into At the Gates, the most famous melodic death metal band of all time. But there are those that call them black metal. Unanimated suffers from the same fate.  Take a listen:

Grotesque's "Angels Blood" is from 1989/90

"Blackness of a Fallen Star" comes from Unanimated's 1993 album

We've got songs with blazing fast tremolo-picked riffs, but with a death metal guitar tone. We've got blasphemous lyrics. The overall song structures wouldn't be out of place on a melodic death metal or melodic black metal album. What do we call songs by bands such as these? Of course, an acknowledgement of this issue recognizes that some of the bands I've already explored could be questioned as well: is Dissection really black metal? Sacramentum?

From the opposite direction, the American band ACHERON enters the debate. Emerging as part of the Tampa, Florida, scene in the late 1980s, they are typically thought of as a death metal band. Yet, their blasphemous themes and dark aura feel almost blackened. Listen below, to "To Thee We Confess," off of their first full-length album:

Again, why stop there? What about Crucifier? Order from Chaos? At the end of the day, it's about drawing a line and sticking with it. On this side, we might find Dissection, but on the other side, we might see Necrophobic. Or perhaps not?

Select Discography:

Necrophobic:

Realm of Terror (demo) (1989)

Slow Asphyxiation (demo) (1990)

Unholy Prophecies (demo) (1991)

The Call EP (1992)

The Nocturnal Silence (full-length) (1993)

Spawned by Evil EP (1996)

Darkside (full-length) (1997)

The Third Antichrist (full-length) (1999)

Bloodhymns (full-length) (2002)

Grotesque: 

Ripped from the Cross (demo) (1988)

The Black Gate is Closed (demo) (1989)

In the Embrace of Evil (demo) (1989)

Rehearsal (demo) (1989)

Incantation EP (1990)

In the Embrace of Evil (compilation) (1996)

Unanimated:

Rehearsal (demo) (1990)

Fire Storm (demo) (1991)

In the Forest of the Dreaming Dead (full-length) (1993)

Ancient God of Evil (full-length) (1995)

Acheron:

Messe Noir (demo) (1988)

Live Rehearsal (demo) (1989)

Rites of the Black Mass (demo) (1991)

Rites of the Black Mass (full-length) (1992)

Lex Talionis (full-length) (1994)

Hail Victory (full-length) (1995)

Anti-God, Anti-Christ (full-length) (1996)

Next time: KAMPFAR

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

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

Summon

One of my favorite American black metal bands, SUMMON emerged as part of the very fruitful late 1980s Midwest extreme metal scene. Lucifer's Hammer is one band I've already mentioned from that scene (in my post on late 80s American black metal), and that band shared some members with Summon (I know vocalist/guitarist Xaphan was in both bands, for example).

Hailing from Lansing, Michigan, Summon was formed by Necromodeus and Xaphan in 1991. Upon formation , their initial sound was a black metal infused with a death metal aesthetic--imagine Incantation writing old-school black metal. However, they only managed to release one demo (1992's Devourer of Souls) before putting the band on hold in order to focus on their work with up-and-coming band Masochist.

Here is the 1992 demo in full

Only Necromodeus was present in Masochist from their inception (I think Xaphan was still with Lucifer's Hammer), but Xaphan joined close to the end of that band's career. Masochist also had rising USBM star Tchort on the roster. Tchort is primarily known as the mastermind behind cult band Wind of the Black Mountains (more on that group at a later date).

"Feast of the Goat" is from Masochist's 1993 demo

Masochist played a vicious, apocalyptic-sounding black metal that owed a debt to both death and thrash metal. As an example, listen to the above song, taken from their 1993 demo Frost of the Diabolical Forest. From the years 1992-1994, the band recorded a slew of well-received demos and EPs in this style. While hard to find, much of that material was recently released by Moribund Records as the compilation album History. In 1995, Masochist came to an end. The members of the band had other projects they wanted to focus on. Necromodeus, Xaphan, and Supmur revived Summon, and Tchort wanted to put his energy into Wind of the Black Mountains--a band that was fast rising in the USBM underground.

"Fuck Your God" is the title track from Masochist's 1994 seven-inch EP

Summon--as a three-piece--quickly got down to business. They announced their return to the world of black metal by self-releasing the cassette-only album Fire Turns Everything Black in 1995 (it was re-released by Grinding Piece Records in '96). 

Here is Fire Turns Everything Black in its entirety

Much had changed in Summon's sound since their first demo. The death metal influence was still there, sure, but the production, vocals, and overall sound was more on the black-thrash end of the spectrum (this does make sense, given that the band had cited old school masters like Venom, Bathory, Destruction, and Kreator as inspiration).

Summon's 1997 album is Dark Descent of Fallen Souls

And this would be the template for the future of Summon's style: furiously fast tremolo picked riffs usually laid over a thrash metal pace, with a drum sound that is reminiscent of aggressive black metal, paired with Satanic lyrics delivered in a screeched voice. Fans of traditional black-thrash, aggressive thrash metal, and well-produced black metal will definitely like what Summon has to offer.

From 2000's Baptized by Fire, this is "Visions of Apocalyptic Grace"

Over the course of several albums released in the late 90s and early 2000s, Summon perfected their style. I would argue that they peaked on 2002's And the Blood Runs Black. This album contains many Summon songs from previous albums, but absolutely honed to perfection. The crisp production complements the thrash-influenced black metal well, and it is my favorite album of theirs.

The title track fromAnd the Blood Runs Black

After 2002's Blood, they put out a good (but not brilliant) follow-up with 2005's Fallen. It was a well-executed slab of thrashing black metal, and enjoyable to listen to. But, alas, change was in the wind in the world of Summon.

"Blood Red Skies" is from 2005's Fallen

Xaphan departed the band in 2006 (he had other projects he was more passionate about pursuing, I believe) and so the band decided to go on hiatus. Things ended on good terms, so a few years later (2009, I think), Summon re-formed with the intention of being a fully functional band--new material and all. A few years after re-forming, Xaphan left the band for good after having a fallout with Necromodeus. I'm not sure of their status today.

Select Discography:

Summon: 

Devourer of Souls (demo) (1992)

Fire Turns Everything Black (demo) (1995)

Rehearsal Tape '96 (demo) (1996)

Dark Descent of Fallen Souls(full-length album) (1997)
Promo Tape (demo) (1998)

Baptized by Fire (full-length album) (2000)
No Thoughts from the Sky (full-length album) (2001)

And the Blood Runs Black (full-length album) (2002)
Fallen (full-length album) (2005)


Masochist:

The Satanic Baptism (demo) 1992

Feast of the Goat (demo) (1992)

Frost of the Diabolical Forest (demo) (1993)
Sucking the Tongue of the Ancient One (demo) (1994)
Fuck Your God 7" (1994)
Nocturnal Practices (demo) (1995)

Next time: NEBIRAS AND BIRTH OF MALAYSIAN BLACK METAL

Absu

How fitting that I write the entry for the mighty ABSU a mere two weeks or so after the band has announced their breakup!  One of the all-time great American black metal acts is no more.

Absu originally formed in 1989 in Dallas, Texas, as extreme speed metal band Dolmen. Taking their name from the Breton word for a type of tomb, their interest in all things Celtic was thus evident pretty early.  Their style drew heavily on thrash and death metal bands like Destruction, Death, Kreator, Sodom, and Slayer. Within a year, they had changed their name to Azathoth . By 1991, they had changed their name yet again---to Absu.

Stylistically, as Absu had evolved from Dolmen and Azathoth, they evolved from a band that clearly flirted with the line separating thrash and death metal to one being squarely in the death metal camp. Their early demo material was fast, brutal death metal that compares favorably to work by the early genre masters---think Suffocation meets Cannibal Corpse. It was quality stuff that honestly still holds up today---but it wasn't black metal. That being said, the lyrics were not the gore and death-obsessed fare we associate with much of death metal. The band---even this early on---were including occultic, magickal, necromantic themes in their lyrics, as well as drawing on ancient polytheistic paganism for inspiration. It was after the release of the 1992 EP Temples of Offal, however, that the direction of the band changed forever.

Here is the complete Temples of Offal EP---note the raw death metal sound!

It was in 1992 that founding members Equitant and Shaftiel recruited Mysticia (guitars), Black Massith (synths), and Proscriptor McGovern (drums, and eventually, vocals). Proscriptor would eventually take over the reins as chief songwriter and the mastermind behind some of the band's more elaborate conceptual works. The band's sound began to evolve even further. An official bootleg compilation of some live songs---entitled Infinite and Profane Thrones--saw the light of day in late 1992 and debuted some new songs ("Descent to Acheron" and the title track) that bridged the gap between their early death metal years and the mythologically-driven black metal style that they become known for.

The transition to a style that can more accurately be labeled 'black metal'--or something approximating it--was complete within a few months of the release of Infinite and Profane Thrones. Absu entered the studio in 1993 to record their debut album for label Gothic Records. The resulting album--Barathrum: V.I.T.R.I.O.L.--was a mystical blend of black metal eerieness and occultic thrash influence. The obsession with ancient pagan themes was still present, but there was a new, sharper edge to the band. The bluntness of the death metal years were gone.

"The Thrice is Greatest to Ninnigal" comes from their 1993 debut

Barathrum was an American black metal release that took the world by storm. With a riffing style that drew on death metal and a mystical background reminiscent of the 1980s proto-black metal scene, there really wasn't anything comparable coming out of the USA at the time. This resulted in the signing to a bigger label---the up-and-coming French label Osmose Productions. Osmose was the band's home for many of their best and most formative years. After Osmose re-issued Barathrum in 1994, Absu headed back into the studio to record their follow-up. What resulted was 1995's The Sun of Tiphareth.

"The Coming of War" is one of Absu's most famous songs

Sonically, Absu was moving further away from their death metal origins. Now a three-piece (Mysticia and Black Massith had left the band in late '93), Proscriptor and company maintained that mystical atmophere of the early years through the masterful use of layered synths, but their guitar sound was more firmly in the black metal camp than it had been before. Another highlight of their evolving sound was Proscriptor's brilliant, yet precise, drumming (check the beginning of "A Quest for the 77th Novel" for a great example). Lyrically and conceptually, Absu was digging deeper into ancient paganism, mining Sumerian and Mesopotamian sources for its spritual richness. This approach also carried over into the ...And Shineth Unto the Cold Cometh 7", released later that year.

"Highland Tyrant Attack" comes from 1997's The Third Storm of Cythrául

It was on their third full-length album, 1997's The Third Storm of Cythrául, that things really began to fall into place for these mythologically-minded metalheads. Not only did this album feature a much more mature thrash metal-influenced black metal sound with strong riffs and superb drumming, but this was the beginning of Absu's Celtic phase. Absu drew heavily on the mystical aspects of ancient Celtic pagan beliefs for their lyrics, and the band even highlighted their own ancestry to further emphasize the connection. There are some very famous pictures of the bands appearing in kilts and other traditional garb during this era of their existence, for example.

Decked out in Celtic garb, this is the classic line-up in a very famous promotional photo

In interviews as well, the band highlighted the depth and importance of these pagan influences. For the members of Absu--unlike so many other extreme metal bands--the pre-Christian spiritual world was one of magick and power. The charismatic Proscriptor drew attention to the ways in which these beliefs shaped their lives.

Absu continued in this Celtic-influenced vein on the 1998 EP In the Eyes of Ioldanach. This release was not just a continuation of Cythrául in terms of lyrical and conceptual content, but saw a further refining of the thrash-influenced black metal style they had now become known for. But their best was yet to come...

"From Ancient Times (Starless Skies Burn to Ash)" is one of their best songs off of Tara

Absu's next album was 2001's Tara. This album not only saw their obsession with Celtic paganism reach its peak, but the musical style that they had been developing over the past few years peaked as well. It was brilliantly crafted black metal, yet the imprint of thrash metal was still easily recognizable.

While Absu may have reached their creative and musical zenith with Tara, all was not well. Equitant and Shaftiel left over creative differences, and Proscriptor injured his hand in an accident, thus causing the band to be put on hold. Once he recovered physically, he decided to put the band on hold indefinitely.  Over the next few years, Proscriptor was the session drummer for many bands in the black metal underground, and even a primary member of Israeli black metallers Melechesh.

Absu was eventually revived after this hiatus. In relatively rapid succession, they then released 2009's Absu and 2011's Abzu. A solid continuation of their earlier sound, these albums saw their occultic obsession with paganism extend more deeply into Sumerian and Mesopotamian mythology.

Absu spent the bulk of the 2010s touring and spreading their sound far and wide. After guitarist Vis Crom left the band in 2018 (after coming out as transgender), the band didn't last much longer:  Proscriptor dissolved the band in January of 2020. One of the greatest American black metal bands came to an end after roughly three decades of existence.

Select Discography:

Immortal Sorcery (demo) (1991)

Return of the Ancients (demo) (1991)

The Temples of Offal EP (1992)

Infinite and Profane Thrones (compilation) (1992)
Barathrum: V.I.T.R.I.O.L. (full-length album) (1993)

The Sun of Tiphareth (full-length album) (1995)

...and Shineth unto the Cold Cometh... 7" (1995)

The Third Storm of Cythrául (full-length album) (1997)
In the Eyes of Ioldanach EP  (1998)
Tara (full-length album) (2001)
Mythological Occult Metal: 1991-2001 (compilation) (2005)
Absu (full-length album) (2009)
Abzu (full-length album) (2011)

Next time: CARPATHIAN FOREST